The super luxurious upper mountain “warming hut” at Snowbasin Ski Resort in Utah

Monday night I slept at the Alta Lodge and Tuesday snowboarded Snowbird Mountain….

Above is my room at Alta Lodge…check out the retro 70s decor and amazing snow view…

The cozy Alta Lodge lobby…

A pair of skis begging to be used….unfortunately for me Alta only allows skiing so off to Snowbird I go (only 1 mile away)…

The view from the tram at Snowbird…off to the top of the mountain I go…

Monday day and night it snowed so Tuesday we had an amazing powder day under beautifully clear blue skies…

This is my snowboard buried in powder….all that was visible was my thighs…must learn to ride in powder…

After a fun powder day I went into the Snowbird lodge for a well deserved hot cocoa…

If you want to get more updates on my current adventure follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/hipcompass

Getting photos from your digital camera to your computer can be a complex and tedious task, especially for techno-phobes…but what if the pictures could magically appear on your computer with no messy wires involved?

Although the Eye-Fi SD memory card looks quite standard, it is not…this card is capable of wirelessly transferring your photos from within your camera to your computer.  All you do is insert the Eye-Fi card into you camera, snap away and the minute you get home and are on your own wireless network, the pictures will magically appear on your computer.

With Eye-Fi, the wireless wizardry does not end there…with certain models of the card you can also customize it to upload the photos directly onto a photo sharing website like Flickr, Facebook and Shutterfly.

The SD cards start at $79.99 and are available at Eye-Fi.com

Sin City is a place where everything goes…with one exception…Vegas no likey the pooches.

For those who find it impossible to leave their four-legged friends behind, there is one place on the Las Vegas strip that openly welcomes canine tourists…the Four Seasons, located in the Mandalay Bay complex.

But dogs are not just allowed, they are treated like royalty.  Upon arrival Manola (my Chihuahua) was offered freshly baked dog treats and bottled water…once we arrived in the room she had her very own doggy bed and food bowl set up. Everywhere we went she received tons of love from the staff and left with an obvious “princess complex.”

With it’s own separate lobby, restaurants, pool, but no casino…the Four Seasons is a peaceful refuge in the heart of Vegas…and even more inviting when your best friend can join in on the fun.

So this week I am checking out various ski/snowboard resorts in Utah. Today I was in Park City and here are some photos from Main Street:

A view of Main Street

A great boutique on Main Street, Mary Jane’s ….check out the resident pug sporting a Santa hat

The skin care department of Chloe Lane, another great boutique

If you want to get more updates on my current adventure follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/hipcompass

This week’s travel tune comes from Israeli singer Shiri Maimon and the song is called “Ahava Ktana”

Who needs personal security when they have the mighty jingle bell?

What I am talking about here is attaching a bell to your carry-on when traveling….that way if someone tries to walk away with it you will hear your reindeeresque bag prancing away….and hopefully you are quick enough to intercept.

But please use this advice with caution, as walking around all day with a jingling bag could get rather annoying….I would suggest whipping out the bell while in airports, train stations, etc….

LuggageForward.com takes the “lug” out of luggage with their door-to-door luggage delivery service.

Through innovative technology, a worldwide network of shipping partners and honest, unparalleled customer care, Luggage Forward carefully manages and monitors the shipping process to ensure on-time delivery. The company routinely goes the extra mile, even alerting travelers by cell phone or PDA as soon as luggage arrives at its final destination.

Travelers can simply book online or by phone, select a convenient pickup time and leave the rest to Luggage Forward.  An agent will pick up the bags and send them on their way, no special packaging required. Their door-to-door rates start at $60 and include an unmatched domestic on-time guarantee. 

The Travelzoo news desk has found this outstanding offer from United Airlines:

United Airlines just released a new sale on holiday flights out of Los Angeles, Las Vegas and more. Fares start at $59 each way to cities worldwide, saving you up to $100 OFF other airlines.

You must book by Dec. 15, but they recommend booking soon to find the best prices and availability.

Sample fares (each way):

- San Diego-Tucson … $69

- Orange County-Denver … $79

- Los Angeles-Salt Lake City … $79

- Las Vegas-Colorado Springs … $79

- Las Vegas-Orlando … $99

- San Diego-San Antonio … $99

- Los Angeles-West Palm Beach … $99

- Los Angeles-Zurich … $288

- Los Angeles-Sao Paolo … $422

This sale is for travel on select dates through Jan. 5. The best fares for travel are found Dec. 13-17. To book through United, click the link below. TravelZoo recommends clicking “More Search Options” on the booking page and starting a flexible date search to find the lowest fares.

http://www.travelzoo.com/Newsflash.asp?499221

The Duracell Mobile Charger is the ultimate gadget for techies venturing far off the grid.

The innovative charger serves as a portable power hub, delivering power to a variety of high-drain devices, ranging from digital cameras and portable gaming systems to iPods, MP3 players and BlackBerrys, through several methods:

1. It can charge AA or AAA batteries or devices via a wall or car outlet.

2. It can charge any device that is normally charged using a USB outlet, regardless of if it uses AA or AAA cells, via the USB socket on the charger.

3. You can use Duracell’s Pre-Charged Rechargeable Batteries (included) to charge USB devices if an electrical outlet is not available.

So when in the desert, without an outlet in sight…don’t be afraid to rock the power out of your iPod…the Duracell Mobile Charger has got your back!  Available for $25 at most stores that carry Duracell.