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SALT LAKE CITY — Utahns claim to have the greatest snow on earth. Now their assertion has finally been published somewhere other than their license plates.
In a new book titled “Secrets of the Greatest Snow on Earth,” University of Utah scientist and ski aficionado Jim Steenburgh delves into what makes Utah snow prime for winter sports.
“From a Utah perspective, I think one of the interesting things that the book talks about is how it’s kind of a myth that our snow is unusually dry,” Steenburgh said. “The reason skiing is so great is not because the snow is especially dry, it’s because we get a lot of it, and it comes in the right way for good, deep powder skiing.”
Although Steenburgh has a scientific background on climate, he didn’t write the book for scientists, he said.
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25 photos showcasing why Utah has the 'Greatest Snow on Earth'
This video montage features 25 of our favorite winter photos showcasing what makes Utah's snow the greatest on Earth.“This book is written for people who love to ski,” Steenburgh said. “It’s all about snow, deep-powder skiing, avalanches — pretty much anything that anybody who loves powder skiing would want to know about weather and climate is in the book.”
Ski and snowboard enthusiasts can expect to learn about a wide variety of subjects in the book, including how the Great Salt Lake affects skiing, where and when to find good “My favorite chapter is the ‘Alta Goes to War’ chapter, which is all about avalanches in Little Cottonwood Canyon,” Steenburgh said. “It’s for anyone who has driven through Little Cottonwood Canyon to see what has happened there and how we try to contain the beast that is avalanches today. It’s an exciting chapter.”
Steenburgh also touches on interesting snow climates internationally, specifically Japan, which he thinks is one of the coolest snow climates in the world, he said.
“Secrets of The Greatest Snow on Earth” is sold online at Amazon.com and the Barnes & Noble website. It is also sold at King’s English Bookshop and Weller Book Works in Salt Lake City.
