Park City Mountain Resort
Park City Mountain Resort | ||
---|---|---|
Terrain parks 7 | 1 superpipe 1 minipipe 6 natural half pipes | |
Snowfall | 355 inches (29.6 ft; 9.0 m) | |
Snowmaking | 500 acres (2.0 km2) | |
Night skiing | No | |
Website | parkcitymountain.com |
Park City Mountain Resort (PCMR) is a ski resort in the western United States in Park City, Utah, located 32 miles (51 km) east of Salt Lake City. Park City, as the ski resort and area is known, contains several training courses for the U.S. Ski Team, including slalom and giant slalom runs. During the 2002 Winter Olympics, it hosted the snowboarding events and the men's and women's alpine giant slalom events.
Opened 61 years ago in 1963, the resort has been a major tourist attraction for skiers from all over the United States, as well as a main employer for many of Park City's citizens. The resort was purchased by Vail Resorts in 2014 and combined the resort with neighboring Canyons Resort via an interconnect gondola to create the largest lift-served ski resort in the United States.[1]
During the ski season, most slopes and lifts are open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.[2]
History
The resort was opened on December 21, 1963, as Treasure Mountain by United Park City Mines, the last surviving mining corporation in Park City, and the resort was opened with funds from a federal government program to revive the economically depressed town. When it originally opened, it boasted the longest
When the slopes first opened to the public, a special Skier's Subway was used to transport skiers nearly 2.5 miles (4.0 km) into the mountain through the pitch-black Spiro Tunnel on a mine train, where skiers then boarded a mining elevator ("hoist") that lifted them 1,750 feet (530 m) to the surface at the foot of the Thaynes Canyon chair, and from there they had access to the entire mountain.[3][4][5] Aerial trams once used for hauling ore were converted into chairlifts. To this day, more than one thousand miles (1,600 km) of old silver-mine workings and tunnels remain beneath the slopes of Park City and neighboring Deer Valley.
Treasure Mountain's name was changed to the Park City Ski Area for its fourth season of 1966–67; thirty years later, it was renamed Park City Mountain Resort in 1996. The resort had grown to include eight peaks and nine bowls, with 3,300 acres (5.2 sq mi; 13.4 km2) of skiing and sixteen chairlifts.
A sister ski area, originally known as Park City West and later as
2002 Winter Olympics
During the 2002 games, the resort hosted the men's and women's giant slalom, men's and women's snowboarding parallel giant slalom, and both men's and women's snowboarding halfpipe events. The resort's Eagle Race Arena and Eagle Superpipe were used as the Olympics runs. Temporary stadiums were erected at the end of each run with spectator standing areas on each side, creating a combined capacity of 16,500 persons.[8] Almost all available tickets for events at the resort were sold — 99.8 percent — to a total of 95,991 spectators.[9] During the games, 96 percent of the resort was open for normal seasonal operations, making it the only venue to allow spectators to leave and reenter.[8]
2012 litigation
In March 2012,
PCMR had leased the land on which its ski runs are located for $155,000 per year, with an option to renew the lease for 20 years. In March 2011, when this option came due, POWDR failed to renew the lease in a timely manner and sent a letter two days after the lease had expired. Eight months later, POWDR received a letter from Talisker that their lease had expired and they were to turn over the leased land and its improvements to Talisker. In 2013, Talisker leased its 4,000 acre Canyons Resort to Vail Resorts (Vail), for $25 million per year plus a percentage of the Canyons Resort revenue, plus a condition that Vail also take over the legal action.[11] Near the end of May 2013, an eviction notice was served on POWDR to vacate the leased land of PCMR, including all infrastructure on said land, which would leave POWDR with just the private land and infrastructure (accommodations, shops, parking, etc.) at the base of the ski runs.[12] (Greater City Co. v. United Park City Mines, 120500157 (Summit County Utah 20140521).)
On September 11, 2014, Vail announced that it had purchased the base of PCMR, including its name and recognition of ski runs improvements, from POWDR for $182.5 million (equivalent to $234.9 million in 2023) and that it would combine the resort with neighboring Canyons Resort over the summer of 2015 for the 2015–16 season.[13]
Park City Mountain Resort under Vail Resorts
When the purchase was finalized, Vail added Park City Mountain Resort to its EPIC season pass program for the 2014–15 season.
Park City mountain resort is home to many ski schools run by the mountain, but is also home to privately owned ski schools. In 2017, the various individual clubs came together to form one organization - Park City Ski & Snowboard Club.[15]
For the 2018 season, Doppelmayr constructed a high speed quad to replace the High Meadow lift at Red Pine Lodge.[16]
For the 2019 season,
For the 2022 season, Doppelmayr had been contracted to construct two new detachable chairlifts on the Park City side of the resort.[18] However, after the Park City Planning Commission revoked the permit to replace these lifts in Park City,[19] Vail Resorts announced that these lifts will now be installed at Whistler Blackcomb in 2023 and replace the Jersey Cream and Fitzsimmons lifts there.[20]
Statistics
As of the 2015–16 season, after the merger with Canyons Resort.
Mountain information
- Base elevation: 6,900 feet (2,103 m)[21]
- Summit elevation: 10,026 feet (3,056 m) [22]
- Vertical rise: 3,100 feet (945 m)
- Total mountain peaks: 8
- Total skiable area: 7,300 acres (29.5 km2)
- Average Annual Snowfall: 365 inches (930 cm)[21]
Trails
- Total Trails: 348[23]
- Beginner: 15%
- Intermediate: 54%
- Expert: 31%
- Terrain Parks: 4
- Superpipe: 1
- Minipipe: 1
Lifts
Lift name | Length | Vertical | Type | Make | Year installed |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
3 Kings | 2,176 ft | 439 ft | Fixed Triple | Doppelmayr
|
2011 |
Bonanza Express | 5,318 ft | 1,122 ft | High Speed Six
|
Garaventa CTEC
|
1997 |
Cabriolet | 2,705 ft | 193 ft | Cabriolet | Garaventa CTEC
|
2000 |
Crescent Express | 7,200 ft | 1,743 ft | High Speed Quad
|
Doppelmayr CTEC
|
2008 |
Day Break | Fixed Triple | Yan
|
2001 | ||
Dreamcatcher | 4,619 ft | 1,533 ft | Fixed Quad | Doppelmayr CTEC
|
2006 |
Dreamscape | Fixed Quad | Garaventa CTEC
|
2000 | ||
Eagle | 2,515 ft | 1,155 ft | Fixed Triple | Garaventa CTEC
|
1993 |
Eaglet | 1,355 ft | 255 ft | Fixed Triple | Garaventa CTEC
|
1995 |
First Time Express | 1,823 ft | 276 ft | High Speed Quad
|
Doppelmayr CTEC
|
2004 |
Flat Iron | 1,641 ft | 4 ft | Fixed Double | Thiokol | 2009 |
Frostwood Gondola | 1,963 ft | 166 ft | Pulse Gondola | Doppelmayr CTEC
|
2008 |
High Meadow Express | 1,965 ft | 278 ft | High Speed Quad
|
Doppelmayr
|
2018 |
Iron Mountain Express | 5,181 ft | 1,484 ft | High Speed Quad
|
Doppelmayr CTEC
|
2010 |
Jupiter | 3,315 ft | 1,000 ft | Fixed Double | Yan
|
1976 |
King Con Express | 4,438 ft | 1,216 ft | High Speed Six
|
Doppelmayr
|
2015 |
McConkey's Express | 5,260 ft | 1,172 ft | High Speed Six
|
Garaventa CTEC
|
1998 |
Motherlode Express | High Speed Quad
|
Garaventa CTEC
|
2015 | ||
Ninety Nine 90 Express | 6,680 ft | 1,563 ft | High Speed Quad
|
Garaventa CTEC
|
1998 |
Orange Bubble Express | 8,709 ft | 1,523 ft | High Speed Quad
|
Doppelmayr CTEC
|
2010 |
Over and Out | 2,412 ft | 278 ft | Fixed Quad | Skytrac
|
2019 |
PayDay Express | 5,726 ft | 1,278 ft | High Speed Six
|
Garaventa CTEC
|
1997 |
Peak 5 | 2,815 ft | 1,038 ft | Fixed Quad | Garaventa CTEC
|
1999 |
Pioneer | 3,720 ft | 968 ft | Fixed Triple | CTEC
|
1984 |
Quicksilver Gondola | 7,767 ft | 1,686 ft | Gondola | Doppelmayr
|
2015 |
Red Pine Gondola | 6,679 ft | 1,119 ft | Gondola | Poma | 1997 |
Saddleback Express | 4,269 ft | 1,121 ft | High Speed Quad
|
Garaventa CTEC
|
1997 |
Short Cut | Fixed Triple | Yan
|
1997 | ||
Silverlode Express | 5,370 ft | 1,322 ft | High Speed Six
|
Garaventa CTEC
|
1996 |
Silver Star | Fixed Triple | Garaventa CTEC
|
2006 | ||
Sun Peak Express | 3,729 ft | 1,087 ft | High Speed Quad
|
Doppelmayr
|
1997 |
Sunrise | Fixed Double | Garaventa CTEC
|
2003 | ||
Super Condor Express | 6,910 ft | 1,798 ft | High Speed Quad
|
Garaventa CTEC
|
1998 |
Thaynes | 2,800 ft | 850 ft | Fixed Double | Yan
|
1975 |
Timberline | 2,229 ft | 360 ft | Fixed Quad | Doppelmayr CTEC
|
2008 |
Tombstone Express | 6,566 ft | 1,734 ft | High Speed Six
|
Doppelmayr CTEC
|
2006 |
Town | 6,665 ft | 1,232 ft | Fixed Triple | CTEC
|
1985 |
Slope aspects
- North: 43%[21]
- East: 29%
- West: 24%
- South: 4%
Summer
During the summer, Payday provides lift service to an
The resort offers lift-served access for hiking and mountain biking on Crescent, Payday, and Town lifts from the Park City Mountain Village base. Canyons Village provides hiking and biking access via the Red Pine Gondola and Short Cut. Most trails in the area are family-friendly and not very strenuous. The majority of mountain bike trails are intermediate, with a small percentage designated as expert trails.
In popular culture
Park City is one of the featured mountains in the 2008 video game Shaun White Snowboarding.
References
- ^ "Goodbye Canyons, hello Park City: Utah ski resort on track to be biggest in U.S." Los Angeles Times. July 29, 2015.
- ^ "Terrain and Lift Status". Park City Mountain. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
- ^ a b Park City Mountain Resort. "Park City History". Park City Mountain Resort website. Archived from the original on 24 December 2010. Retrieved 2 December 2010.
- ^ Auran, John Henry (February 1967). "Don't call it Park City; it's really Treasure Mountain". Skiing. p. 58.
- ^ The Milwaukee Journal - Skiing facilities grow with skiers - 1965-01-10 - p.7
- ^ Park City Mountain Resort. "Resort Stats". Park City Mountain Resort website. Archived from the original on 22 November 2010. Retrieved 2 December 2010.
- ^ Park City Mountain Resort. "Summer Activities". Park City Mountain Resort website. Archived from the original on 24 December 2010. Retrieved 19 December 2010.
- ^ a b Salt Lake Organizing Committee (2001). Official Spectator Guide. p. 70.
- ISBN 0-9717961-0-6. Retrieved 2 December 2010.
- ^ Hamburger, Jay. "Talisker, Confident, Prepares to Act Upon Eviction Notice Against PCMR". Park Record. Archived from the original on 22 March 2014. Retrieved 18 March 2014.
- ^ Blevins, Jason (2014-05-21). "Utah court gives Vail access to most of Park City ski area terrain". The Denver Post. Retrieved 2021-10-17.
- ^ Paskin, Janet. "The Ski Resort Fight Over Park City Mountain". Bloomberg Businessweek. Archived from the original on February 8, 2014. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
- ^ Smart, Christopher. "Vail buys Park City Mountain Resort for $182M". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved 11 September 2014.
- ^ "Vail Resorts Acquires Park City Mountain Resort in Park City, Utah". Vail Resorts. Retrieved 11 September 2014.
- ^ "Local groups join forces to create Park City Ski & Snowboard Club". Retrieved 2018-08-29.
- ^ "Park City Mountain Debuts New High Meadow Park". Canyons Resort Village Management Association. 2018-11-20. Retrieved 2021-04-08.
- ^ "Over and Out". www.skiresort.info. Retrieved 2021-04-08.
- ^ "Epic Lift Upgrade". www.epicpass.com. Retrieved 2022-03-11.
- ^ "Park City Planning Commission rules against PCMR lift upgrades". 2022-06-16.
- ^ "Vail Resorts to Install Deferred Park City Lifts at Whistler Blackcomb". 2022-09-28.
- ^ a b c "Best Ski Resorts: Park City Terrain, Snow Quality and Mountain Ranks". ZRankings. ZRankings LLC.
- ^ "Mountain Info | Park City Mountain Resort".
- ^ "Terrain and Lift Status". Park City Mountain. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
External links
Media related to Park City Mountain Resort at Wikimedia Commons
- Official website
- Ski Utah - Resort Profile
- 3dSkiMaps - Park City Mountain Resort 3D map
- ExploreUtah.org - Explore Utah
- Mountain Trails Foundation
- Trailforks Mountain Bike Trail Map