
Powder Mountain resort
Usa, north-america
18.66 km
2,517 m
moderate
Year-round
Okay, adventure seekers, let's talk about Powder Mountain Road! This route, also known as state Route 158, is your ticket to North America's largest ski area, nestled high up in Utah, straddling Weber and Cache counties.
Get ready for some serious eye candy because this paved road is all about the views! You can usually hit it year-round, but keep an eye on winter weather – Mother Nature might decide to close it temporarily after a big storm.
Now, be warned, this climb is no joke. Starting from the UT-39 junction, you've got about 11.6 miles of uphill trekking. We're talking an elevation gain of over 3,300 feet! That's an average grade of around 5.5%, so make sure your car is ready for a workout as you make your way up to that awesome 8,257-foot summit!
Road Details
- Country
- Usa
- Continent
- north-america
- Length
- 18.66 km
- Max Elevation
- 2,517 m
- Difficulty
- moderate
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