Eight of us stand at the summit of Jupiter Bowl, where a rope marks the boundary of Utah's Park City Mountain Resort and the backcountry, an area typically off limits to those with lift tickets -- a restriction reinforced by a sign warning ''Area closed. Out of bounds.''

On this guided trip, however, the goal is to spend most of our time out of bounds. We will leave behind the ski lifts and groomed trails, and enter a pristine region where we'll blaze our own tracks through knee-deep powder and tune in to the sounds of the wind and the wintering chickadees.

Ski Utah's Interconnect Adventure Tour takes skiers into the heart of the Wasatch wilderness. In a day, we will cover 20 miles as we ski to five different resorts -- Park City, Solitude, Brighton, Alta and Snowbird -- stopping to do a few runs at each one; a sixth ski area, Deer Valley, was added to the Interconnect lineup last year. Connecting these resorts by car would require 75 miles -- or about an hour and a half -- of driving.

''This is the only place in North America where you can ski so many resorts in one day,'' says Rodd Keller, Interconnect's lead guide and a 30-year veteran of off-piste skiing.

Adds Mark Menlove, another guide leading our tour, ''We are also the only group that has permission [from the U.S. Forest Service] to ski out of bounds in the Wasatch Range.''

The tour is geared to people just like us: advanced alpine skiers who have little to no experience exploring the backcountry. Skiers use the lifts at each resort to gain altitude, so there's minimal hiking and traversing along the Interconnect route. However, participants must be in good physical condition, since most of the tour takes place between 8,000 and 11,000 feet. They must also be able to handle a variety of snow conditions, which can include deep powder, crud and crust.

Those of us on this trip range from our mid 20s to 60s. Although we consider ourselves upper-intermediate to expert skiers, we are all apprehensive about journeying into the wilderness. Skiing off-piste demands specialized equipment, including avalanche beacons, and a knowledge of the terrain and ever-changing snow conditions. This is all provided by Interconnect.

Menlove calms our nerves by giving us a run-down on safety issues and an overview on how to use our beacons and survive an avalanche -- all skills we hope we won't have to use.

''Our first line of defense is to stay out of areas that can be dangerous,'' says Menlove, as he checks to make sure our avalanche transmitters are on.

Another key to backcountry survival is being prepared: A 40-pound pack on Menlove's back contains a radio, cellphone, rope, shovel, avalanche probe, climbing skins, first-aid kit, snow analysis equipment, spare clothes, water, Cliff Bars and chocolate.

''Ready to 'drop in'?'' Keller asks, as the sun beats down on eight inches of fresh snow.

''Let's go!'' someone says, and we slip past the ''Area closed'' sign and the resort's ski patrol shack.

Single file, we make our way along a trail that cuts through pine forest and shoots us out several hundred yards later in Big Cottonwood Canyon, a large snow bowl dotted with aspen and fir trees, plus fresh untracked powder that buries our skis.

INCREDIBLE VISTA

From the top of the Wasatch crest, the main divide in this region, we can see for 50 miles, including peaks all across the range, the lifts at Solitude and Brighton, and the ridges dividing Big Cottonwood and Little Cottonwood canyons.

As a New Englander, I have the least experience in the group skiing in powder, so I let everyone else go first. I study their moves, then hop and swoosh my way across an open field and down a sharply graded slope, trying to avoid the aspens along the way. We soon cross Guardman's Pass Road, a groomed route used by snowmobilers. Upon reentering the deep powder, fellow skier Harriot does a ''dinner roll,'' as she calls it, taking an impressive plunge that leaves her embedded in several feet of snow with her feet well above her head.

I help Harriot to her feet. We spend the next hour hop-turning and dinner-rolling down the valley.

At the end of our long backcountry descent, we arrive at the base of Solitude Mountain Resort. From here, we catch several lifts -- jumping into the ski-school lines to avoid the crowds -- and shoot over to Brighton for several runs before returning to Solitude for lunch.

At the Last Chance Mining Camp, we kick off our boots and fill up on much-needed burgers, chili and hot chocolate.

Rested and warm, we make our way to the top of the Summit chair, slip past another ''out of bounds'' sign, and prepare for our journey across the Highway to Heaven, a dramatic 1,500-foot traverse along the back side of Solitude's Davenport Peak.

''For some people, this is the white-knuckle part of the tour,'' says Keller.

AVALANCE TERRITORY

With a grade of between 32 and 40 percent, this is prime avalanche territory. It's so steep I can reach out and touch the mountain with my right hand. To my left, the slope sweeps down to the Twin Lakes and a small dam. Keller and Menlove wouldn't let us on the slope if they weren't confident we would be safe. Still, they tell us to keep at least 100 feet of space between us.

As we're about to embark, Menlove adds, ''Also, you don't want to fall here.''

There's no chance we'd tumble down to the frozen lakes at the bottom of the basin. The challenge, if one falls, is that the snow is so deep, it's virtually impossible to get up on your own. Jason, another skier in our group, finds this out the hard way, halfway along the route, when he loses his balance, tips over and spends a frustrating few minutes trying to get up, until our guide helps him.

It takes almost an hour to get across the Highway to Heaven, and we all flop down in the snow atop Twin Lakes Pass to catch our breath and survey the route we've just tackled. Then we drop into Little Cottonwood Canyon and make another long descent to Alta ski area -- some of us taking the forested route, others sticking to open spaces with sweeping views of the valley.

We linger in Alta -- a collective favorite -- then shoot over to Snowbird for several final runs of the day, before a van picks us up to bring us back to Park City.

After nearly seven hours of skiing through large forests, in deep powder and on steep slopes, we're all feeling a lot more confident with our backcountry skills. We agree that you need a healthy sense of adventure and strong alpine skills to do this trip, not to mention a curiosity for exploring what's on the other side of the ropes.

As we're returning our avalanche beacons to Menlove, we also agree that it's great having two guides to show us the way, be there when we need help and teach us about backcountry travel as we go -- plus offer pointers that will keep the ''dinner rolls'' to a minimum.

Kari J. Bodnarchuk is a Boston-based travel writer and photographer who can be reached at travelwriter@karib.us.

SKIING UTAH

• Getting there: Delta Airlines flies nonstop from Miami and Fort Lauderdale to Salt Lake City; other airlines fly there but require a change of planes. Park City is an easy 30-minute drive east on I-80. Or catch a shuttle to Park City or Snowbird (see http://www.parkcityinfo.com/ for transportation info).

• Ski Utah's Interconnect Adventure Tour: Tours depart Deer Valley on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, and include Park City, Solitude, Brighton, Alta and Snowbird. A circular tour leaves Snowbird on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, taking skiers to Alta, Brighton and Solitude, then returning to Snowbird via a different route. The cost for either tour -- $175 per person -- includes two guides, lift access, lunch, use of an avalanche beacon and transportation back to the starting point. Tours run from mid December to late April, weather and conditions permitting, with a minimum of three and a maximum of 12 people.

For information and reservations, contact Ski Utah at 801-534-1907 or http://www.skiutah.com/.

RENTAL EQUIPMENT

• Ski N' See (800-722-3685; http://www.skinsee.com/) at the Mountain Resort Center, Level 2, in downtown Park City rents alpine skis for $15 to $39 per day. Rental hours, 8 a.m.-9 p.m.

• Deer Valley Rental Shop (888-754-8477; http://www.deervalley.com/) rents performance skis for $53 per day (add $10 for a helmet). Pick up equipment after 3 p.m.; return by 7 p.m. the next day.

• Snowbird's Cliff Sports (801-933-2265; http://www.snowbird.com/) rents performance skis for $40 per day ($10 extra for helmet). Pick up any time after 3 p.m. and return by 8 p.m. the next day. Or try Snowbird's Christy Sports at 801-742-2871.

WHERE TO STAY

• Hotel Park City, 2001 Park Ave., Park City (435-940-5000; http://www.hotelparkcity.com/), is a luxury resort hotel with a mountain lodge feel, within five minutes of the Park City resorts. Rooms from $199.

• Yarrow Resort Hotel, 1800 Park Ave., Park City (800-927-7694; http://www.yarrowresort.com/) has standard hotel rooms and parlor suites in a cozy lodge setting, with rates ranging from $179 to $299.

• Grand America Hotel, Salt Lake City (800-621-4505; http://www.grandamerica.com/), is a five-diamond hotel located downtown that offers easy access to the resorts in Little Cottonwood Canyon and around Park City; rooms (from $259), executive suites (from $289) and kitchen suites ($329, including washer/dryer are available.

• Crystal Inn - Salt Lake City, Midvalley (888-685-9300; http://www.crystalinns.com/), 20 minutes from Snowbird, near mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon, has nice rooms starting at $77.

• Cliff Lodge at Snowbird (800-453-3000; http://www.snowbird.com/) offers slope-side accommodations, ranging from hotel rooms to large condo units for $189 to $429 per night.

WHERE TO EAT

• Bangkok Thai, 605 Main St., Park City (435-649-8424). Excellent Thai dishes and an impressive wine list. Entrees $12 to $25.

• Snow Park Lodge, Deer Valley (435-645-6632; http://www.deervalley.com/). The lodge's all-you-can-eat seafood buffet ($54 for adults; $25 for kids 12 and under) is one of the best spreads in the valley, with chilled shellfish, hot seafood appetizers, entrees, pasta, prime rib and an impressive dessert table.

• Wahso Asian Grill, 577 Main St., Park City (435-615-0300). Award-winning and highly creative Asian cuisine. Entrees are $26 to $36 and include everything from filet mignon to wok-seared lobster tails.

• Chez Betty, in the Copperbottom Inn, 1637 Short Line Drive, Park City (435-649-8181). Serves American cuisine in a casual setting; entrees $22 to $38.

• 350 Main Brasserie, 350 Main St., Park City (435-649-3140; http://www.350main.com/). Serves New American cuisine; known for its venison, salmon and ono, a Hawaiian fish. Entrees from $21 to $32.

• The Aerie, (801-933-2160), on level 10 of the Cliff Lodge at Snowbird. Offers outstanding sushi, plus anything from lobster, roasted chicken and beef filet to pizza and wings. Live jazz and great views of Little Cottonwood Canyon. Entrees $12 to $36.

APRES-SKI ACTIVITIES

• Utah Olympic Park (435-658-4200; http://www.olyparks.com/), just 10 minutes from Park City: Tour the 2002 Olympic competition sites, visit the Alf Engen Ski Museum, which chronicles Utah's ski history, or ride on the world's fastest bobsled track (with a professional driver), going at speeds of up to 80 mph.

• Sundance Film Festival (801-326-2000; http://www.sundance.org/), Park City, Jan. 19 to 29, 2006. The festival showcases many of the best independent American films and documentaries ($10 per ticket, packages available).

• The Viking Yurt (435-615-9878; http://www.thevikingyurt.com/), located at 8,000 feet, in the mountains above The Canyons Ski Resort. Guests take a sleigh ride (with an option to snowshoe or cross-country ski part of the way) to the yurt for a five-course dinner (vegetarian meals available); prices from $100 to $150.