A perfect ski day at The Canyons Resort in Park City

I rode up the mountain in a heated chair lift, skied down several runs without breaking any bones, met an Olympic skier and enjoyed the best cheesecake west of Brooklyn.  Overall, it was a perfect day on the slopes.

I experienced The Canyons Resort‘s famous powdery trails during a day trip to Park City, Utah.  Jake and I drove to Canyons in under 30 minutes from our holiday base in Salt Lake City. It was a straight shot on the I-80, which was thoroughly plowed (Mayor Bloomberg, take note).

Canyons Ski Resort in Park City, UT

Canyons is much different than the ski resorts near New York City. At Canyons, we hit the slopes at 9:30 am and stayed on the mountain until the trails closed around 4:30 pm. There was no reason to return to the base since several restaurants lined the trails.

I skied right up to a snack shack, where I enjoyed a hot cocoa and updated my Twitter page, then immediately got back on the chair lift for a few more runs. I was in blogger heaven!

Canyons Ski Resort in Park City, UT

Canyons is Utah’s largest ski and snowboarding resort, but we had the trails mostly to ourselves. It was the Monday after New Years and it appeared that many tourists had already gone home.  It seems the experts are right: the best time to go on vacation really is the week after a holiday.

Canyons Ski Resort in Park City, UT

Growing up in Long Island, NY, I didn’t have many opportunities to ski. Local resorts like Hunter Mountain provide a quick getaway for New Yorkers but don’t match the quality of trails in the West. Hunter’s peak elevation is 3,200 feet, compared to 9,900 feet at Canyons. As a result, Canyon’s trails are longer and more complex; the intermediate slopes don’t end as quickly as they do back East.

Canyons Ski Resort in Park City, UT

As a guest of The Canyons Resort, I had the opportunity to explore the slopes with an expert guide. Caitlin Martz, the resort’s Communications Coordinator, accompanied me on several runs. Caitlin is an LA native and long time skier– and she looks great in a helmet.

I was on the fence about renting the headgear, which has gone mainstream but still seems a bit “uncool.” I decided to go for the helmet after I rammed into someone’s skis in the parking lot while texting on my iPhone.  Safety first!

Canyons Ski Resort in Park City, UT

For our initial run, Caitlin took us on Canyon’s heated chair lifts– the first of their kind in North America. These futuristic orange bubbles have heated seats and visors that protect skiers from wind and snow. We hit the slopes on a relatively warm day but I still enjoyed the lift’s funky design.

Canyons Ski Resort in Park City, UT

The orange bubble is supposed to simulate the experience of ski goggles, according to Canyon’s website. When we shut the hatch, our eyes took a few seconds to adjust to the glowing yellow snow.

Canyons Ski Resort in Park City, UT

Jake joined me for a few runs on the intermediate slopes before he set off for the double black diamond trails. He waited patiently as I snow-plowed my way down the steeper sections.

Canyons Ski Resort in Park City, UT

This was the largest crowd we saw on the slopes; we completed a few trails without spotting any other people. On the intermediate slopes many of the visitors were snowboarders.

Canyons Ski Resort in Park City, UT

Caitlin demonstrated excellent form while I cut a wide berth down the trails. I was still getting used to Utah’s high elevation and some of the “easy” trails were quite steep for me!

Canyons Ski Resort in Park City, UT

Wide open runs were a common sight at Canyons. That was good news for me, since I didn’t risk running into other skiers or fences– which has happened in the past.

Canyons Ski Resort in Park City, UT

We stopped for lunch at the Sun Lodge and I met Olympic skier Kaylin Richardson (at right). She’s one of the three finalists in Canyon’s “dream job” contest, a four month blogging gig that comes with a $40,000 salary, a room at the Waldorf Astoria and VIP perks.  Kaylin is beautiful, poised and has impeccable ski credentials. How could she not win?

Canyons Ski Resort in Park City, UT

The highlight of our meal at the Sun Lodge was the creme brulee cheesecake, which was topped with whipped cream and surrounded by glistening syrup.

Canyons Ski Resort in Park City, UT

Machines were pumping fresh snow onto several trails when we visited Canyons. From the heated chairlift we spotted the resort’s new snow-making pond, which holds 20 million gallons of water.

Canyons Ski Resort in Park City, UT

The views from the chairlifts were amazing. Like Salt Lake City, Park City is framed by snow-covered mountains.  It’s nearly impossible to snap a bad photo here.

Canyons Ski Resort in Park City, UT

After taking in several runs, I needed a breather. Conveniently, my last trail ended at a BBQ hut/snack shop.  I ordered a hot cocoa with whipped cream (worth the $3.50 price tag), collapsed into a deck chair and checked Twitter for the latest travel news.  The AT&T reception was at full strength despite the elevation.

Canyons Ski Resort in Park City, UT

While waiting for Jake to finish the Deshutes trail, I snapped a half dozen photos on my iPhone and edited them with the Photoshop Express app. (One of my masterpieces is above). I loved that a rest stop was located on the mountain; after my break I put my gear back on and kept skiing.

Canyons Ski Resort in Park City, UT

As the sun started to set, we hurried to the lifts to get in a final run.  Jake convinced me to try an intermediate slope that was not marked “easiest way down.” He soon realized his mistake. Small children whizzed past me as I inched my way down the mountain, using a combination of snow-plowing, criss-crossing and stopping frequently.  Despite a few tense moments, I made it to the base unharmed.

Canyons Ski Resort in Park City, UT

After spending a full day at Canyons, I’m officially a fan of Utah skiing. While I’m not ready to move permanently to the Beehive State, I look forward to my next visit. The small, icy mountains of the East Coast will never look the same again.

Getting there

The Canyons Ski Resort is a half hour drive from the Salt Lake City (SLC) airport. It’s one of Delta’s major hubs and has frequent flights to cities across the United States.

For more information

Visit The Canyons Resort website for deals, lodging packages and information on ski conditions.

Follow Canyons on Facebook and Twitter (@TheCanyons) for the latest news, contests and visitor comments.

***

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About Leslie Koch

I'm a New Yorker with a passion for travel and art. I founded DowntownTraveler.com after returning from a year-long backpacking trip around the world. Find me on Twitter at @leslietravel.

19 Comments

  1. I’d go for the views and the food. However, I am not a fan of skiing (don’t tell Ted!). Looks like you had a great time and have some awesome photos! And you met an Olympic skier! 🙂

    • Hi Jeremy! Thanks for the comment. As a California guy, are you more of a surfer than a skier?

    • I have actually never went downhill skiing. May go for my first time in February. I think I will opt for the helmut though. Great article.

      • Really Ted? I’m shocked! You should give it a try. With your cross country skills, you’ll be a natural! SLC is a quick flight from Chicago…

  2. Wow, looks like a fun ski resort. I didn’t know you like to ski. I can’t do non of those sports. So many time friends had asked me to go ski or snowboard and I say no. It’s sounds fun but I’m alsot afraid of height.

    • Why not take a beginner class? I’ve gotten into skiing as an adult. It’s fun and you can stick to the easy slopes 🙂

  3. Glad you enjoyed your stay. No doubt, Park City is an amazing place. If you loved the Canyons you need to try out Park City Mountain Resort & Deer Valley as well!

    Deer Valley is a personal favorite of mine. I haven’t been skiing for a long while but the white stuff is quite useful for other things. Snowmobiling!

    • I’ve never been snowmobiling. Sounds interesting! Will have to check out the other Park City resorts on my next visit.

  4. What a great trip and great photos. As a native north-easterner living at 7,000 ft. I have to remind myself that mountains in the east pretty much start at sea level and mountains out west can start at 5,000 ft or higher- the mountains are not as high as they seem. But somehow they seem more imposing.

    • Good point. I love being in the West and seeing snow-capped mountains all around me. What a view!

  5. Maria A

    Beautiful pictures. Looks like a good place to go skiing!

    • Thanks Maria! It’s popular with families… you may want to check it out 🙂

  6. you got some great shots and even better by the looks of it an even better day!

    • Thanks Greg! It was a fantastic day… all the elements aligned: sun, lack of crowds, and excellent hot chocolate 🙂

  7. Sounds like you had a great time. Being from Colorado, I have heard East-Coasters have a hard time adjusting to the skiing out West. While I am a horrible skier, there is no greater feeling than being alone on a mountain. It sounds like you avoided the crowds in Utah which always makes for a better skiing experience.

  8. What an amazing time you had and what wonderful memories you conjured of my days skiing Hunter Mountain!! Wow!!

    Can I have a slice of that cheesecake?

    Great post Leslie!!!

  9. Wow great photos. Looks like you have total fun. I am a skier too and a beginner. Good for you that you met Kaylin Richardson and now I’m jealous.

  10. Lisa M. Riedel

    The Canyons had been in my ski resort hopping list for almost a year and I’m quite hesitant to go there. I have read this review:http://www.mountainyahoos.com/SkiResorts/TheCanyons-UT.html and it helped me consider the ski resort as one of my priority destinations then I’ve stumbled upon this post and finally decided to go there January 2012 😀

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