Apres Ski in Solitude
Solitude Village
Solitude’s village is the hub of its limited apres-ski and restaurant scene. The village is small, but provides a convenient and comfortable home base for skiers.
The narrowness of Little Cottonwood canyon can bring about a claustrophobic feeling. Snowbird and Alta seem wedged into their surrounds, a fact made quite plain by the concrete bunker hotels at Snowbird made to withstand a constant barrage of avalanches. Solitude’s perch high up Big Cottonwood canyon is more spacious. The mountains rise slowly and gently up to the village before soaring into rocky peaks well above the village. It’s a lovely, if less spectacular, setting.
No one would confuse Solitude’s mock-European style village for St. Anton or Zermatt, but it’s a better effort at most. The relatively small scale of the village is in fitting with the intimate feel of the resort. One main street winds its way past an ice rink and connects the condo complexes and Inn at Solitude with the slopes. No acccomodation is more than a 5 minute (in ski boots) walk from the base of the Apex chair.
Along the main street are a handful of restaurants, a bar and a ski shop.
Solitude Apres-Ski, Restaurants & Bars
For a resort its size, Solitude offers a surprising number of excellent dining options. St. Bernard’s and the evening experience at The Yurt are musts.Restaurants at Solitude
Solitude has a number of dining options. Of the restaurants open in the evening, all except the Moonbeam Lodge, all of restaurants in Solitude itself are in the village.
St. Bernard’s in the Inn at Solitude is the most well-regarded. It serves traditional European fare made with locally-sourced ingredients. A brightly and airy dining room is accented by a stone fireplace and high glass windows affording views of the slopes. The Library Bar, also in the Inn at Solitude, provides a relaxing spot for apres-ski or after dinner cocktails.
No trip to Solitude would be complete without an excursion to The Yurt. Guests can either walk, snowshoe or cross-country ski a short distance from the village to reach a tiny yurt set in amongst the woods. A gourment five-course meal awaits. (See the video above)
Across the plaza from the Inn at Solitude is the Honeycomb Grill, which serves typical American fare with an emphasis on steaks, chops and chicken. It also offers large windows that look over the mountains.
The Stone Haus Pizzeria and Creamery, as its name suggests, serves pizza and ice cream, making it a popular choice with kids of all ages. Cooking pizza at elevation is a challenge and the pizza is servicable, but unremarkable.
Other Big Cottonwood Canyon Restaurants
The Silver Fork Lodge is located just 3 minutes down the canyon from the Solitude village. Founded in 1943, the Silver Fork is a Big Cottonwood Canyon institution and a must-visit on any trip to Solitude. The menu is heavy on barbeque and steaks, but some vegetarian and seafood options are also available. The Silver Fork runs a free on-demand shuttle service for guests staying in the village.
Solitude Activities
Solitude offers an ice skating rink and a nordic center for snowshoeing and cross country skiing.
Solitude Nordic Center
The Solitude nordic center is a short drive from the village. The nordic center offers 20 km of trails for both skating and classic (track-set) cross country skiing. Snowshoeing is also a popular activity and Solitude maintains 10 km of snowshoing trails.
The snowshoeing and nordic trails are generally suited for beginner and intermediate participants, but are at high elevation. Acclimation to the high alpine climate can take a few days, so be careful!
A free shuttle runs regularly in winter to and from the village.
Village Activities
Solitude offers a small ice skating rink in the center of the village. The rink also has a nearby firepit which comes in handy on cold days. One drawback to Solitude’s legendary snowfall is that during particularly snowy times, the ice rink becomes a dumping ground for excess snow and can be closed until the resort is able to dig out.
Guests in one of Solitude’s condominiums also enjoy access to Club Solitude. Club Solitude has an outdoor pool, hot tubs, a sauna and recreation room with X-boxes.