With 7,300+ skiable acres of snow, Park City, Utah is the largest ski resort in the United States and the second largest in North America.
Since its expansion into the neighboring mountain of Canyons Village in 2014, it now boasts a whopping 43 lifts and 341 runs.
Thousands of visitors make the trip to Park City each winter to experience the magic of skiing out west, and I was lucky enough to be one of them recently.
Park City Ski Guide
What makes skiing in Park City unique?
One of the best things about Park City is how easy it is to get there, which is rare, as most large mountains require hours in the car and/or a lengthy flight to a small airport. Park City is optimally located less than 40 minutes from a major airport, Salt Lake City International, with Uber and reserved cars that are easily accessible and decently priced.
The variety of terrain in Park City and its lively ski town make the mountain an exceptional family trip location. Skiers ranging from expert to beginner will find fun and challenging trails, and even non-skiers will have plenty to do.
Gear needed to Ski Park City
Weather can vary considerably from week to week, even day to day in Park City, so you might want to pack a few different outfit and equipment options. I prefer being warmer and having to remove a layer, rather than being cold and wishing I had thrown that extra layer on. Handwarmers, on this trip and all others, are my holy grail.
Keep in mind that the elevation can be dehydrating if you’re not accustomed to it. I’d recommend packing a water bottle if you can fit it, and drinking plenty of water during breaks. As for buying lift tickets, one-day and multi-day passes are available for purchase at the window, but this should be avoided if possible -- you will pay way more for day-of ticket purchases than if you buy in advance online. During my visit, one-day lift tickets were going for as much as $306 at the window.
Park City is owned by Vail, like half of the country's ski mountains these days, so if you have an epic pass, you're in luck. The full epic pass allows pass holders unlimited days on the mountain, without restriction. I’m an epic-local pass holder, meaning I can ski Park City and other Vail-owned mountains any day except for a few holidays and blackout dates, so make sure to check your pass's restrictions.
Conditions in Park City
I got very lucky for my trip to Park City -- we caught the best snow of the season so far. For the first two days, it snowed on and off the whole time and we skied fresh powder all day. By day four, most trails were a little rutted out, but the clouds parted for a warm and sunny bluebird day. There’s nothing like having lunch outside on the mountain, taking in the sunshine and breathtaking views.
This year snowfall has been less than average so far (the annual average is 360”), but typically, the best skiing conditions in Park City are during February and March.
Crowd conditions, on the other hand, can make or break your day.
The Crescent lift, which is the only lift that runs directly from the base to the summit, was down for two days when I was there. We got out at 9:30 a.m. and waited almost an hour and a half to get our first real run in, but once we made it to the top of the mountain and stayed on other lifts, it was smooth sailing.
The Best Ski Runs in Park City
Between its two distinct sides, Park City offers a huge variety of terrain for every type of skier. The easiest way to travel from one side to the other is the Quicksilver Gondola, a scenic ride that takes you over a snowy valley.
On my last trip to Park City, I even saw two moose pass by underneath me.
Since the mountain is so large, I only made it over to Canyons for one day, and stuck to Park City for the other three, yet still didn’t even make it down half of the runs I wanted to try. To break it down a little more, here are the best lifts and trails for different level skiers.
For Beginner Skiers
There are more greens and beginner options on the Park City side of the mountain. Homerun is a long and winding run that can be accessed from almost every major lift and dumps skiers back into the resort center.
It’s a wide, mild run, but very crowded.
Claimjumper is another less crowded green that leads to the Silverlode lift. There are also some moderate blues off of Silverlode like Mel’s Alley and Hidden Splendor.
For Intermediate Skiers
There are plenty of intermediate runs on both sides of the mountain, but you’re likely to find shorter lift lines on the Canyons Village side. There are a variety of blues accessible from the Tombstone lift and Dreamscape lift.
On the Park City side, blues off of the Silverlode, Crescent, Payday lifts offer a wide range of options. If you're looking for more difficult blues and shorter lines, try the trails off Motherlode and King Con lifts.
For Expert Skiers
For a little taste of backcountry skiing, take the hike from the top of the McConkey lift up to Jupiter Peak. It is in bounds, but it requires a 20-30 minute hike to the top of the peak that will have you sweating in your ski gear. But, the view from the top is gorgeous.
From there, take your pick of chutes and bowls where you’re sure to find some untouched snow and cut into wide-open meadows. There are also some great tree runs off of McConkey. For mogul-lovers, the runs off of Thaynes are long, steep, and usually bumped up.
In Canyons, try out the Ninety-Nine 90 peak or take the Super Condor Express for a variety of double blacks and mostly empty lift lines. There are also plenty of fun tree runs off of most lifts.
Where to Après Ski and Eat in Park City
For lunch on the mountain, Mid Mountain Lodge, Miners Camp, and Tombstone BBQ were some of my favorite spots. Miners Camp is the most convenient lunch spot, located at the bottom of the Silverlode lift. Mid Mountain Lodge offers a delicious ahi tuna poke bowl, a full-service bar, and a pleasant outdoor patio. Tombstone BBQ, at the bottom of the Tombstone lift on the Canyons side, is more of an outdoor-centered space, with delicious southern barbecue lunch options and a snack and drink bar.
For apres ski, Pig Pen Saloon at the base of Park City is a fun spot with a large selection of drinks and bar food, an outdoor patio, and music. For more of a sit-down apres ski, Red Tail Grill at the base of Canyons has a wider menu for food and drinks and is open for dinner.
Everything shuts down pretty early at both mountain bases -- Pig Pen shuts down as early as 6 p.m., even on the weekends.
Due to Utah’s alcohol laws, there are a lot of varying rules at a lot of bars and restaurants.
Later on in the evening, Main Street is the spot to be, offering tons of shops, bars, and high-end restaurants like Riverhorse. No Name Salon, the famed three-story bar, is the most popular -- I saw five different bachelorette parties there in one night. The Spur is another popular bar with live music at the back bar, followed by DJs on the weekends.
Where to Stay in Park City
There are plenty of places to stay in Park City, from hotels on the mountain to Airbnb’s in the heart of town. I stayed in the Snowflower, a condominium complex with ski-in ski-out access next to the Three Kings and First Time lift.
There is also a Marriott hotel at the mountain base next to the Payday lift and plenty of Airbnb options in town, many of which are within walking distance to the base or the town lift.
Canyons Village also has a ton of hotels and condos right at the base of the mountain, such as the Pendry and the Sundial.
While these are all great options for different budgets and needs, If I ever win the lotto, I’ll be staying in one of the beautiful ski-in ski-out multi-million dollar homes in the middle of Canyons Village Mountain.
The Bottom Line: Skiing in Park City
Park City is an all around great ski spot, especially if you’re looking for a mountain that fits the needs of a diverse group of skiers.
Try to go into every day of skiing with a plan -- you’ll get lost in the vastness of the mountains and seemingly endless list of possibilities if you don’t!
Comments