Park City Mountain Resort Blog

Getting Ready for Summer Operations

There is no denying that it looks and feels as though Winter has made a comeback to Park City Mountain Resort. Many of you are asking why we haven't been able to resume operations to allow you a few more turns on the mountain we all know and love. We've had Facebook comments and Twitter replies saying, "You closed too early!" I must admit that the onslaught of snow has made sitting behind a computer quite agonizing when all I want to do is play in the snow and remind my snowboard that I haven't forgotten about her.

However, we must not forget that Park City Mountain Resort is a fully-operating, summer, destination resort. We are scheduled to open for summer activities on Friday, May 28th and boy do we have our work cut out! Our grooming team has been hard at work since the day we closed for Winter. They are tasked with clearing all the snow from the bottom of PayDay lift so we can begin setting up the base area activities such as the Legacy Launcher, Human Maze, Climbing Wall, Miniature Golf and Little Miners Park. In addition to this, they are also working on clearing snow from the Alpine Slide, Alpine Coaster and the access roads on the mountain.

We're adding racks to Town Lift and PayDay Lift to allow mountain bikes. Also, readying the PayDay mid-station for ZipRider and Alpine Slide patrons to unload requires a large volume of work. Not to mention the general lift maintenance to keep our lifts that run all Winter and Summer long in prime condition. Starting on Monday we will have a full team of Summer Ops working around the mountain to ensure Park City Mountain Resort is ready to open on time for summer.

I have never experienced summer in Park City and I for one, can't wait to ride the ZipRider and Alpine Slide. I also plan to upgrade my beach cruiser (and tassels) and try out my mountain biking skills on Park City Mountain Resorts many trails. So maybe I must say a sorrow farewell to Winter, but there are many adventures waiting just around the corner.

Thanks For a Great 2009-2010 Winter Season

Thank you to all of our visitors, season pass holders, team members and everyone else who helped make the 2009-2010 Winter Season at Park City Mountain Resort such a success. Our 2009-2010 Winter Season has come to a close, but as always you made sure to make Closing Day a memorable affair. We hope you enjoyed the special end of season powder that we ordered just for you! Park City Mountain Resort is already working on improvements for next Winter season and getting ready to open for Summer on May 28th. See you soon!

@nanopowder Depressed because it's the last day of the 09/10 season
Rainbow Bright
Hawt Dawg
Pyramid at the top of Bonanza
The hills are alive with the sound of Closing Day
Ladies of RSO
Pick 'N Shovel was the place to be yesterday!
Sulley and Captain Kirk having a perfect day at PCMR.

Thank you to our Facebook Fans and Twitter Followers for providing these photos.

Alpine Coaster Video

Last week I had the opportunity to ride Park City Mountain Resort's Alpine Coaster for my first time. I've grown up going to amusement parks in Southern California and consider myself somewhat of a roller coaster aficionado. With the series of storms we've received at Park City, the snow has been building up huge burms alongside the coaster, making for a unique and picturesque ride. When asked to film the Alpine Coaster I was excited to indulge my inner thrill seeker and experience my first ever roller coaster on a mountain. I have to admit I was more nervous to film and ride the Alpine Coaster than anything else I've done this year!

As the toboggan climbed up the track I couldn't help but be blown away once again by how beautiful the scenery is here at Park City Mountain Resort. Just as I was reaching my zen moment, it was time to press the pedals to the metal and go whizzing down the track. Screaming and squealing the whole way down, I couldn't believe how exhilarating this ride was. Truth be told, I rode the Alpine Coaster three times that day and I can't wait to do it again.

Disclaimer: I may have edited out my screaming from this video.

Powder Watch via Park City Mountain Resort's Twitter Page

Mother nature has sent us a number of storms in the past week and it seems as though we've had a return to Winter. Our base is currently at 110" and the snow is epic. We couldn't be happier with the conditions and our guests have been blowing up our Twitter Page bragging about the amazing snow at Park City Mountain Resort. We love talking about how great it is up here, but this time we'll let you do the talking. Here are some recent tweets from the past week we'd like to call "Powder Watch" from Park City Mountain Resort's twitter followers.

@80sMovieQuotes: Just got back from Park City @Pcski. 3rd year in a row - best snow conditions ever!!! Thanks - See you in 11 months and 22 days!!

@HerwigD: Epic Powdr day at park city mountain resort. Come out and play!!! http://tweetphoto.com/17393307

@mdre21: Big smiles on another @PCSki powder day. http://twitgoo.com/n6hw3

@tedligety: gonna go rip powder @PCski

@jraines: It was waist deep in Scott's bowl this morning @pcski . . . gotta love living where you can routinely hear adults yelp with joy.

@Jride13: crazy, killer, unreal... skiing w/fam today @pcski was perfect! 8 yr. old said, to heck with egg-hunting http://ow.ly/i/Ycl

 

@fredcast: The calendar says April, but it's January up here @pcski! Knee deep fresh pow everywhere!!

@AndreaLemon: So far a wonderful Easter. Fresh powder skiing at Park City Mountain Resort.

@amandastewart: @pcski OMG! The skiing has been out of this world!

@ehliaslouis:  Epic day in Park City! 16 to 20 fresh, skied chutes and Jupiter bowl w/ Jess & PC crew.

@Dan_Macuga: 15-20 new inches of snow in Park City...uh...Gonna be a little late and little white from snow

@DwellTekEnergy: It has snowed 24 inches in Park City. Dwelltek is playing hookie to go ski some powder.

@mattgebo: Holy ridiculous morning in the powder @PCski ripping laps in McConkey's Bowl. So deep + no one there + high speed 6 pack=lucky me!

Park City Mountain Resort Avalanche Rescue Dog Team Receives International Training

Park City Mountain Resort’s Andy VanHouten and two and a half year old yellow Labrador Retriever Zeke recently returned to Park City after traveling to Switzerland for an intensive search and rescue training program.

“Traveling to Switzerland, was an amazing experience and opportunity for Zeke and I”, said Park City Mountain Resort patroller Andy VanHouten. “We have been able to bring back a wealth of knowledge to share with the other dog teams both here at Park City Mountain Resort as well as other teams across the Wasatch.”

While in Switzerland, Andy and Zeke completed seven days of training with some of the elite search and rescue dog teams from around Europe. Andy and Zeke performed a number of drills and rescue scenarios. The team excelled at their training and showed what a great asset they are to Park City Mountain Resort. The program focused on several different components of search and rescue, including new beacon techniques, probe lines, and advanced shovel techniques for extremely deep burials. Both handler and dog were flown into test sights to practice working with the distraction of helicopters over head to simulate a real life experience.

The avalanche rescue dog program at Park City Mountain Resort is an integral component of the emergency search and rescue plan both at the Resort and throughout the Wasatch Range. The team works closely with Wasatch Backcountry Rescue, a non-profit agency, and area sheriffs departments. The Resort’s five dog teams train and test regularly to be ready for immediate deployment in the event of an avalanche anywhere in Northern Utah.

Most of Park City Mountain Resort’s avalanche dogs start their career on the mountain at 7-10 weeks of age and will spend two years in training before they can be certified for search work. By the time they are certified, they will have found dozens of buried volunteers in simulated drills. Patrollers interested in the search and rescue program will volunteer to act as “victims” and be buried in snow caves 2-6 feet deep for dogs to sniff out. A standard dog test will incorporate two such burials in an area the size of two football fields, as well as buried sweaters, backpacks and other items. The snow surface will be completely disguised and no surface clues will be visible. A successful dog team will locate and dig up both “victims” within 20 minutes.

Andy and Zeke’s Swiss training follows previous rescue dog teams’ special training across the globe at locations including Stephen’s Pass in Washington and Fernie, British Columbia. At Park City Mountain Resort, a certified avalanche rescue dog is on duty every day of resort operations. They may be spread about at any of the Patrol locations, but you will likely see them riding chairlifts, snowmobiles or skiing with their patrol handlers.

Annual Easter Egg Hunt Photo Gallery

The 2010 Easter Egg Hunt in the Kids Korrall at Park City Mountain Resort is a wrap! The Easter Bunny paid us a visit and kicked off the festivities for the eager, young children. We had kids lining up earlier than ever, plotting their strategy for the hunt. It was a dash for the eggs, but we saw nothing but smiles as the kids filled their baskets. After the hunt children and families took photos with the Easter Bunny and shared the Easter cheer.

Once again the kids Easter Egg Hunt was a success! Don't forget there are eggs hidden all around the mountain as well as two golden eggs containing a 2010/2011 Season Pass. Happy Easter from Park City Mountain Resort! See you on the slopes.

Easter Egg Hunt at Park City Mountain Resort

Park City Mountain Resort’s annual Easter festivities are scheduled to take place Sunday, April 4, 2010. The events include a special egg hunt with a visit from the Easter Bunny beginning at 9 a.m. sharp for children ages 6 and under in the Resort’s Kid’s Korral.  Pastries, hot chocolate and coffee will be served to participants.  Older children and adults are invited to participate in an Easter Egg Hunt on the First Time face.

The annual “Hunt for the Golden Egg” will take place all over the mountain with two golden eggs containing 2010/2011 season passes.  Non-golden eggs containing prizes including 2010 Summer Activities, 2010/2011 lift tickets and other prizes will also be hidden on the mountain.

Clues for one of the golden eggs are being distributed through Park City Mountain Resort’s pages on Facebook, and Twitter. We hope you'll join us for these activities and don't miss the Easter Bunny skiing around the resort and visiting with guests throughout the day.

See photos from Easter 2009 at Park City Mountain Resort

One more week of skiing and riding at Park City Mountain Resort!

I was lucky to 'escape the office' for an hour or so this morning to get up to Jupiter Peak for, what I think, was the best powder skiing of the season (so far). I'm not sure if it's some sort of April Fools prank or what, but the skiing and riding the past few days has been epic...and because of that we are extending our season by a week, with our scheduled closing day now pushed back to April 18, 2010!

Here are the details on our extended season:

“Thanks to the recent return to winter and an 87-inch settled base depth, the current conditions are the best they’ve been all year, which is why we’ve decided to stay open for an additional week,” said Peter Curtis, president and general manager of Park City Mountain Resort.  “We will continue to deliver an exceptional guest experience, maintaining our grooming standards and high-level of guest service.” 
 
Beginning Monday, April 12, 2010 the resort will operate eight lifts including PayDay, Crescent, Bonanza, Silverlode, Thaynes, Jupiter, First Time and Three Kings. Pick’n Shovel, PayDay and King’s Crown terrain parks will also be open.   Lift ticket pricing for the extended week of the season is as follows:

       Adult (ages 13 and 64)         $ 65

       Seniors (ages 65 and up)     $ 45

      Children (ages  7-12)            $ 40

The Canyons and Deer Valley Resort season pass holders will be able to purchase a single-day lift ticket to the Resort for $25 when they show their current 2009-2010 season pass. 
 
Additional Park City Mountain Resort hours of operations scheduled for the extended week of the season include the following:

       Kristi’s Coffee  Café             7:30am – 5:00pm

       Legacy  Sports                     8:00am – 6:00pm

       Legacy  Café                        10:30am – 3:00pm

       Summit  House                    10:30  a.m. – 3:00pm

       Legends Bar and Grill           11:00 a.m. – 7:00pm

       Alpine  Coaster                    noon  – 4:00pm

Park City Mountain Rentals will be fully operational through April 18; however the Demo Center and Ski Valet will close as regularly scheduled on April 11. 
 
The long-range weather forecast is calling for snow off and on through April 18, 2010.