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Winter Sports

Events

Silver to Slopes historic mining tour
Discover Park City’s rich mining and skiing heritage. This is a free, guided ski tour, and you’ll see hidden relics, historic mining buildings and hear stories from the past. You should be at least an intermediate level skier or rider. Tours depart daily, and meet at the Trail Map near the top of Bonanza Lift at Park City Mountain every day at 10 a.m. You’ll even get a free pin afterwards.

Snowfest celebration
For 16 days Park City Mountain celebrates the holidays with their annual Snowfest Celebration. It’s a festival of live music, entertainers, fireworks, a torchlight parade, and, of course, a visit from Santa as he descends the Town Lift. December 22-January 6

Spring Grüv celebration
Spring Break just wouldn’t be the same without the Spring Grüv Celebration at Canyons Village. There are concerts and the exhilarating Pond Skimming Contest. It’s a party. March 23-April 7

Weekly Weekend live music
Take a break after your day on the hill with après ski music at Park City Mountain on Friday through Sunday, at either Legends until the end of February, and on the PayDay Deck in March. At Canyons Village head to the Umbrella Bar Deck Friday through Sunday from 2:30 – 4:30 p.m. for tunes, food, and fun.

Saturday S’mores at the Umbrella Bar and Park City Mountain
Show up for free s’mores at the Umbrella Bar Deck at Canyons Village fire pits every Saturday, starting at 3 p.m. Sundays, head over to the Eagle Statue at Park City Mountain at the same time.

Avalanche dog meet & greet at the Canyons Village Forum
Take a minute to get acquainted with these highly-trained rescue dogs, and ask them, or their handlers, what it’s like to keep skiers safe. Fridays at the Canyons Village Forum, and Saturdays at the Park City Summit House.

Snowmobiling

If you’re looking for another way to enjoy Utah’s deep powder, a snowmobile ride just might be the most exhilarating thing you do all winter. There are groomed trails and untracked fields, river bottoms and high ridges. It’s one of the easiest ways to access the backcountry once the snow falls. These high-powered snow machines will get you there and back again.

Wear warm clothes, gloves, and a helmet, and drive safely, of course. Be careful going around blind corners, don’t park on a trail, and be courteous when you pass others. As with any mountain travel, be educated about the risks of avalanches, and always travel in pairs. If you want some guided help, then take a tour with one of these outfitters:

Backcountry snowmobiling
Head out on a new sled with experienced guides on this 40,000-acre private ranch. They offer two and three- hour snowmobile tours, plus private and group options, as well as transportation from Park City. For more information, visit BackCountrySnow. com or call (435) 336-7669.

Lofty Peaks Adventures
Rocket your way across the flats, carve some turns in the powder or try to climb a steep bowl. Lofty Peak Adventures has some of the most spectacular snowmobile trails in Utah. From their Midway base, rent a machine for an unguided tour, or have a guide show you his secret stashes. For more information visit LoftyPeaks.com or call (435) 654-5810.

Red Pine Adventures
On a private mountain next to Canyons Village, Red Pine Adventures is right in town. Hold on as your guides take you up groomed trails, through heavy forests and into deep powder terrain. You’ll be breathless. For more information visit RedPineTours.com or call (435) 649-9445.

Rocky Mountain Outfitters
High in the gorgeous Strawberry Valley, you can snowmobile away from the crowds in this white world. A 3-hour guided trip will run $209 per machine. For more information visit RockyMtnOutfitters.com, or call (435) 654-1655.

Park City Snowmobile Adventures
With 9,000 acres of private land in Weber Canyon, you’ll head out from an authentic log cabin for a fun-packed tour. For more information, visit RockyMtnRec.com.

Snowmobile Adventures at Thousand Peaks
Snowmobile up to 11,000 feet in altitude on 60,000 acres of private terrain in the Upper Weber Canyon. It’s an ideal spot for a tour. A half-day tour will run around $279, but for more information, visit PowderUtah.com or call (888) 304-7669.

Summit Meadows Adventures
Just a few minutes east of Park City at the Garff Ranches, Summit Meadows Adventures, operated by Deer Valley Resort, has room to roam with over 7,000 acres of private land. Take off for an hour or three, or take a private tour. Kids under 9 ride free with an adult. If they’re over 16, they can drive themselves. They provide all of the equipment, just bring a smile. For more information visit DeerValley.com or call (888) 896-7996.

Cross-Country Skiing

Cross-country skiing can be an aerobic workout, a way to enjoy the quiet of the winter landscape, or both. Whether you’re on skate skis or classic, there are miles of local groomed trails just waiting for your skinny skis. You can work up a sweat even on the coldest days, so dress in layers to peel them away
as you heat up. It’s a great way to take a break from the hustle and bustle of
the busy resorts, plus it’s inexpensive and a great way to reconnect with nature.

Basin Recreation trails
Basin Recreation maintains more than 25 kilometers of groomed winter trails, with 4 kilometers of classic lanes. The Willow Creek Park and Utah Olympic

Park areas are great places to start. There are trailheads at the Basin Rec 5K, Ecker Hill Middle School, Willow Creek Park and the Woods at Parley’s Lane. You can also start at Kimball Junction and the Basin Recreation Fieldhouse, and ski all the way into Park City along the McLeod Creek Trail and 224 Connector Trail. You’ll catch your breath at the aspen woods, beaver ponds and frozen creek. You can ski with your dog too, as long as you clean up after them and they are under control. For more information, maps, and a daily winter grooming report, visit BasinRecreation.org.

Beaver Creek ski trail
Just fifteen miles east of Park City in the Uinta Mountains, this six-mile long, cross-country ski trail runs through an aspen and pine forest from Yellow Pine to the North Fork trailhead, with other access points in between. It’s a great place for families and beginners, with a number of side can- yons. Dogs are welcome on odd-numbered days only, and, of course, you need to clean up after them. While the trail itself is free to use, you’ll need to purchase a $6 3-day pass to allow parking along the Mirror Lake Highway at the access points. Annual passes are also for sale. For more information call the Kamas Ranger District at (435) 783-4338, or visit The Utah Nordic Alliance at UtahNordic.com.

North Fork Provo River Trail
At the eastern end of the Beaver Creek trail along the Mirror Lake Highway (UT 150), a large U. S. Forest Service parking lot serves snowmobilers and skiers. The North Fork trail is for non-motorized travel, and is generally flat and easy. Ski up one side of the river, cross, and ski back down the other for a great loop. You will need a forest pass, described in the Beaver Creek Ski Trail above.

Mountain Dell
The Utah Nordic Alliance operates the 10 kilometers of ski trails at Mountain Dell Golf Course in Parley’s Canyon. Located between Salt Lake City and Park City next to Interstate 80, there are five loops, and trails which range from challenging to easy. Day use fees are $10, and season passes are available. Since this is a watershed, no dogs are allowed. For more information and maps visit UtahNordic.com

Mountain Trails Foundation
The nonprofit Mountain Trails Foundation frequently grooms about 25 kilometers of trails in Round Valley
(on the northeast border of Park City), and between 10 and 20 kilometers of the iconic Rail Trail, beginning off of Bonanza Drive and eventually connecting to the Round Valley trails. Online maps, and more information can be found at MountainTrails.org.

Soldier Hollow
Ski on the venue that hosted the 2002 Winter Olympic Games Nordic skiing events in the beautiful Heber Valley. There are rentals and demos, and the center is open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information visit UtahOlympicLegacy.org

White Pine Touring Nordic Center
These ski trails at White Pine Touring, in the heart of Park City, are strictly for Nordic skiers, both classic and skaters. You can start on the easy 3K loop, before heading to the more challenging

5K and 10K loops that wind through the historic McPolin Farm. There’s heated underground parking, with passes, equipment and lessons available at the Nordic Center at the corner of Park Avenue and Thaynes Canyon Drive. The hours are 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. For more information visit WhitePineTouring.com
or call (435) 649-6249.

Tubing

These are not your dad’s sledding hills.

Soldier Hollow
The Soldier Hollow Nordic Center now has a conveyor lift, with night lighting and a rocking sound system. Soldier Hollow boasts the longest tubing lanes in Utah. With 1,200-foot sliding lanes and the new lift, tubing is the perfect way to take advantage of Utah’s beautiful winters. Tubing is available in 2-hour sessions, on their 1,200-foot tubing lanes, the longest in Utah.

They’re open weekdays 12:00 to 8 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and Sundays from noon to 2:00 p.m. Prices are $25 for adults, $23 for youth (6-12) and $13 for children from 3 to 5 years old. They’re located at the 2002 Olympic venue in the Heber Valley. For more information visit UtahOlympicLegacy.org.

Helicopter and Cat Skiing

Flying around in a helicopter is a thrill all in itself, but when they drop you at the top of a pristine mountain, it’s even better. Spend a day with your own personal ski lift and yo-yo up and down until you’re worn out and the smile will be frozen on your faces for days. If you’d rather take a heated snowcat you can do that too.

Park City Powder Cats
The Uinta Mountains are the only east to west mountain range in the U.S, trapping lots of powder from the winter storms. Park City Powder Cats has 43,000 acres of private land on the Thousand Peaks Ranch near Oakley, just a half-hour from town.

You’ll need to be at least an advanced-intermediate skier or snowboarder. If you can handle most terrain on the resorts, you’ll do fine. It’s a full day in the mountains, with a hearty breakfast and lunch included, for $599 per day. For more information visit PCCats.com, or call (435) 649-6596.

Powderbird
The Powderbirds have been flying skiers around the Wasatch for 45 years now, and they’ve gotten quite good at it. They’ll find 80,000 acres of backcountry powder, wide open bowls, and snowy glades. Your heart will race you to the bottom of a white mountain, and then get a magic carpet back to the top.

It’s pricey, but you’ll remember it forever. Rates run from $1,260 to $1,540 per person, or take a private tour for $6,900 for 1 to 3 skiers. They operate from the Canyons Village base area of Park City Mountain and Snowbird. For more information visit PowderBird.com, or call (801) 742-2800.

Ski Utah Interconnect Adventure Tour
Ski six resorts in one day with these expert guides. Depart from Deer Valley and end up at Snowbird
on the other side of the mountains. You’ll need to be a good skier, but this is unique to the Wasatch. Cost is $395 per person, with lunch, two guides, lift passes, and transportation back to town. For more information visit SkiUtah.com.

Backcountry Yurts

Spend a night in the high nowhere in a Mongolian-style yurt. These circular tents will keep
you warm on the coldest nights, with wood burning stoves, kitchen facilities and bunks. Whether you arrived by ski, snowshoe, split board, foot, or snowmobile, many local yurts are in the Uinta Mountains, about 30 miles east of Park City. Step outside at night for the most magnificent star show in the world.

Castle Peak Yurt
At an elevation of 9,600 feet, it’s 6.5 miles along an old logging road, just a few miles east of Kamas along Highway 150. There’s good skiing and epic views of the Wasatch Range as well. The yurt sleeps eight, and is managed by White Pine Touring. It will cost you from $175 to $200 per night. For information, call (435) 649-8710.

Mill Hollow Yurt
From the Nobletts trailhead on S.R. 35, the yurt is at 8,950 feet, and it’s 6 miles one-way, but with all of the amenities. You can even take a couple of dogs along with you. Fee is $100 per night. For more information visit YMCAUtah.org.

Lilly Lake Yurt System
Located on the North Slope of the Uinta Mountains, about an hour from Park City, these 6 yurts
are accessed via Evanston, Wyoming, along Highway 150. They are managed by the Wasatch National Forest in partnership with the Bear River Outdoor Recreation Alliance (BRORA), and
the Evanston Recreation Center. All six yurts use the same trailhead, with four of them connected by groomed ski trails. They’re equipped with a propane stove, woodstove, firewood, and kitchen utensils.

The East Fork Yurt is at 8,500 feet, the Bear Claw Yurt is at 8,700 feet, and the Lily Lake Yurt is at 8,300 feet; lower elevations with good trails, and great for families. The Ridge Yurt (9,350 feet) and the Boundary Creek Yurt (9,550 feet) are off the main trail, without amenities. The Warming Hut is next to the trailhead. Nightly rentals range from $750 to $125. For more information visit Brorayurts.org.


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