In 1971, a Texas oil man recognized the potential of Little Cottonwood Canyon in the Wasatch National Forest and developed the area as a ski resort. Once home to thriving mining communities, the resort village of Snowbird, 29 miles east of Salt Lake City, now offers year-round recreational activities. Skiing, of course, remains the biggest draw here; with an average of 500 inches of snowfall annually, Snowbird claims to have the world's best powder.