Like that friend who insists on skiing behind you so he can spray you with snow whenever you stop, Snowbird isn’t afraid to throw shade on neighboring Utah ski resorts this winter.
The Little Cottonwood Canyon resort already had a reputation for going its own way. It’s the only ski area in the Cottonwood Canyons that doesn’t require weekend parking reservations — to the chagrin of neighboring Alta Ski Area. It also supports the construction of a gondola to alleviate traffic congestion in the canyon — to the chagrin of environmental groups, city and county officials and a slew of residents. Plus, it’s one of the few resorts that refuses to surrender to summer in April, typically keeping its lifts turning until late May or beyond.
This season in particular, though, Snowbird’s operators are leaning into the resort’s rebellious reputation with a defiant new slogan straight out of the Billy Idol era:
“Give me the Bird.”
Spokesperson Jacob Marquardt said the marketing team wanted a way to point out how Snowbird — which offers some of the most difficult inbounds skiing and riding in the state, but relatively few amenities — differs from other Utah ski areas. And if that means ribbing nearby resorts for their own marketing ploys, so be it.
“Snowbird is not for people looking for Champagne yurts or for people who don’t mind if the main appeal is the bathroom,” Marquardt said. “It’s for those seeking steep lines and deep powder.”
For those not paying attention, those are direct digs at Deer Valley Resort in Park City and Snowbasin Resort near Ogden.
Deer Valley, which has built its reputation on luxury and service, has a yurt restaurant called Chute Eleven. It’s advertised as “where ski gear gets traded for champagne flutes and caviar.” Promotional photos of it show guests draped in furs.
Snowbasin, meanwhile, boasts some of the most luxe restrooms in the hospitality business. In 2023, its gold-accented loos in Earl’s Lodge were named among the top 10 in the America’s Best Restroom Contest. The privately owned ski area also was named No. 1 in the United States in Ski Magazine’s 2024-25 readers’ poll, though so far Snowbird has made no mention of that.
The campaign is in its infancy, yet all resorts appear to be fair game for ribbing. On its “Give me the Bird” website, for example, Snowbird boasts that “Other mountains’ black diamonds are our blue runs.”
So far, rival resorts haven’t responded in kind. Last weekend, after Snowbird received 8 inches of snow, its Instagram account posted a video of Marquardt belly flopping into a deep drift. The post was captioned “More than a little stardust,” and in addition to referencing the Taylor Swift song it samples, some commenters saw it as a subtle dig at the ski areas that received just a skiff of snow from the storm.
While representatives from a couple of those resorts responded to the post, none neither seemed to fully take the bait.
The official account for Park City Mountain — which got an inch, according to OpenSnow.com — responded to a comment with: “typical LCC humbling our snowfall 😔(.)”
Meanwhile, Davy Ratchford, general manager at Snowbasin — which didn’t see any snow — wrote: “Nice Snowbird. With love, Snowbasin.”
Ski Utah, the marketing arm of the state’s ski industry, has long prided itself on how well Utah resorts work together. It cast the shots as akin to snowballs: They might sting a little, but no real harm done.
“The campaign speaks to the skiers and riders who are looking to grow, looking for a challenge and looking to get out of their comfort zone,” spokesperson Alison Palmintiere wrote in an email, “and we always commend resorts on their creativity and individuality exhibited through their marketing.
“One of the best things about the ski industry in Utah is its variety,” she added. “Whether it’s diversity of terrain or different brand essences, in Utah there’s truly a mountain for everyone.”
And Snowbird, apparently, is the mountain for skiers and snowboarders who give zero fluffs.