When Ski Utah invited me to experience several of its world-class resorts in just four days, I was skeptical. To me, hitting multiple resorts in a weekend screamed traffic, headaches and lots of hauling gear. With travel time, I figured we'd enjoy an hour or two on the snow each day, at the most. 

Happily, I was totally wrong.

It turns out there are 10 ski resorts within an hour drive of the Salt Lake City Airport; land in the morning and you can make your first turns before lunch. As a bonus, Utah has some of the deepest, fluffiest snow in the U.S. and fewer crowds than neighboring Colorado. 

Depending on which direction you go from the airport, you can hit more than one Utah resort in a day. Here's how:

• Salt Lake City: If you decide to stay in the city to enjoy its amenities, you can access Solitude (a 45-minute drive), Brighton (50 minutes), Alta (45 minutes) or Snowbird (40 minutes). The terrain won't disappoint, and in the evenings you'll have access to the city's burgeoning foodie scene, breweries and concerts. 

• Ogden: The town is 40 miles north of Salt Lake City and has a handful of shops, restaurants and hotels with plenty of walkability and charm. Nearby, ski off the beaten path at Powder Mountain, Snowbasin or Nordic Valley. Each has a small-resort feel with impressive terrain and snow. 
• Park City: Go 35 minutes from Salt Lake City Airport and you'll have access to Park City Mountain Resort, the largest ski resort in the country (having merged with Canyons Resort in 2015). The resort contains more than 7,300 acres of ski and snowboard terrain and includes a balanced mix of beginner, intermediate and expert runs. Main Street is a stone's throw from the base of the lifts and offers more than 100 bars and restaurants.
There are 10 ski resorts within an hour drive of the Salt Lake City Airport. An earlier version stated that there were 11 resorts.
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