Originally published on Los Angeles Times.

The Ultimate 4-Day Luxury Winter Escape to the Wasatch Mountains in Utah

It’s never too early to plan to visit Utah’s winter playground

If you close your eyes, click your heels three times and use a little imagination, you could escape the summer doldrums of wherever you may be and, with a little luck, end up in one of the most beautiful winter playgrounds on the planet. That’s the Wasatch Mountain range in Utah, the home of spectacular, powder-filled resorts perched on massive peaks carved out by glaciers long ago.

And while the Wasatch is beautiful year-round, with copious outdoor activities to enjoy should you choose to visit in the summertime, it’s winter that the range truly comes alive.

From quick escapes to dream adventures, we’ll share top destinations, tips, and experiences to inspire your next trip.

This magnificent range is also so close to California’s Pacific Ocean that, while we admit that your ruby slippers may not quite get you there, it is only a two-hour flight from most of the Golden State’s major cities. That makes it a breeze to fly out in the morning and be skiing, snowboarding, fat-tire biking, snowshoeing or even dog sledding by early afternoon, if you aren’t the planning type.

I love a long weekend in the Wasatch, especially in the spring, when the mountains are still snow-covered and the sun is often shining, creating perfect conditions for whatever winter sport you love. Let’s do a four-day trip together to this wild, wonderful and often surprising place.

From Airport to Ski Slope

For speed and ease of airport if heading east from Los Angeles, choose Burbank, Santa Monica or Long Beach airport to fly to Salt Lake City (SLC), taking the quick two-hour flight on Delta, American, Frontier, Southwest and other carriers (who also fly to SLC from LAX). I like to splurge a bit and take JSX from Hollywood Burbank Airport (still Bob Hope in our hearts), as that public charter air carrier makes it incredibly easy to sashay from checking in my included free bags to walking through ridiculously quick security and onto the plane, which has only one class of seriously comfortable seats.

At SLC, JSX lands in the private terminal side of SLC, meaning a quick getaway to the slopes. And JSX is also happy to have a rental SUV waiting for you upon landing via GoRentals. Their winter-ready SUVs are key to snowy driving here in Utah, and you’ll probably want your own vehicle, especially if you’re bringing your own skis, snowboards or other gear, and plan to experience more than one mountain/ resort on this adventure.

Then skip right through Salt Lake City (for now, at least) and head east up into the mountains, with a goal to hit a slope by early afternoon. That leaves two more full days in the Wasatch, then finishing up this quick trip with night three happening in SLC, for a taste of this burgeoning hotspot’s action and a final day of pampering, wandering and chilling. We’ll also end up 10 minutes away from the airport for the flight home.

Many of the Wasatch mountains tower to almost 13,000 feet, which means too many to choose for this quick visit. So don’t miss the newest addition to the gorgeousness that is Deer Valley Resort, for that already legendary, luxury-imbued ski-only spot (no snowboards allowed) just more than doubled in size.

Adding Deer Valley East Village to the Wasatch Back means you’ll find over 4,000 acres of skiing, with 31 chairlifts and 202 ski runs that cross 10 mountain peaks. It’s mind-boggling and may lure you to spend every minute of this long weekend discovering all these new adrenaline-filled spots that opened up in November 2025. One lift ticket takes you to all those runs, too.

Hit this exhilarating new part of the resort by staying at Goldener Hirsch Auberge Collection Resort, located mid-mountain in Deer Valley. Often voted the best resort hotel in both the USA and in Utah, this modern, elegant place has it all, from a ski concierge to wrangle your gear to a luxurious spa, world-class dining and a perfect location to ski-in, ski-out at Deer Valley. They’ll also arrange dogsled or horseback rides for the non-skiers in your squad, as well as snowmobile treks, ice fishing adventures, snowshoeing wanders and more.

Spend two nights here, with experiencing these mountains the first afternoon and all day on the second day. Once the exhilaration of the day settles, dine in one of the hotel’s seasonal outdoor Alpenglobes for a distinctly European feel to your prix fixe tasting meal, or head into Park City to The Riverhorse, where big steaks, wild game meats and sublime seafood top off the day in style.

On the last full day of this four-day mountain adventure, pull yourself away from Deer Valley’s allure to do the Wasatch Front. Pack up and head off early the morning of your third day to drive over to the eternally wonderful Alta Ski Area on that side of the range.

Since 1938, this absolutely stunning, powderfilled place has been the go-to spot for those who love spectacular snowy mountains with incredible views. Alta is a ski-only resort, too, so snowboarders should hit nearby Snowbird instead, which is equally fantastic for skiers as well. But be sure to jump on Alta’s Sugarloaf Chair to see and ski the back side, where one of the world’s finest mountain views awaits, to be gawked at and skied, too.

World-class skiing is right outside of the major metropolitan areas in Utah

I tend to move down to the city after this last day on the slopes, but if you want a few more runs on your last day, then stay on up here, at the Alta Peruvian Lodge with ski-in, ski-out easy access to Alta, with comfy digs and three full meals included. Or choose Alta’s Rustler Lodge, which is the top-rated hotel in Alta, for a room with a mind-blowing mountain view, and a welcoming spa offering sublime après ski massages.

Take Time for Salt Lake City

To do what I do and get a taste of Salt Lake City’s big city-small town charm, get off the Alta/Snowbird slopes a bit early and take the 35-minute drive to drop into the Salt Lake Valley. Checking into The Grand America Hotel puts you in a perfect spot, central to everything and staying at the best hotel in town (that is also only a 10-minute drive to the airport), so that’s my ideal way to close out a four-day sojourn in the Wasatch. The Grand America has it all, from a music-filled and massive Sunday brunch at Laurel Brasserie & Bar (with excellent dining at other times as well) to a classic High Tea served daily in their Lobby Lounge, plus a large spa to help work out this action-packed weekend’s physical kinks.

It’s easy to bounce from the hotel into the liveliest part of the city, for it’s just steps to the Post District, where chic shops and highly rated restaurants abound. Snag a reservation at the James Beard favorite Urban Hill to have a meal fit for a queen, complete with a lively atmosphere that’s overseen by multiple James Beard Awards nominee Chef Nick Zocco. He’s even got his “Beat Bobby Flay”-winning dish on offer, a spicy chile relleno stuffed with lump crabmeat and black bean puree that’s perhaps the perfect ending to this last night in the Wasatch paradise.

On the final day of this slightly whirlwind Utah visit, stretch it out by booking an early evening flight to take a deeper dive into what SLC has to offer. That includes checking out two excellent art museums, the Utah Museum of Fine Arts with works spanning the centuries and the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art (UMOCA) featuring six ever-changing galleries of current, cutting-edge artworks. Or perhaps visiting Temple Square, the massive downtown area devoted to the Mormon religion and the pioneers who chose this place as the center of their spiritual universe. And don’t miss the famed Red Butte Garden and Arboretum, open all year round and a massive place with sights and sounds to savor during every season of growth.

Finally, have you heard the news? The Winter Olympics will return to Salt Lake City and the Wasatch Mountains in 2034, more than 30 years since this spectacular western U.S. setting hosted the Games for the first time in 2002. Start planning ahead to spend much more than four days in the Wasatch when that worldwide competition begins, for there’s truly nothing like being at the Olympics.