On a map, a thumb print can cover Utah's five central ski resorts. On skis, it takes less than a day to connect the dots. In the minds of most people, the impression is the resorts are separated by whole mountain ranges.
In truth, all that stands between five Utah ski areas in Park City and Big and Little Cottonwood canyons is a couple of mountain slopes and a few patches of trees.
All of which makes skiing between the five, a trip called the Interconnect, an adventure that is very possible. It also makes this skiing experience unique in this part of the world — five world-class ski areas, all different, all unique, and all skied, top to bottom, after the ski lifts open and finished before the ski lifts close.
And, for the most part, it's all downhill, albeit for the rides up the chairlifts and a short hike over the Highway to Heaven.
The Interconnect was introduced 23 years ago and, over the years, basic routes haven't changed much. It starts at Park City Mountain Resort, goes to Solitude, then to Brighton, back to Solitude for lunch and then over the mountain to Alta and Snowbird.
What has changed, said Mark Menlove, one of the guides for the daily tour, are the options.
"The route varies according to conditions and ability levels of the group," Menlove said.
"There's some really good skiing if you traverse over to some powder fields, or we can continue down and pick up Diana's and Doll House, or go down the Guardsman's Pass road and through the trees to the Mill F drainage," he explained as he pointed out features in Big Cottonwood Canyon.
The trail finishes across the road from Solitude. Three chairlifts then drop skiers off at the Summit, which looks down over Brighton. The Upper SolBright trail leads down to Twin Lakes, and from there a series of rollers drops skiers at the base of Millicent lift.
"We can traverse to an area and pick up some good powder or ski down to the lift," said Menlove. "We can also traverse Brighton Bowl and pick up Pole Line. It was cut for an old power line. The poles are gone now and the snow is usually excellent in there, even when it hasn't snowed for a time."
The route then returns to Solitude, where lunch is served. After dining, two chairs return skiers to the Summit, where a short climb takes skiers to the entrance to Highway to Heaven, a 500-yard walk up a slight incline to the pass that overlooks Alta.
Depending on snow conditions, skiers will either go down Grizzly Gulch or stay high and ski the Patsy Marly ridge line to an open bowl. Or they can go down to Michigan City, an area named for an old mining camp, and into Albion Basin at Alta.
Now that Alta and Snowbird are connected by lifts in Mineral Basin, the route back can be as quick and easy as a few runs on groomed slopes, or as challenging as traversing through the trees between resorts.
A van picks skiers up at Snowbird and returns them to Park City.
The five-resort trips are run on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. There is also a four-resort tour operated on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday that starts at Snowbird, goes to Alta, over the pass to Solitude and Brighton, then returns to Alta and ends at Snowbird.
Rodd Keller, who has guided Interconnect skiers for 19 years, said the groups are typically a good mix of "out-of-state and local skiers . . . some locals, in fact, make this an annual adventure."
Reactions to the ski adventure are mixed, but both Menlove and Keller said the most common comment at the end revolves around just how close the five areas are.
"They have this picture, because they have to drive so long to get between resorts, that they are a long distance apart," Menlove said. "So they are always amazed at how close they really are."
And because this tour involves some backcountry skiing, skiers are usually surprised at how good the snow is, that is, how much powder skiing is actually possible, even after going weeks without a storm.
The tours are designed for advanced skiers. All skiers are outfitted with transmitting devices and guides stay in constant contact with the ski patrol staff at the various resorts. Cost is $150 and includes guides, use of transmitters, lunch and lift tickets at the five areas.
Utah has tried for a long time to promote to the world just how close its world-class resorts are, and the Interconnect is proof positive it's true. For information on the ski adventure, call 534-1779.
E-mail: grass@desnews.com