Deer Valley Resort

Skiers looking for a bit of pampering and wanting to avoid the crowds will likely have heard of Deer Valley Resort already. The ski area is one of several venues found in the Wasatch Range east of Salt Lake City, Utah.

Located in Park City, motorists traveling from afar will use Interstate 80 to get in the general area before transferring to US Route 189 or Utah Highways 224 and 228. Those flying here can use Salt Lake City International Airport before riding the 38 miles to the ski area (car rentals and services are available).

Focusing on the Extras

With so many ski resorts in the area, how does the Deer Valley Resort distinguish itself? By offering upscale amenities for guests to enjoy. There are nearly 20 dining options to choose from, ranging from reservation dining to casual grab-and-go fare.

Various lodging styles are available at Empire Pass (upper mountain), Silver Lake (mid-mountain), and the snow park base area. Park City also has several accommodations available. Boutique shopping is found on-site as well as in Park City.

Deer Valley Resort has a ski school for those learning to ski and those wanting to brush up on what they already know. Motorists will appreciate access to five parking lots and the valet/shuttle services. Guests can also take advantage of gear and ski storage, luggage and ski shipping, guided tours, mountain ridge photography, a high-performance test center, and the Rennstall ski tech center.

Another Deer Valley Resort difference is found in one of the resort's brand pillars, limiting daily access to the mountain. Putting a cap on ticket purchases provides more space and opportunities for skiers. Over 20 lifts keep things moving along with a capacity of over 50,000 riders each hour, double that of surrounding venues.

Maintaining a Ski-Only Tradition

Another operating principle of the Deer Valley Resort is the prohibition of snowboards. The ski area is one of three venues in the country that remains a skier-only resort. That policy might appear out-of-touch, but there are plenty of dedicated park rats that would disagree.

The Deer Valley Resort has more grooming equipment than other facilities in the region, allowing it to keep the 300 inches of annual snowfall in shape and offering plenty of chances for cutting first tracks. Over 600 acres of terrain has snowmaking capabilities, supplementing snow accumulations and providing consistent conditions no matter Mother Nature's mood.

A base elevation of 6,570 feet and a peak elevation near 9,570 feet give the Deer Valley Resort a verticle drop of 3,000 feet. That provides plenty of potentials to rip it up across more than 2,000 acres of skiable terrain. Over 100 trails and seven bowls are available to challenge and excited guests.

The difficulty ratings are spread fairly evenly across the Deer Valley Resort, starting with under 30-percent rated green for beginners. Over 40-percent is rated blue for intermediate skiing, and the remaining terrain rates as black diamond or double diamond in difficulty (about 32-percent of the mountain).