Utah ski resorts are rolling out a host of improvements for the upcoming winter season. Here's a look at the highlights to share with clients planning a getaway this winter.
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| Illustration map of the ONE Wasatch concept // Click to enlarge |
ONE Wasatch
Seven of Utah's ski resorts in the Wasatch Mountains have released a new map illustrating the ONE Wasatch concept, which would offer an over-the-snow interconnect via chairlift and ski runs between the resorts. In all, the seven resorts -- Alta Ski Area, Brighton Resort, Canyons Resort, Deer Valley Resort, Park City Mountain Resort, Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort and Solitude Mountain Resort -- would provide over 18,000 acres, 100 lifts and more than 750 runs on one pass.
New Ski Packages
Utah resorts are also offering several ski packages during the upcoming season.
Alta Snowbird -- Travelers flying into Salt Lake City can take 50 percent off the price of their lift ticket within 24 hours of their arrival, Monday through Friday, as part of the Boarding Pass program. Guests must pre-register online prior to flight departure. Upon arrival, guests must present registration confirmation email, their boarding pass and photo ID.
Sundance Mountain Resort -- With the Stay at Sundance Resort and Ski Free package, guests who book a cottage at the resort receive two free lift passes per night of stay. This offer also includes night skiing on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday evening, as well as the Sundance Nordic Center.
Sundance is also offering the Experience the Sundance Film Festival package from January 15-25, 2015. Guests will enjoy film festival screenings, dining and skiing with their choice of Sundance Resort Epic Package or the Epic Premier Package.
Brighton Resort -- Brighton Resort is reminding guests that kids 7 and under always ski for free.
Eagle Point Resort -- This Southern Utah resort is offering new Kids 17 and under ski/ride for free lodging packages. Exact savings depending on lodging selected and a group's number of skiers/riders ages 7 to 17 – each of which will receive a free lift ticket for each night’s stay.
Park City Mountain Resort Joins Epic Pass
Park City Mountain Resort is now part of Vail Resorts' Epic Pass, following the resort's purchase by Vail. The Epic Pass now offers skiing at two resorts in Utah, PCMR and Canyons Resort, and 20 additional resorts around the world. In addition, access to PCMR is also included on the Epic 4-Day, Epic 7-Day and Epic Local Pass this season.
New Restaurants
In terms of dining, Deer Valley Resort has opened The Brass Tag restaurant in the Lodges at Deer Valley. Serving dinner nightly year-round, the restaurant serves Deer Valley-inspired comfort food with a specialization in brick oven cuisine.
In Park City, one of the newest dining venues is Burgers & Bourbon, open from 3 to 10 PM at Montage Deer Valley. The eating establishment has a selection of more than 100 large – and small-batch whiskeys from around the world, paired with eight signature burgers, which range from Wagyu to Ahi Peppercorn, Turkey, Bison and Veggie. All burgers incorporate local ingredients from Utah farmers and dairies. The restaurant also offers hand-spun shakes, each with a signature ‘spike’ selected for each flavored malt.
New Terrain
Alta Ski Area has re-graded the Corkscrew run to make it possible for intermediates to have a wide-open descent from the top of Collins down to Alta’s Wildcat Base and give expert skiers a chance to ski Alf’s High Rustler top to bottom after early snow fills in the run.
Nordic Valley Resort (previously known as Wolf Mountain) has added new trails, a makeover of the skier services barn, year-round events and more as part of a redevelopment project following the resort's acquisition by Skyline Mountain Base, LLC. Mapping and cutting of new trails will add 700 to 800 vertical feet to the current 1,000-foot ski hill.
Eagle Point is expanding their Park Lab Terrain Park, created by ParkFab. It will offer 12 new features with progressions for all levels. These will include several features from the Campus Rail Jam, which will complement Park Lab’s existing 30’ Junkyard Satellite Dish, 20’ 6” Single Barrel Rail and 10’ Launch Rail, creating one of the largest terrain parks in the region.
New Lifts
Brian Head Resort is replacing the existing Giant Steps lift reducing the ride time to the top of Giant Steps Mountain from 12 minutes to 5 minutes.
Eagle Point Resort is installing a new surface lift for advanced and expert skiers/riders. The new Tushar Peaks Surface Lift will serve Southern Utah’s steepest black diamond runs: Delano Drop, Satisfaction, Donner’s Descent, Missing Linc, Runaway Carter and Vertigo. Previously, these tree-lined runs were accessible only by hiking or occasional snowcat service.
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