CALL THE 1980s the "B" years for skiing . . . bigger, better, brighter and bolder. Skiers often found the snow bottomless, the slopes sometimes bare and the timing of storms bizarre.
In reviewing the years, it was a time when skiing went uphill.It was far better at the end than it was in the beginning. The number of skiers increased, and so did the number of lifts, runs, and even resorts. Sorry to say, though, so did lift prices.
Skiing equipment improved dramatically over the decade. Skis skiied better, boots fit snugger, and ski clothing got both brighter and warmer. And again, sorry to say, so did prices.
Alta celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1988-89. It was the second resort in the U.S., Sun Valley being the first, to open with a lift. Longtime patrons returned to talk about the wooden skis, the bindings that never gave up, a lift that had a habit of going backward, and about who broke what leg when and where.
A mountain over, Park City was celebrating its 25th anniversary at the same time. Its stories centered on more modern topics, like state-of-the-art snowmaking, the pro skiing debut of the Mahre brothers, Steve and Phil, and the claim to being the only Utah resort with a lift in the center of a town.
It was 1981 when Deer Valley cut the "golden" ribbon and unveiled one of the country's most posh resorts . . . oak tables, brass fixtures, Italian marble and the most expensive lift pass.
This was followed by the equally magnificent addition to the Cliff Lodge at Snowbird . . . the answer to fashionable after-ski living.
The 1980s were definitely a time for ski racing in Utah.
The University of Utah, in fact, owned the `80s - break-away gates, skating track and all. It started in 1981, in Park City, and ended in 1989, in Jackson Hole, Wyo. Utah won the NCAA title in 1981, with help from local skier Scott Hoffman, then went on to win it five more times, the last time in 1988. After three consecutive wins, Vermont was finally able to nudge the Utes aside last year by a few points.
It was during this time, too, that the ski team from the south, Brigham Young University, made its presence felt in the National Collegiate Ski Association, and showed why it would be a welcomed addition to the NCAAs. It won three NCSA titles.
In 1985, Park City introduced the world to a first-class World Cup event, and has put on three more since, the last one being the men's and women's opener over Thanksgiving.
Not to be ignored, the sliders and skaters showed up for a World Cup of their own this past December on Mountain Dell Golf Course. Americans got a good lesson in cross-country skiing from their European peers.
Then, too, look at the skiing talent Utah presented to the U.S. Ski Team during the 1980s - Hoffman, Steve Bounous, Roxann Toley, Kristi Terzian, Hilary Lindh, Tori Pillinger and Jeremy Nobis. All made or are on the American squad.
The '80s were also a time that saw a softening in the hard-line skier. They opened their ticket windows and lifts to the "lesser" skiers - cross country, or telemark, and to snowboards.
And they said it would never happen.
It was during this time, too, that Interconnect made connections. Ski five ski areas in a single day was the plan. Some liked it, some didn't. Some still hope to complete the project, some still don't.
Coming on the tailend of the decade was Utah's stepping into the future - high-speed lifts that cut riding time in half. This past December, Park City and Solitude both introduced new "quad" lifts.
It was also during this time that the buses started rolling. UTA put Snowbird, Alta, Brighton and Solitude on its schedule.
And there were other things . . . skier days went from 2 million in 1981 to more than 2.5 million last year . . . lift tickets more than doubled in price at some areas . . . skier capacity at all resorts went from 65,380 skiers per hour to 113,185 per hour . . . snowfall was down, then up, then down . . . cross-country skiing entered the market in a big way, jumping from one center to eight at the end.
It was, indeed, a good 10 years for skiing. It went uphill, so skiers would have a better time going downhill.