Midvale, UT — When most people think about Utah, they think about a love for soda, the national parks, and incredible snow. Lately, locals have been making the most of even small snowfall, as Utah has yet to receive a major storm. Many have been heading to the resorts around the Salt Lake area, as well as enjoying ice skating and sledding. While there is no shortage of winter activities, skiing and snowboarding remain the most popular.
Skiing and snowboarding are by far the most popular winter activities in Utah. Junior Kyle Preston says, “I think skiing is more extreme and you can make more of a day out of it. You can go skiing for more than an hour and still be having fun.”
Preston adds, “The benefits of skiing is getting to be outside, being active, and you just get to go up and have a good time with your friends.” Senior Abigail Pruden agrees, stating, “I think it’s a good way to stay in shape even when it is cold.”
Even with the benefits, skiing and snowboarding aren’t the right fit for everyone. Sometimes the cost is too high, transportation may be an issue, or it could simply be that people have young children to take care of.
If cost is the issue, there are ways to make it more affordable. “There’s lots of deals around for people who are underage and wanna ski, like people in high school. There’s this one ski resort, Nordic Valley, that you can get for pretty cheap, so I think that if you really want to, you can go skiing for cheap,” says Preston.
There are always other winter activity options besides skiing and snowboarding. Sledding, for example, is one of the most affordable winter activities. Pruden says, “You only need a sled to go sledding, and you can pretty much find a sled anywhere. I think there’s even some at the dollar store.”
