A friendly giant by the name of John Burrows greets me at the base of Powder Mountain, UT. Six-foot-something and impossible to miss in his bright blue jacket, it’s easy to see why he’s been tapped as the ambassador for the ski area. Donning gold-rimmed Ray Ban aviators and a black cattleman hat, John exudes smooth confidence and speaks with an air of authenticity earned by way of eccentric experience.

Powder Mountain Ambassador John Burrows.

It’s mid-March and bluebird at Powder Mountain, one of the nation’s largest ski areas with over 5,000 acres of public skiable terrain, located just an hour north of Salt Lake City. Within minutes of saying hello, John is explaining to me why, and how, Powder Mountain has what he and others claim to be some of the best snow and most skiable groomers on Earth. Allegedly, it’s backed by science.

“I talked to University of Utah professor Jim Steenburg, who wrote the book, ‘Secrets of the Greatest Snow on Earth,’ and who is also a great skier himself,” John explains. As he talks, the syrupy Southern twang in his voice makes me wonder if he was ever a country musician—which, delightfully, it turns out he was and still is. Snapping back to attention, John continues, “Jim told me, ‘Well, [Powder Mountain doesn’t] make snow, so you don’t get sublimation.’ Sublimation is the process of going from a solid to a water vapor or gas. When you make snow, it’s ice. It evaporates slowly, 24 hours a day, and percolates up through the corduroy. We don’t get that here. So, that’s why our groomers are consistently softer.”

John is one of countless transplants who didn’t grow up anywhere near northern Utah’s Wasatch Range but now calls Powder Mountain home. Originally from New Hampshire, he’s been skiing here for years. Although I know it’s his literal job to wow me on this place, he’s doing a damn fine job of it. I’m grateful he stopped me to have this little talk. To share his wisdom. His energy. And even a few of his favorite stashes around Powder Mountain—zones he assures me will still be untracked and protected by shade despite it being days since the last snowstorm.

Fisher McQueen finding fresh snow several days after the most recent storm graced Powder Mountain.

The friendly giant is also one of countless examples of why places like Powder Mountain need folks that retain a certain level of soul. Much like the purer snowpack that this cosmic cowboy is currently praising, the unmistakable appeal of the real deal goes a long way.

It doesn’t take long for my traveling compatriot, cameraman Colby Mesick, and I to feel like we’re a welcomed extension of the Powder Mountain community. A pair of snowboarders, Kelsey Boyer and Ruby Peyton, take us up the new Lightning Ridge chairlift and onto a steep boot-pack that’ll lead us to some of the same untouched, sun-protected lines John pointed out. The line of skiers and riders going up the bootpack is surprisingly sparse, especially when comparing it to other mountains near Salt Lake City.

We slowly poke our way down the mountain, finding plenty of powder pockets. The run eventually ends roadside. We wait with a few other folks at a designated stop for the Powder Bus—a literal bus, with an attendant checking our tickets like we’re getting on a lift—that’ll bring us back to the Timberline base lodge.

Ruby Peyton and Kelsey Boyer leading us to untouched lines.

Ruby Peyton saw this opportunity to catch some air and made the most of it.

All aboard Powder Mountain’s Powder Bus.

The next day, local pro Nicky Keefer and his wife, Maja, show us more of Powder’s expansive terrain, leading us into zones we would’ve never been able to find on our own. Nicky is from nearby Huntsville and essentially grew up at Powder Mountain, sharpening his edges as a ski racer before leaning into freestyle. Eventually, he’d travel the world competing and filming video parts. Now he’s back living nearby.

Nicky leads us to new zones that would’ve taken us forever to find on our own accord. There’s so much terrain here, you could ski for days and barely scratch the surface. Contrasting the enchanted forest like runs we meandered through with Kelsey and Ruby, these more challenging zones are teeming with rocky features. Some parts of it prove to be quite tight and technical—a fun challenge with expansive, beautiful views to boot. We hit a few natural features before making it to the treeline and setting up to minigolf a shaded aspect where Nicky rips some turns, hikes back up and sends a backflip straight to the bathtub. We all laugh till it hurts. Lucky for him, the snow is soft and deep enough that the only thing bruised is his ego. No one aside from our crew was there to see it in real time, anyways. It isn’t until we reenter groomed terrain that we even see another soul.

Nicky Keefer grew up skiing at Powder Mountain before traveling the world as a pro. Now he’s back home ripping Powder Mountain, which he says is still his favorite ski area after all these years.

We make our way to the lot of the Sundown Lodge where Nicky and Maja unleash their pair of spunky bulldogs for a short stroll in the snow. They inform us that having dogs is illegal at ski resorts in Little and Big Cottonwood Canyon, or anywhere else in those protected watershed areas that provide drinking water for the Salt Lake Valley, but we’re far enough afield that it’s ok here.

After lunch, we head to the park. The setup is a work of art, including but not limited to kickers, hips, rails and even a section exclusively comprised of snow sculpted volcanoes. We aren’t alone anymore. Other groups of skiers and boarders make their way to session under the afternoon sun. Nevertheless, there’s still plenty of room to breathe. It’s extremely easy for us to find breaks in the sporadic traffic of other stoked shredders. Under cloudless skies atop inviting spring conditions, we play around on dozens of features till the park crew informs us that we’re going to miss last chair off the mountain if we don’t skedaddle.

Getting tricky with Nicky Keefer in Powder Mountain’s terrain park.

Before rushing to make the last lift, we meet the young brothers McQueen—Fisher, Rocco and Byrd—who have been lapping the park. They’re fired up, eager to follow in Nicky’s boot pack, and ready to send the following day. We retrace our routes and set the boys up to session the same features one of their favorite pro skiers threw down on just a day prior. Their mom, Ashly, is snowboarding alongside us. During one of our lift rides up, she hops on a phone call to coordinate with the boys’ skateboarding coach—one of them has a lesson on the mini ramp in their garage later today. Ashly tells us how their family moved to this area 10 years ago, because of a trip they took to Powder Mountain.

“There’s definitely a sense of community, especially when you get on the bus off of Woody’s or Powder Country,” she says. “Everybody’s super happy. Almost everybody in the bus, the workers, they remember you. They’re super friendly. They love my kiddos. I feel like they’re safe riding the bus, riding Powder Country, because all over the mountain they have people looking out for them.”

Byrd, the youngest of the McQueens, carving corduroy with fervor.

The brothers McQueen. From left to right: Rocco, Fisher and Byrd.

Rocco McQueen laying out a backflip into a soft pocket of powder. The runout was hectic, but he held on.

Satiated on the fresh snow front, we spend our last full day ripping the terrain park with freestyle legend Tom Wallisch. He’s a pleasure to film and photograph as he casually and consistently blasts massive airs on the park’s jumps and hips. Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, Tom has been living in Utah for nearly 20 years. On the lift, he praises the park and Powder Mountain.

“I’ve been living in Utah for 20 years and I’m an athlete for Powder Mountain,” Tom says. “I love coming up here, it’s one of my favorite resorts in the Wasatch area. It’s further away from Salt Lake City than most of the other resorts. There aren’t as many people coming here, so for days after the last storm you’re going to have a chance to make a fresh turn. I love finding a rock or a cliff and a jump, and my wife loves open powder fields. In every run we take there’s something for me to do something on—catch some air, do a flip, be creative—and for her to just milk powder eats.”

Back on the snow, Tom flows through features with power and ease. “It’s so cool that Powder Mountain brought the terrain park back,” Tom says. “I grew up rail riding and jumping and it was that technique and learning in the terrain park that brought all my skills to the bigger mountain. So, just to have that, it’s that extra piece of variety for the resort and for the kids to learn.”

Tom Wallisch going huge on the hip in Powder Mountain’s terrain park.

Tom Wallisch pressing through the C-rail. Powder Mountain’s terrain park is teeming with a variety of jumps, boxes, bonks and rails.

High-speed Stephanie Wallisch enjoying a bluebird day of skiing at Powder Mountain.

We end that final day (very much like the four preceding it) with food and drinks at The Powder Keg, located on the bottom floor of the Timberline base lodge. A live band jams in the corner. Our new friends from throughout the week gather closely at one big table. Despite plentiful options on the menu, I eat my weight in chicken wings for the fifth day in a row. By now, it feels like tradition to end the day this way. Pitchers of water and beer pass among the crew. Everyone’s cups are filled to their brims.