I (Michael Gatt) have use of a timeshare at Snowbird, Utah, for the week of January 17-24 (Saturday to Saturday). I have been skiing this week for almost 15 years and have rarely ever failed to have a great time. This year I'm opening up the space to SCOA members and their friends. You will not find a better deal for accommodations just steps from the slopes of a major ski resort.

Skiing and Boarding:

This is why you're here right?

Both Snowbird and adjacent Alta have reputations as "expert" mountains, but expansion of the terrain, changes to the lift network and terrain modifications in key locations have made them both much more accessible to all levels than ever in the past. Snowbird's terrain favors advanced and intermediate skiers and riders, but also has decent learning areas. Alta is still a skier-only mountain with a good mix of terrain including some of the best long beginner trails I know.

Both Alta and Snowbird have given up on maintaining extensive terrain parks but do have some maintained features and rails. The natural off-trail terrain in these mountains tends to create far better features than anybody can manufacture artificially. Snowbird also maintains a good-sized half-pipe, but the natural jumps, gullies, half-pipes and other features in both areas are really a lot more fun. Unlike California resorts, the rules are pretty relaxed and nobody tries to stop you from using the natural and off-trail terrain in any way you see fit so long as you keep a safe distance from other skiers. This is rarely ever a problem. Cutting through ropes to get to the good stuff is perfectly legal in most cases.

January weather is generally snowy but rarely too cold. Except during snowstorms, humidity is very low.

You will wake up to the sound of avalanche guns. This is a good thing. No, we are not under attack: http://www.snowbird.c...

Alta and Snowbird have been offering a joint ticket option for several years. You can link up the two by chairlift to the top of Sugarloaf pass from either side, or by advanced/expert traverses. The "AltaBird" ticket is more expensive than skiing either one alone, but really allows you to roam over a lot of terrain. If you have a multi-day Snowbird pass you can buy daily upgrades to add Alta privileges. For those who just want to go straight to Alta, the Utah Transit Authority bus that connects the two stops just steps from the front door.

$400 per person gets you a full week of accommodations and usually leaves some over for a meal or two after covering my maintenance payment. That's less than $60 per night for slopeside accommodations.

You are not required to stay the entire seven nights, however, it gets too complicated if I charge by the night. If you find somebody who wants to "split" the week, I can probably work something out.

You will need to cover your own transportation, lift ticket and food costs.

Contact Michael Gat at [masked] or [masked] for more information.