 Ken Perko digs his swallow tail in deep at Solitude: P: T. Roberts On a powder day you can ride three of Solitude's lifts to access the goods in Honeycomb Canyon, Eagle Express, Powderhorn, or Summit. Once at the top, choose a gate. Chances they all hold a cache of deep powder snow. To get to the head of Honeycomb Canyon, ride the Sunrise lift from the base, then race over to the Summit chair. At the top you'll be treated to an awe-inspiring view of the canyon. The Honeycomb cliffs rise high above the resort. If you're there early, drop straight in from the top and be treated to a near two mile run through the gut of the canyon until you find your way to the new Honeycomb Quad. In years previous, before the new chair, you would have to traverse out of the canyon, but now, thanks to the new chair, your wisked out of the canyon without having to unstrap.
If you're a little later or it's your second lap you have several options for easy hikes to access more secluded caches of powder. If you head to the left you can traverse out under the cliffs and have your pick of the glades beneath. The areas you'll pass include Black Bess, Voltaire, Prince of Wales, Boundary Chutes, No Man's Land, and Crystal Point. Don't forget to look up and scope the lines coming through the cliffs above.If you hike out along the ridge to your right, you're in for a melow hike that will lead you to the tree lines of Buckeye Junior and Black Forest. Just drop in anywhere through the burned out pines, burned perhaps hunderds of years ago and petrified from the high altitude. These aspects stay shady and can hold light, dry powder for days. Near the bottom of the canyon keep an eye out for the mine tailing jumps that make Honeycomb the snowboarders playground it is. Finally, if you're really adverterous, go for a real hike and head up Fantasy Ridge. Warning: this hike is not for the timid or inexperienced. You'll pass through several areas where a fall would be a very bad idea. And, since many areas you access from this hike are out of bounds, you'll need an avalanche beacon, a shovel, and a probe. A pack that can carry a snowboard is also essential. On top of Fantasy, take a moment to catch your breath and enjoy the view. From the top of Fantasy Ridge you can see Brighton, Snowbird, and Alta. Then, just pick your line. All of the chutes that strain through the Honeycomb cliffs are steep and litered with cliff bands that beg to be launched. On some lines you'll feel like you're in Alaska as you blast your way through 2000 feet of 50 degree powder. Just don't forget to let out a whoop and shatter a little bit of the Solitude when you shoot out of the bottom of some of the gnarliest in-bounds chutes in all of North America.  Greg Thomas hikes Fantasy Ridge, Solitude, Utah |
