As a destination for skiers and snowboarders, Utah often gets overlooked – which is a shame, because the state is home to some of America’s best winter resorts, not to mention incredible slopes.
For a long time, Utah was the U.S. state most Antipodean skiers flew over on their way to Colorado resorts such as Aspen and Vail and Canada’s Whistler. But over the past five years, Utah has been stealing some of the limelight with its upgraded lifts, expanded ski terrain and entirely new communities, created by resort owners keen to inject fresh life into the three major resorts: Park City, Deer Valley and The Canyons. Add inspired new businesses such as the world’s only ski-in, ski-out whisky distillery, opportunities to heli-ski right from the resort, and world-class music acts, and you have all the ingredients for a cool winter break.
It’s hard not to feel glamorous skiing in Park City – visit in January when the Sundance Film Festival hits town and you’ll share the slopes with a star-studded cast. Aside from the famous faces, much of Utah’s allure is in its accessibility: Park City is around a 35-minute drive from Salt Lake City airport; Deer Valley is directly next door and The Canyons ski area is also in the neighbourhood.
Want to ski the steeper slopes of Alta and Snowbird, long-time favourites of more experienced skiers? Just book a shuttle through Park City transportation or Alta Shuttle and you’ll be whisked from your lodge to the adjoining valley, where the two are located, in an hour or so.
Staying in Park City means you’ll have some of Utah’s best restaurants (Robert Redford owns one of them), bars and nightclubs on your doorstep. As a bonus, the town is on the U.S. tour schedule of major musical acts including LMFAO and Ice-T, both of whom performed here recently. Small wonder, then, that Paris Hilton and other “celebrities” often drop into town for the weekend.
As for the slopes, the three resorts offer a smorgasbord of options for both skiers and snowboarders, though ’boarders are still not allowed at Deer Valley ski area. Intermediate runs dominate the resorts but there are plenty of options for beginners as well. Fans of high-speed cruisers will find themselves in heaven at Park City, which has some of the widest runs you’ll come across – think the ski-run equivalent of an eight-lane highway, perfectly groomed, and you’ll begin to understand the offerings.
But don’t be fooled into thinking there is nothing steep: a quick hike around the higher elevations of the Jupiter Peak area will reveal expert-only terrain leading to a lovely steep pitch below.
Deer Valley is a stone’s throw from Park City’s boundary. But despite their proximity, the resorts share no facilities, and skiing between them is against state law. Indeed, the two resorts couldn’t have more different atmospheres.
Deer Valley is essentially a ski field built around a beautiful mountain community. Its runs are dotted with clusters of log cabins, condos and lodges including the historic Stein Eriksen (a favourite with Tom Cruise) and the new, five-star Montage. Both places are welcoming and friendly and are great places to refuel between runs.
There’s plenty of slope-side accommodation in Deer Valley but with the bulk of visitors choosing to stay in Park City, guests rely on the regular shuttles that link all the resorts. If you do decide to bed down, you’ll have access to great food: Deer Valley has a reputation for serving up some of the best on-mountain meals, not only in Utah but in North America. Breakfast and lunch buffets overflow with fresh seafood and meats including wild boar, a local specialty.
Deer Valley is also famed for its powder snow, and many visitors find its tree skiing the main attraction. Here, Utah’s light, fluffy snow – promoted on licence plates across the state as the greatest on earth – turns Deer Valley’s steeper slopes into exactly what thrillseekers are looking for.
No visit to this area would be complete without taking in The Canyons. One of the newest commercial ski resorts in North America, The Canyons sparkles with brand-new condominiums, dramatic modern buildings and an array of stunning resorts and high-speed lifts. Initial infrastructural problems have been ironed out, which makes getting around smoother than ever: the Red Pine Gondola has been repositioned to drop skiers right into the village; another new lift offers heated seats in a glass bubble; and lounge chairs have been strategically positioned to soak up the sun.
Advanced skiers will love the fact that Wasatch Powderbird Guides can land on a helipad in the middle of the resort, making it all too easy to ski over to the hut, hand over your credit card and fly away for some runs in untracked snow.
Advanced skiers should include a trip to Alta and Snowbird on their itineraries. It does involve travel but you’ll be rewarded with some of the steepest and most dramatic terrain in Utah. Snowbird is enormous – one of those places where even the locals are still discovering new runs – and it is linked with Alta via a high-mountain tunnel. Alta has unbeatable terrain for advanced skiers and offers some of the best views in Utah: from the top of its ridges you can see Salt Lake City shimmering in the distance.
While most people come for the snow, many linger for the shopping. The Park City area more than delivers in this field, with a wide array of shops complemented by an enormous factory outlet centre, TangerOutlets Park City, a 20-minute drive out of town. Be sure to take a roomy suitcase, as discounts are available on brands from Coach to Calvin Klein, not to mention all that cheap ski gear… •
Photography courtesy of respective resorts and Visit Park City.
