Anyone skiing at Park City this year?

UtahJoe

Team Workhorse
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Just wondering if anyone was heading out for a ski trip....I know some really good spots that are not on any of the maps.
 

MST.ESQ

New Member
I am taking the family on a ski trip to the SLC area on 1/15... We are looking to ski a different area each day. Any advice would be appreciated.
 

jdog

Shop: Halter's Cycles
Shop Keep
i am staying at solitude the last week of Feb. Can't wait!

Whoop-Whoop
 

don

Well-Known Member
haha - I was literally just looking at getting a trip for my wife and me to go out sometime in '09 as a Xmas present today. Trying to figure the place out in terms of lodging and were to ski/ride. Doing some reading on the tripadvisor PC forum. It seems we could make a long weekend of it flying direct into SLC as Park City is within 40 minutes?

I snowboard so Deer Valley is out. The Stein Erikson place looks pretty high end but worried about it being near DV. It seems like Sky Lodge and Hotel Park City are nice and close to the town lift? What about Canyons?

If you have any insight on some nice hotels to stay, I would appreicate any and all info. As it's a trip for just the 2 of us (no-kids!) I'd like the place to be really good - not saying no holds barred but if it's awesome and it's worth the price I'd be happy to spend some money on the stay.

And would love a tour of some off the map spots if you are offering :D
 

UtahJoe

Team Workhorse
Team MTBNJ Halter's
I am taking the family on a ski trip to the SLC area on 1/15... We are looking to ski a different area each day. Any advice would be appreciated.

Well Park City is probably the best place for taking a family. There is TONS of different types of terrain. Its a good place because there is plenty of areas for beginner/intermediate skiers, yet there is some really fun terrain as well.

If you plan on hitting a different place each day and you are leaving from SLC. I would definitely recommend Park City, The Canyons, Solitude or Brighton. Depending on how good of skiers your family are, Snowbird and Alta are amazing. Snowbird is probably my favorite mountain. The mineral basin on the back side of the mountain is just awesome.
 

Stocky

Member
My one trip out west ( 15 years ago) was to Park City. We stayed in a little hotel at the bottom of the hill right in town on the left hand corner if your looking up the street.
We were literally a snowballs toss from the "town lift" . Nothing could be cooler than buying your ticket right outside your door and taking the lift right up to the mountain.

We skied at Park City a few days, Deer Valley one day ( it was empty ) , and then we skied ( I think ) Alta and Snowbird . We had sunny and 50 degree weather all week with snow at night. I came home with a tan that looked like I had been in the Bahamas for a week. The only problem was the tan started at my neck and went up .

It was the best skiing I ever had, one day I'll get back .

Do you still need to be "sponsered" to drink in a bar ?
 

UtahJoe

Team Workhorse
Team MTBNJ Halter's
haha - I was literally just looking at getting a trip for my wife and me to go out sometime in '09 as a Xmas present today. Trying to figure the place out in terms of lodging and were to ski/ride. Doing some reading on the tripadvisor PC forum. It seems we could make a long weekend of it flying direct into SLC as Park City is within 40 minutes?

I snowboard so Deer Valley is out. The Stein Erikson place looks pretty high end but worried about it being near DV. It seems like Sky Lodge and Hotel Park City are nice and close to the town lift? What about Canyons?

If you have any insight on some nice hotels to stay, I would appreicate any and all info. As it's a trip for just the 2 of us (no-kids!) I'd like the place to be really good - not saying no holds barred but if it's awesome and it's worth the price I'd be happy to spend some money on the stay.

And would love a tour of some off the map spots if you are offering :D


Ya SLC is 30-40 min from park city. Its such a nice drive on RT-80 though the mountains, so you dont even mind it.

I was never into Deer Valley. Its very fancy and very nice, but for me, VERY boring. The canyons is a good place now. Its used to suck when I lived in park city. Now they opened up so much more terrain and have improved about every aspect of the place. The the Grand Summit hotel at the base of the moutain there is awesome! The sky lodge, anything at the base of the town lift (that area is pretty new), the silver king, hotel park city, are all nice places. But $$$. NIce thing about staying in Park City is that there is a free bus service that goes all over the town. So you can hit up the bars and not have to drive back to SLC.

How advanced are you at snowboarding? Im a skiier, so sometimes what I find really fun (like moguls) snowboarders HATE.
 

UtahJoe

Team Workhorse
Team MTBNJ Halter's
My one trip out west ( 15 years ago) was to Park City. We stayed in a little hotel at the bottom of the hill right in town on the left hand corner if your looking up the street.
We were literally a snowballs toss from the "town lift" . Nothing could be cooler than buying your ticket right outside your door and taking the lift right up to the mountain.

We skied at Park City a few days, Deer Valley one day ( it was empty ) , and then we skied ( I think ) Alta and Snowbird . We had sunny and 50 degree weather all week with snow at night. I came home with a tan that looked like I had been in the Bahamas for a week. The only problem was the tan started at my neck and went up .

It was the best skiing I ever had, one day I'll get back .

Do you still need to be "sponsered" to drink in a bar ?

I think so. Funny because I lived in PC from age 13-18, so I never really got into going to the bars. Last time I went to a bar there it went like this:
"could I have a bud light?"
"oh sorry, you need a sponsor"
"huh?"
Then the guy standing next to me who I didnt know said "ill sponsor him"
Then I got my beer. So I still dont know WTF is the point with that system, but it did not slow my alcohol consumption at all
:D
 

don

Well-Known Member
Ya SLC is 30-40 min from park city. Its such a nice drive on RT-80 though the mountains, so you dont even mind it.

I was never into Deer Valley. Its very fancy and very nice, but for me, VERY boring. The canyons is a good place now. Its used to suck when I lived in park city. Now they opened up so much more terrain and have improved about every aspect of the place. The the Grand Summit hotel at the base of the moutain there is awesome! The sky lodge, anything at the base of the town lift (that area is pretty new), the silver king, hotel park city, are all nice places. But $$$. NIce thing about staying in Park City is that there is a free bus service that goes all over the town. So you can hit up the bars and not have to drive back to SLC.

How advanced are you at snowboarding? Im a skiier, so sometimes what I find really fun (like moguls) snowboarders HATE.

Thanks for the info. I had a feeling DV wouldn't be as fun anyway. It seemed they talked too much about grooming everything. I don't mind riding cordoroy in the east when stuff is scratched up but if I'm in good snow it's a different story.

I'm thinking staying right in Park City would be cool for both of us. Seems like there would be more restaurants and bars to check out. From what I've read, you can check out the snow report in the AM and take a short trip to Canyons if they got more snow. Someone was saying that each of the resorts can get different conditions even tho they are pretty close. I'll take that list you mentioned and get some calls out today to see what the availability is.

I'm pretty decent on a board. I rode w/ all skiiers in college as I was the only snowboarder (yeah, I'm old!) so it was mogul runs all day. I don't seek them out if I don't have to but have no problems riding them especially if they are soft and there's some room in them.

Many thanks for the info! It's really helps knowing about a place as good as possible before heading out.
 

MST.ESQ

New Member
Thanks for the info guys. My 6 yr old has one trip under his belt and this is the first time for my 3 yr old. However, there will be at least one day where Daddy is allowed to go wherever he wants so I plan on making the most of it by hitting a nice bowl, some glades or chutes. I just hope I get some freshies that day...
 

UtahJoe

Team Workhorse
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Thanks for the info. I had a feeling DV wouldn't be as fun anyway. It seemed they talked too much about grooming everything. I don't mind riding cordoroy in the east when stuff is scratched up but if I'm in good snow it's a different story.

I'm thinking staying right in Park City would be cool for both of us. Seems like there would be more restaurants and bars to check out. From what I've read, you can check out the snow report in the AM and take a short trip to Canyons if they got more snow. Someone was saying that each of the resorts can get different conditions even tho they are pretty close. I'll take that list you mentioned and get some calls out today to see what the availability is.

I'm pretty decent on a board. I rode w/ all skiiers in college as I was the only snowboarder (yeah, I'm old!) so it was mogul runs all day. I don't seek them out if I don't have to but have no problems riding them especially if they are soft and there's some room in them.

Many thanks for the info! It's really helps knowing about a place as good as possible before heading out.

That is the problem I found with Deer Valley, for me its too groomed, and too boring. Right next door at park city there are tons of glades, bowls and open area that are not at all touched by groomers. Not to mention, if you are at all on a budget, DV is UBER expensive!!! A cheeseburger will run you about $15 at a lodge, hahahaha

There are a ton of good resturants in PC. I mean when I lived there (pre-olympics) there were a ton, now there are far more. If you like mexican, there is a place right near the base of Park City called "Baja Cantina", awesome! Dont bother too much with Italian food in Utah, especially coming from NJ. Its um LACKING!

The Canyons is about 5-10 minute ride outside of the center of PC. Despite being so close, it does not have the elevation that PC has and gets considerably less snow. But its still a great mountain. It was never a bad mountain, but the good areas we used to have to hike to, now have lift service.

Well I dont know if you have the same problem I do. I can ski anywhere on the mountain, but my GF cannot. So I have to be mindful of where I take her.

Im putting a map together of Park City ski area and what to expect where, ill post it up in a few...
 

UtahJoe

Team Workhorse
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Couple pics from a few trips.

Bottom of Jupiter lift.
http://www.utah.gtluke.com/gallery/d/923-2/Utah_202006_20003.jpg

heading up jupiter lift

http://www.utah.gtluke.com/gallery/d/926-2/Utah_202006_20004.jpg

This is at the top of jupiter on the traverse. That is jupiter peak in front of me, the west face is below that

http://www.utah.gtluke.com/gallery/d/935-2/Utah_202006_20007.jpg

My buddy on west face
http://www.utah.gtluke.com/gallery/d/1188-2/6bells2.jpg

looking into the blueslip bowl, right by the top of the thaynes lift
http://www.utah.gtluke.com/gallery/d/1207-2/P1010008.JPG

McConkeys bowl
http://www.utah.gtluke.com/gallery/d/1215-2/P1010010.JPG
 

UtahJoe

Team Workhorse
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Couple pics from a few trips.

Bottom of Jupiter lift.
http://www.utah.gtluke.com/gallery/d/923-2/Utah_202006_20003.jpg

heading up jupiter lift

http://www.utah.gtluke.com/gallery/d/926-2/Utah_202006_20004.jpg

This is at the top of jupiter on the traverse. That is jupiter peak in front of me, the west face is below that

http://www.utah.gtluke.com/gallery/d/935-2/Utah_202006_20007.jpg

My buddy on west face
http://www.utah.gtluke.com/gallery/d/1188-2/6bells2.jpg

looking into the blueslip bowl, right by the top of the thaynes lift
http://www.utah.gtluke.com/gallery/d/1207-2/P1010008.JPG

McConkeys bowl
http://www.utah.gtluke.com/gallery/d/1215-2/P1010010.JPG

in McConkeys
http://www.utah.gtluke.com/gallery/d/1242-2/mcConkys.jpg

Ski Patrol guys on the East face
http://www.utah.gtluke.com/gallery/d/1250-2/nutcasesonjupiter.jpg

Glades area on the right side (if you heading down the mtn) of McConkeys.
http://www.utah.gtluke.com/gallery/d/1261-2/woods-utah.jpg
 

Stocky

Member
I think so. Funny because I lived in PC from age 13-18, so I never really got into going to the bars. Last time I went to a bar there it went like this:
"could I have a bud light?"
"oh sorry, you need a sponsor"
"huh?"
Then the guy standing next to me who I didnt know said "ill sponsor him"
Then I got my beer. So I still dont know WTF is the point with that system, but it did not slow my alcohol consumption at all
:D

That's exactly what happened with us, and then you buy the guy who just sponsered you a beer. A beer that is 1% alcohol , or is it zero percent alcohol .
All I remeber is that it was in Park City that I got into my one and only bar fight.
 

don

Well-Known Member
Utah Joe - thanks for the map and all the pics. I'm stoked! Place looks really good. I'll let you know which place I go with and which weekend. Thanks!
 

Engignar

New Member
I stayed in PC this past March at the Marriot - very nice hotel, better than the normal Marriot.
Solitude and the Canyons were my two favorite areas to ride out there, Solitude had killer glades and woods skiing, and Canyons was just huge. Have a great time, I'll be jealous.
 

jdog

Shop: Halter's Cycles
Shop Keep
I was mt biking at the Canyons this summer. I wasn't paying but the lodging on the hill seemed super nice. I can't speak of what it is like with snow but I will say that it is a breathtaking spot that has some sweet looking runs. The trees looked super. I might check it out in Feb when I visit.

I usually go to Brighton and Solitude. I have been a bunch of times and I feel pretty safe and confident there for some reason. Snowbird is good too but I always felt like I was on a search rather than enjoying the place. I gues it as to do with the scale of the place. I grew up at Sugarloaf in Maine and that is my reference. I dig east coast woods and narrow runs. The 1/4 mile wide trails out west don't do much for me. The snow is a whole different animal than what we see here. Think feathers rather than mud.


If the base depths get up around 120" you should check out powder mt. Powder is really fun and way old school. I have seen neck deep snow untracked 3 days after a storm at powder. The name says it all I would guess. Forget amenities though.
 
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