Salt Lake City Ski Trip
With Nineteen Relatives!
February 5-10, 2004

Stephen at Brighton

 View  my  Salt Lake City Ski Photos

View  Dean's Salt Lake City Ski Photos

For several years some of the Coester clan have been meeting in Salt Lake City for a week of fun and skiing.  This year my brother Jan  rented a large home in Sandy right at the entrance to Little Cottonwood Canyon ( Alta and Snowbird) and invited everyone to join him and Sher February 5 to 10.  I think they were surprised that nineteen of us decided to take them up on their hospitality.  First he had his son Dan with his kids, Christine (14) and Alexander(8).  Next Jan's daughter, Cindi, her husband Anthony, and kids Jessie (9) and Nathalie (7).  Sher and Jan's kids, Lari with wife Michal  and Sam with his long term girl friend Debbie and Debbie's kids, Erica (15) and Danny (17).  My side of the family squeezed in with Yvonne, our son Dean, grandson Stephen (12) and me (OLD!).

The home had seven bedrooms, a couple of living rooms, lots of baths and a big recreation room with foosball and ping pong.  There was also a hot tub but it was broken until about the third day.  That caused some resentment at the renters since after a long day skiing one really needs that hot soak.  The recreation room was a big plus and there was a lot of testosterone flowing around the ping pong table.  The house had a fabulous view of the mountains and one could see all the way to the skyscrapers of downtown Salt Lake City.  The back yard was a steep slope down to 9400 S and the kids had a great time sledding down it.  Alta and Brighton ski resorts were only a thirty minute drive from the rental.  The place was well worn but with weekly rental to crowds like ours I guess that is to be expected. Overall it was perfect for all of us.  The kids were great playing and getting along. I never heard anyone cry the whole week and that is amazing since the children ranged from seven to seventeen.  The around forty crew also enjoyed each other and visited a local watering hole a couple of evenings.  Us old folks just enjoyed recounting old and older stories.

Back to the beginning, Yvonne, Stephen and I  left home at 0445 and flew (Argg!) Delta Airlines from Orlando direct to Salt Lake City arriving a 1010 am.  My Avis rental car was upgraded to a nice four wheel drive SUV and we headed straight from the airport to Snowbasin Ski Resort where we enjoyed a full afternoon of skiing. Snowbasin is a great ski resort with very fancy amenities. After skiing it was about 1.5 hours down to Sandy where we were the last group to arrive.  During the week Sher and Debbie did a great job of feeding this ravenous crew with spaghetti, gumbo, tacos and such. The last evening I took those remaining to Ruby River Steakhouse for a nice farewell dinner.

Friday we all headed to Alta for a nice day of skiing with several of us doing a rather steep and challenging Amen run several times. We all had Talkabout radios which made keeping in touch with one another a snap even though we spread out all over the mountain.  Saturday we drove up to Brighton but several of us decided not to ski because the weather was horrid and visibility worse and the forecast calling for deteriorating conditions. Those who stayed had a good day despite the conditions. That night we had about eight inches of snow in Sandy and about the same up on the mountain.  The kids and some adults had a ball playing and sledding in the backyard.

Sunday and Monday were again spent at Brighton first in snow and then in beautiful blue skies.  Most of us agreed that at least this year Brighton was our favorite. Great powder. many groomed slopes, Thor and Lone Star through the woods and Aspen Glow going straight down the mountain in a steep black diamond.  Lots of fun runs.

Tuesday the 10th was our day to leave. Michal left on Sunday, Dan had left on Monday and Cindi was going early on the 10th.  We spent a good half day Tuesday the 10th (and about twelve runs) at Brighton under the best weather of the week.  Stephen skiied alone most of the day and doubled our run production.  Leaving the mountain at 1245 we had time to go back to the house, clean and pack, and get to the airport for our 4:30 flight home. Fortunately Dean's UAL flights from and to Denver arrived and departed within ten minutes of our Delta flights which was convenient for sharing our vehicle.

I think all of us had some trepidations about having nineteen people from small kids to crotchety curmudgeons sharing one house, but it all went perfect.  Yvonne and Steve loved seeing everyone. it was great.

Our thanks to my most wonderful brother and Sher for setting this trip up. In the immortal words of Sam Greer, "See you next year at Lake Tahoe!"

Steve