Saturday, February 26, 2011

Deer Valley, Park City Utah

Deer Valley ski resort in Park City Utah has been ranked the number one ski resort in North America several times and it is easy to see why. The skiing is certainly up there with anything that I have experienced, but where they really shine is in all of the extra amenities like the fine dining options, lodge, spa, and lodging accommodations. They are truly first class. I was there for the skiing, and I was certainly impressed in that department. The scenery was also breathtaking, as you can see from these photos. My only complaint is that one of the lodges is halfway down the mountain and prevents you from skiing all the way to the bottom without taking a lift over it. This is a minor thing in the overall scheme of things though. Really hardly worth mentioning. I would certainly recommend Deer Valley to anyone who is a skiing enthusiast. One other nice thing about it is that they do not allow snowboarders. I really don't have a beef with snowboarders, but the lack of their rowdy behavior enhanced the overall experience.  
 This was taken at the top of Bald Mtn., one of the four peaks at the resort. Below is the Jordenelle Reservoir.


 Spectacular scenery...
 ...challenging skiing...








 This is the Steinmark  by Marriott. You ride a tram to get there

"Come ski with me"

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Solitude, Utah

I spent four days skiing in Utah this month and am happy to report that everywhere I skied was excellent. First, I skied Solitude. Located in Big Cottonwood canyon, this is a very nice family resort with a family vibe. Unfortunately, a couple of the lifts were down due to a power failure, but there were still many runs to chose from. Although it was a nice place with great skiing, I don't think I will go back. Don't get me wrong, but the scenery, although very pretty, was not as spectacular as the other places that I visited. I don't want to unfairly bash the place, it had good skiing, but if you are going all the way to Utah there are better places.

Impressive marker at the entrance to the resort

This is the view of the lodge from the mountain side






Solitude trail map