Luxury ski break in Park City, Utah

With what the locals like to refer to as 'The Greatest Snow on Earth', Park City is among the most prestigious ski resorts in North America.

Located in the north of Utah, the city traces its roots back to the 1860s – and a silver rush, which would eventually created some 23 millionaires. Of late, however, it has begun to reinvent itself as the premium ski destination in the Salt Lake state – offering a unique blend of the old and new.

While the illustrious neighbour, Salt Lake City, just 15 miles along Interstate 80, may have grabbed the headlines when it staged the Winter Olympics in 2002, it is Park City which now offers the strongest winter sports holiday line-up – with not one by two ski resorts on offer.

The ski resorts of Park City

The claim to the Greatest Snow on Earth is not just an idle boast from the city.

Winter trade winds push clouds full of moisture east from the Pacific Ocean, across California and Nevada and to Utah. As the clouds move across the desert, the heat bakes out much of their moisture.

Consequently, when the clouds meet Utah's Rocky Mountains, the remaining moisture rapidly cools and condenses, and precipitation hits Utah's ski resort terrain with a 'mother lode' of deep, white powder snow that's particularly light and dry.

There is also one other factor which makes the state unique, as News 4 Utah's chief meteorologist Dan Pope explains: "We have something that no other ski location in the world has - The Great Salt Lake Effect.

"Often the Great Salt Lake is much warmer than the bitter cold air following a cold front. The lake releases water into the air that then rises into clouds of snow, producing squalls on its eastern flanks.

"These squalls contain some of the world's lightest, fluffiest and driest snow ever produced, and it falls in feet — not inches — on the Wasatch Mountains."

Thus the climate contributes to the success of the two world-class resorts on offer: Deer Valley and The Canyons.

Firstly, Deer Valley - named the number one ski resort in North America by readers of SKI magazine in 2008 and again in 2009.

Scheduled to open for the season on Saturday, December 6th, the resort is home to six mountain peaks – including Bald Mt (9,400 ft), Bald Eagle Mt (8,400 ft), Flagstaff Mt (9,100 ft) and Empire (9,570 ft) – which offer a full range of skiing for all abilities.

Also on offer are the Tricks 'n' Turns Terrain Park, Rossignol High Performance test centre (which provides the latest high-performance ski on a complimentary demo basis) and a SlopeTracker service – which allows guest to view a complete record of their day.

Accommodation is available at the rustic Snow Park Lodge, secluded Silver Lake Lodge and remote Empire Canyon Lodge.





Slightly closer to the centre of town, The Canyons can be accessed directly from the Town Lift in the historic old town, the hub of the local community.

Located in 3,700 skiable acres, the resort features 155 trails, 17 lifts, eight mountains, six natural half-pipes, five bowls and two terrain parks.

Among the most popular is the Dream Peak, which features the newly added DreamCatcher run. Home to terrain for the whole family, DreamCatcher offers 200 acres of intermediate and advanced trees and steeps, while DreamScape offers family orientated cruisers and glades.

For the more advanced skiers, Peak 5 and Ninety-Nine 90 offer amazing steeps, cliffs, and tress amid some of the most exhilarating terrain and deepest powder on the mountain.

Accommodation is available at Westgate Lodge and the Silverado Lodge, as part of a wider resort village.

The resort has invested £5 million in recent years, adding a host of new ski lifts and now offers a host of other activities, including dog sledding, mountain tours, bobsled, cross country skiing, and night swimming

Open on November 22nd, it is also located just 36 miles away from Salt Lake International Airport.

Attractions of Park City

If skiing is not your thing, or you just need some time off from the slopes, Park City also has plenty to offer away from the mountains.

For example, the city is home to 11 golf courses nearby - designed by the likes of Jack Nicklaus, Pete Dye and Tom Fazio. Nestled in the mountains local courses offer varied terrain in a scarcely believable setting – with Park Meadows and Wolf Summit among the favourites.

You could also head into Salt Lake City and take in a Utah Jazz game at the EnergySolutions Arena, home to one of basketball’s best Western conference sides.

For something a little more adventurous guest could take a hot air balloon adventure with Morning Star Balloons, take a trek on horseback with Wind in Your Hair Riding of fish with Rocky Mountain Recreation of Utah.





Biking, hiking and rafting are also on offer from a number of providers – including High Country Rafting, Beyond Limits and the Snowbird

The Lagoon Park also offers fun for the whole family – a short drive toward Salt Late City.

The Sundance Film Festival

The annual Sundance Film Festival, held each January in Park City, is widely recognised as the premier showcase for American and international independent film.

Inclusive and eclectic in its programming approach, the festival has grown to include film culture events, panel discussions, youth programs, online exhibition, and live music.

Attended by more than 45,000 people – far more than the local population of 8,000 inhabitants - from around the world each year and with an online audience exceeding one million users, the Sundance Film Festival creates a vibrant, unique community of artists and audiences that extends well beyond the mountains of Park City, Utah.

The next Sundance Film Festival is scheduled for January 15th – 35th, 2009.

A full itinerary can be planned with the aid of the official Visit Park City official website.

Words: Chris O'Toole; Photos: Deer Valley Resort