Looks like the days of segregation at Snowbird are finally over. Starting this fall Snowbird management has lifted it's token ban on snowboarding on the Gad II chairlift.

"We actually lifted the restriction for the last two weeks of this last season and it worked out so well that we've decided to make it a permanent change in policy," said Misty Clark, communications assistant at Snowbird.

Clark says they kept Gad II "boarder-free" for their loyal skiing clientele, but all that has changed in this age of can't we all just get along. "Our skiers get along so well with our snowboarders that there's no reason to keep them separated," said Clark. "A lot of our loyal skiers are now loyal snowboarders, so it just made sense."

On the surface it would appear that the fall of Park City has sent a ripple affect through the resort industry, however Clark says Snowbird's decision is not part of that domino affect. "We actually made the decision before Park City made it's public announcement, but we decided to make it official next season," she said.

Park City's influence only goes so far, because the last word from Utah's "Dark Side" resorts was that snowboarders are still verboten. According to Collen Rearden of the Deer Valley Ski Resort, "Deer Valley has no plans to change it's policy towards Snowboarders."

So rejoice fellow snowboarders. Grab your $45 and head to the Bird for some Gad II adventures, and remember, in Utah we are winning the war. At last count the score of Utah's 13 resorts reads; good guys 10, misguided fools 3.