I'm taking a trip to Utah in a few weeks.  I'm thinking of taking the bus up the Canyon to Snowbird if the weather gets nasty so I don't have to rent an SUV.  Anyone have experience with this bus.  In particular is it a problem getting a space on the bus if you take bus that gets you there when resort opens in AM and take the 4 oclock on the way home?  Anything else I should be aware of?

Thanks

Just got back from Utah, Midvale hotels are right on the bus route.  Most have airport pickup and restaurant drop off.  Look into Crystal Inn.  Right on a bus stop, breakfast included, dinner included.  Bus was never crowded, but I rented a car.  I don't think you need on, but my son works for Enterprise.  Look at my http://www.dcski.com/forum/86685 post on my trip. 

You will love it.

Here are a couple EpicSki threads about the UTA Ski Bus.  If you don't get a SuperPass for lift tickets, the fare is $4.50 and you have to have exact change.  They take $1 bills and coins.  I haven't used it for skiing, but took the bus back up to Alta last April after  spending some time in SLC with a friend who lives there.  There aren't that many seats since there is a section inside for standing up skis.

http://www.epicski.com/t/145937/slc-ski-bus-uber-and-superpass

http://www.epicski.com/t/130201/question-about-uta-ski-bus-on-mlk-weekend

I used it when I was there a few years ago but found that hitching a ride up from the lot at the base was cheaper easier and more reliable.  That said I cannot imagine you will have a problem with crowds or space when you are talking about

Probably true that taking the bus down to SLC from Snowbird in the afternoon is pretty easy in late season.  Even on a powder day in late March or early April, the locals show up first thing in the morning and are mostly gone by lunch time.  Harder to say about the early morning buses.  I stay at Alta Lodge for my late season trip, so don't have to pay attention to any traffic issues.

I am going to ride the bus down from Snowbird early tomorrow afternoon to catch 5pm flight home.  Expecting a foot or more at Snowbird Monday into Tuesday.

Skied Great Scott with this friend yesterday, where is TeleRod when I need him:-)

More recent Snowbird pics here:  http://www.epicski.com/t/146221/snowbird-ut-march-12-2016-with-bobmc

Great pictures, Jim!

I lived in Midvale and skied Alta via the bus for 3 winters.  Its a great plan.  I dont know anywhere else where you can ski world class terrain daily so cheaply.  I am writing this from memory, so do some googling to check on me and see what has changed.  First, look up UTA ski buses and see what the schedules are.  They change from year to year.

there were several midvale hotels with weekly rates.  If you stayed for 4 days and threw away 3, it was still cheaper than the daily rate.  My favorite was next door to the huge Bass Pro Shops on 7200 South next to the Trax light rail station.  Its name has changed and I can no longer find it online.  Rooms were clean, big enough, and had microwave, fridge, and a mini stove at about $30/night in 2011(?), the last time I was there.   I never arranged my stays in advance, I just walked in. No problem.  It is a 100 yard walk thru the bass shop parking lot to the first bus stop.  First stop is important.  You can always get a seat.  On powder days the bus often fills by even the 2nd or 3rd stop and the driver wont even stop.  Frustrated PO'd powder hounds are left standing and cursing on the curb.  In some years, the buses go to a huge parking lot on Wasatch Blvd. where you transfer to buses to Little or Big Cottonwood canyons.  The idea was to gather all the feeder lines in a big lot, get off there, and head to the ski areas on other buses.  In other years you could go direct from Midvale to the ski areas, which is better.  Check the schedules and see what they are doing now.  At Wasatch Blvd. you may be denied a seat or it may even fill up before your spot in line.  On big powder days there will usually be road closures up both canyons.  On those days you must be on the earliest bus of the day.  It is allowed to go before any of the cars when the road opens.  The cars can back up for miles.  Better to be on that first bus.  If you are driving yourself, dont even try to cheat the 4WD and chain restrictions.  You will be turned back.  The act of inspecting thousands of doofuses who try this slows down and pisses off those who are following the rules.  The BCC road is less subject to closures than the LCC road.  Also the buses are about twice as frequent.  Therefore many locals give up their Alta/Snowbird plans and catch a BCC bus to Solitude (my preference) or Brighton on those days.  

My pass was at Alta.  I always rode to the Albion base, the end of the line, because it was the first stop on the way down.  Again, you always got a seat.  The lower level at Albion has lots of lockers and is never crowded, and I like to boot up in a lodge, not on the bus.  On powder days all the big lines at Alta are tracked out by 11 AM.  There are lines with less vert but untracked on the Albion side, at Catherine's, Vail Ridge, and off the summer road, that last all day.  Then you can get a seat on the way down.  A season pass at any of the 4 ski areas is also a season pass on the bus.

Thats my experience for what its worth.  It is a fact of life that a huge number of powder hounds live in SLC and their prime target is Alta/Snowbird.  

My guess is that the UTA Ski Bus logistics haven't changed much since 2011.  However, my sense is that during midseason the liflines have gotten longer at Alta.  Especially on weekends.  Same is true at Park City and Snowbasin from what I've read on other ski forums.  I only started skiing Alta midseason a few years ago.  Started going annually during late season in 2008.

However, since TomH is going late season, lift lines won't be that much of an issue.  Other than the usual powder hounds first thing in the morning on a powder day.  Difference late season is that locals will be gone by lunch time.