Park City Opens For 60th Season
America’s largest ski resort, Park City, has opened for its 23-24 season, kicking off Utah’s ski season.
So far though the Western US is still awaiting a big snowfall and what’s open at those centres that are open already, is limited to just a few miles of runs, mostly created by snowmaking.
Some, including California’s Heavenly and Colorado’s Telluride, have been forced to delay planned openings.
It’s a far cry, so far, from last winter’s record snowfalls which saw some Utah areas top 900 inches (23 metres) of snowfall through the season. But then it’s very early days.
It’s Park City Mountain resort’s 60th season, giving some cause for celebration. The ski area first opened as Treasure Mountains in December of 1963.
The resort plans a season-long celebration of six decades of history, from its mining roots to its Olympic legacy with on-mountain activations and special events, including a 60th anniversary party with a headliner concert and drone show with more details to be announced soon.
“Following on the record-breaking 2022/23 season – my first back at Park City as the leader of the resort – I can’t wait to see what this year brings,” said Deirdra Walsh, Vice President and COO of Park City Mountain. “We are looking forward to creating incredible experiences every day and to sharing the excitement of our 60th anniversary with our guests, employees and the community. Our entire Park City Mountain team has been working hard to prepare, and we can’t wait to welcome everyone back for the 2023/24 season!”
The resort took advantage of intermittent cold weather and natural snow since late October to open and says it will continue snowmaking operations and monitor the weather to expand terrain offerings in the coming weeks.
So far there’s a total of six trails served by lifts out of both base areas: First Time, Payday and Mine Cart (carpet) out of the Mountain Village base area and Cabriolet, Red Pine Gondola, Saddleback, High Meadow, Sweet Pea (carpet) out of the Canyons Village base area.
New this winter, all cabins on Red Pine Gondola have been replaced for the 2023/24 season. It means guests will enjoy the view as they’re transported from the Canyons Village base area to mid-mountain near Red Pine Lodge thanks to the new cabins’ floor-to-ceiling windows giving skiers and riders a 360-degree view as they head up the mountain.
In addition local Park City artist Lamont Joseph White was commissioned to create original artwork that wraps cabin #1 on the Quicksilver Gondola for the 2023/24 season. Lamont’s work ‘UPLIFTED’ is inspired by the concept of joy and community and his artwork will also adorn the walls of Miner’s Camp this winter season.
The resort has also purchased four new PistenBully snowcats, three of which are designed to support terrain parks while the fourth is designed to groom steeper runs.
