When you think of Utah, a distillery might be the single thing furthest from your mind. However, in Ogden, Utah there is a new distillery producing a unique concoction that you must try.

"Underground" is a herbal based liquor that has the flavor of Pastis or Jagermeister but is softer and a touch sweeter. I am not a huge fan of black licorice but this is some seriously tasty stuff. It is perfect for sipping as an apres-ski delight.

Another fun thing about it is the packaging. The bottle is reminiscent of the old medicine bottles of the forties. Black, wide and with a big cap, you almost feel like you are drinking some healthy "snake oil" when imbibing. If you are over 21, pick up a bottle at one of Utah's many state owned liquor stores.

Today is my daughter's birthday (Happy Birthday Bean) and last night she made a birthday wish for more snow. She and I went skiing Monday and conditions were not ideal. Now, we all know the power of birthday wishes so you can blame Emma for this big storm. No counts are in on the total number of inches but I have five on my front lawn!

In addition to offering development training, Team Utah will allow qualified snowboard athletes access to competing regionally, nationally and internationally within a team structure. Team Utah will also be working with community outreach and charitable programs, as well as volunteer service, to promote character development and a sense of responsibility to the community.

This is very cool. Young snowboarders who have the possibility of growing into a professional now have resources available to help them become Olympic champions. It is great during the games to support USA but it is even more exciting to support the local kid!

This photo released by Snowbasin: A Sun Valley Resort shows the downhill courses at the resort. (AP Photo/Snowbasin: A Sun Valley Resort)

(AP)

In addition to great powder snow and a long winter, Utah's ski industry is blessed by the lingering buzz of the 2002 Winter Olympics, plus a major nearby airport that makes getting to Salt Lake City easy from other parts of the country.

The Olympics brought international acclaim, dozens of new and faster lifts and thousands of more acres of skiable terrain. Traffic on the slopes was up by 37 percent in the six years after the Olympics, before the economy soured, making Utah skiing a $1 billion industry.

"That was our coming-out party," said Nathan Rafferty, president of the trade group Ski Utah. "We were always in the shadows of other resorts, like Colorado's. But hosting the Olympics put us on the map."

The most noticeable Olympic legacy has been nonstop development, most recently at Solitude Mountain Resort, which just added its fourth new chair lift since the 2002 Games.

Another legacy, say local skiers: It's getting crowded on the slopes. Forget trying to ski Saturdays at the most popular resorts, they say. The lift lines at Alta ski area, for one, are getting longer with waiting skiers more impatient.

Off the slopes, this season's biggest improvement is a new set of state liquor laws. The reforms broke up a private club system that made getting inside a bar without a membership a hassle. Utah still strictly regulates drinking venues, a quota system limits their numbers, and regular strength draft beer is banned, thanks to the influence of the teetotalling Mormon church.

But lawmakers are starting to ease up, in part to make the state a more attractive destination.

From the outset, no Utah resort built itself up bigger or faster than Snowbasin, the downhill Olympic venue near Ogden that dropped $200 million on a makeover with stately day lodges and high-speed chair lifts, gondolas and a tram. Snowbasin, still without any base lodging, rarely sees a crowded lift line.

The Canyons, a rival in development that was once the smallest Park City resort, now bills itself Utah's largest ski area. That claim might properly go to Vail-sized Powder Mountain, still something of a Utah secret, but skiers there have to climb, shuffle along mountain ridges or get pulled by a snowcat to reach much of the terrain.

Utah has always been on the map and still competes with Colorado for the skier dollars. If people would just open their eyes, they would find amazing resorts, easy access, good value and the best damned snow on the planet.

This is an interesting article where it analyzes the claim of Utah as having the "Greatest Snow on Earth." Read the whole thing and you will get the gist. Honestly, I never had a word for the snow here but now I know when I am waist deep I can say...."Sweet Dendrite!"

It seems silly to start a blog on skiing and not promote what happens to be the best damned guide to skiing Utah in the world. Actually, that is sort of easy to say since it is the ONLY resort guide written.

Actually, this is a great book for visitors and locals alike. It has lots of great pics and really goes into each resort in-depth. I skied all 13 Utah resorts and found each has something great to offer. Order it now from your local bookseller or Amazon!