The Change Up

Posted on April 29, 2013 by Bari Nan Cohen

I know it’s hard to believe, but there are days when my family opts out of skiing. Some weeks, we are just being courteous–like during Presidents’ Week, or a busy Spring Break weekend. We want to make sure we leave plenty of good skiing for those of you who don’t have easy access to the hill every day of the week. (Oops! I didn’t mean to rub that in. Sorry.) Other weeks, the task of loading up and gearing up just seems too daunting for the adults in the house. And now that the resort is closed for skiing until December 7 we have rely on these “day off activities” to keep us busy during shoulder season.

Luckily, Park City is full of “backup plans” when skiing isn’t an option. A “day off” in Park City may differ a little from a day off in another town…we locals are not terribly good at sitting still. (Yes, by “we,” my family will argue, I mean “I” am not good at that whole sitting still thing. But in Park City, I’m in good company.)

The nice thing about these sports is that you can go after it hard, and get in a workout, or use it as a relaxing family bonding activity.

Just like skiing: if you aren’t falling, you aren’t learning.

Ice skating: The Park City Ice Arena, located on SR 248, in the Round Valley sports complex, is one of my family’s favorite places to hang. Sometimes, we make a plan to meet friends, other times we luck into finding them there, by happenstance. Public skate hours vary, but there are at least two hours a day when you can rent skates, borrow a helmet (and even gloves), and get gliding. http://www.parkcity.org/index.aspx?page=190

I’ve skated my whole life (though, that statement shouldn’t conjure images of me landing triple-axels). My friend Shannon, a pro, is threatening to teach me, but I’m thinking that might be a form of penance for some bad deed she did in a former life. I happen to love the atmosphere of the rink. Usually, there are members of the Park City Figure Skating Club who are practicing their jumps, twists and axels. What’s incredible is to see the pint-sized grade school girls flying through the air. Budding hockey players practice their stops, slides and stick work. Often, I’ll spy some teenagers on a date, hands intertwined, or a snake-chain of tweens, racing around the rink. And always, families. My kids and I like to play hide and seek (we duck into the penalty boxes), practice our backward skating, and “race” around the rink. In fact, we’ve been at the rink so much this winter, I treated myself to a pair of used skates. They really are a treat, since they used to belong to a coach in the figure skating club, and just like high-end ski gear purchased at the local’s ski swap, they are tricked out (custom boot, high-end blade). Translation: complete overkill, but at a deep discount, so why not?

Cross country skiing: The first pair of skis I wore (sometime around age 2) were Nordic kick-and-glides that actually strapped on to my regular snow boots. Nordic skiing was a fixture of my childhood in Vermont, so I’ve always loved the opportunity to share it with my kids. There are miles of groomed public trails around town, but since we don’t own gear, we generally go to White Pine Touring, which is located on the Park City Municipal Golf Course (it’s the PCMGC pro shop during golf season) at Hotel Park City. You can gear up and get on 3K or 5K tracks, and then head all the way out past the white barn, if you’re ready for more. http://whitepinetouring.com/cross-country-ski-area.php

There’s something immensely gratifying about the low-key, yet high-energy, endorphin producing nature of the sport. When I’m with my kids on the track, I don’t get the same kind of workout that, say, Nancy Anderson churns out, but I’m happy just to be outside, sharing a great lifelong sport with my guys. Honestly, you can make the day as challenging or relaxing as you want, and an hour or so is as much fun as a whole afternoon. If you have ever spent a week or a ski season explaining to your young Phil Mahre or Heidi Voelker why they can’t use poles yet, Nordic offers an added bonus: they’re standard issue in Nordic skiing (NB: that still means a lot of work for mom or dad.).

Swimming: One of the best parts of staying in a lot of the lodging properties at Deer Valley Resort is that they have super-heated outdoor pools. One of my favorites is at The Silver Baron Lodge, where the outdoor pool has a sweet little water slide. But if you don’t happen to be a guest there, you can pay for a day pass to the Silver Mountain Sports Club in Prospector and visit their domed leisure pool, complete with lazy river and giant water slide (just check the lifeguard hours before you go, since the water features operate only during those hours, which are limited during the school week.) We lucked into an afternoon there where we had the place to ourselves (the lifeguard told me it had been packed before lunch; my kids had spent the morning at ice skating camp in the arena, so we used the pool for a post-lunch “warm down” activity). When my kids were born, my mother, and mother-in-law told me, “If they’re cranky, put them in water.” No piece of advice has been better used in my home. Baths, pools, sprinklers, whatever. And vacations (stay-cations or traveling vacations, alike) often produce extra-tired crankiness. This pool figures heavily into my parenting strategy. And, yes, it’s about the closest you will get to finding me sitting still.

Lego Maniacs

Posted on April 16, 2013 by Bari Nan Cohen

This time of year is what the locals call “shoulder season.” The resorts are closed for skiing and the town quiets down quickly. Here is a suggestion for what to do while exploring Main Street during the 2013 spring shoulder season:

In my house, we speak three languages: English, Star Wars and Lego.

Lego, often, is the predominant language, with my kids’ brick creations often expressing their every Star Wars fantasy, or say, their love for their mom. To wit: I came home one day to find that Seth had re-purposed the helicopter skids from one set, and the light sabers from another, plus the pirate’s ponytail from a third, to accessorize a mini figure into “Mom.” Perhaps my obsession with skiing is noticeable to my kids?

(It is to everyone else, of course. Witness the sign I received as a 40th birthday gift from “Florida Keys Girl and Guy”, that reads simply: Eat. Sleep. Ski., that now hangs prominently in my home.)

Anyway, I knew we had a home run of a family activity when I saw that the Kimball Art Center (kimballartcenter.org) was hosting The Art of the Brick, an exhibition of the artist Nathan Sawaya’s sculptures that are made entirely out of our favorite molded bricks. We marveled at the skill with which he had created 3-D sculptures, optical illusions (“canvases” that looked, from afar, to be paintings, but turned out to be portraits rendered with the smooth sides of the bricks.)

Naturally, the exhibit includes a play area in the gallery lobby for visitors to attempt their own creations on-site. (With Seth unable to pass up a chance to build, Lance, Jeff and I took turns visiting Mark Maziarz’s fascinating “geolines” exhibit, in which he has manipulated his signature nature images into a new art form.) http://www.kimballartcenter.org/?exhibit=geolines-by-mark-maziarz

The Kimball is a great stop any week of the year, but if you have Lego fans in your life, get there before April 21, or log on to www.brickartist.com/exhibitions to see where the show is headed next.

The Sun Shines on the EBS Lounge

Posted on March 22, 2013 by Josh Spiker

In the early days of winter it is easy to cope with the darkness and bitter temperatures through the wonders of powder skiing. After not skiing for so many months early bedtimes are no problem, the rest welcome and satisfying. We dine and sing our way through the holidays, all the while dreaming of February face shots and seamless groomers. Mid-winter finds us celebrating the milestones of our favorite future ski champions. Your child’s first true carve, and their exuberant laughter as they veer off trail for every powder patch they see mark the days of January. By the time of late February storm cycles our legs are strong, our spirits sated, and imaginations nearly refilled for another season.

Then the most magical experience in all of life begins; the tulip and Lily of the Valley bulbs stir just beneath the surface of the soil, the sun warms the breeze as trout begin to rise and swirl more often, and the familiar scents of spring flow through long shuttered windows.

Skiing in the sunshine of spring is not a continuation of the previous three months, not the same thread that wove our lives together in mittens and heavy coats. It is a new skin worn under sleeveless vests and sunglasses, embellished with cold beverages and decks filled with people randomly looking at the mountain, at the sun, and smiling.

Spring at Deer Valley is the time to stand atop the Champion bump course across from your lifelong buddy, like two teenagers in ’69 Camaros revving your engines at the same stoplight. Both of you looking all the way down the street to the deck of the EBS Lounge, knowing that somewhere down there a pretty girl is briefly looking up the hill, knowing you have only this one shot at glory.

And when the light turns green you both drop, accelerating through the same bumps that Brad Wilson burned down on his way to his first career World Cup podium in February. Your rhythm is just right, your pole plants just right, and in the back of your mind you already hear the sound of après applause from the EBS deck – just before leaning back ever so slightly.

Spring at Deer Valley, on the deck of the EBS, is a time and a place to give cheers to your best friends, to rub your knees and look back up the mountain at the bump line you almost had. To smile in the sunshine and wistfully hope for a few more face shots before summer, before next year when those high fives from fellow skiers on the deck will be yours.

~ I think I was supposed to be writing a bit more specifically about the menu and atmosphere of the EBS, but an hour basking on its deck last week caused my overactive imagination to free float through the crowd, and imagine what their day and winter must have been like. With live music on the weekends and an outstanding drink menu, including a simple yet delectable martini created by founder Edgar B. Stern, be assured you can satisfy your après spirit in comfort and style this spring. Cheers!

Another ski contest…

Posted on March 18, 2013 by JF Lanvers

In this blog, a few seasons ago, I shared an obsession of mine to rack up as much ski vertical as I possibly could. I’ve since gotten over it, and this season, I’ll be focusing instead on a new challenge a friend of mine suggested we try to accomplish: ski as many runs at Deer Valley Resort as we possibly could, in just one day. When I heard about the idea, I liked it a lot, thought it was a great way to further my knowledge of the resort. So, I immediately began researching the subject.

With 100 designated ski runs at Deer Valley and six open bowls, I would have my work cut out for me! At first, I was not quite sure how to go about defining the project. What originally was intended to be a team event ended up becoming my sole responsibility as my friend and his busy calendar couldn’t join me within the dates we had originally targeted.

So here I was, on my own and compelled to design the project from scratch. Being one’s own boss isn’t that terrible though; I would be able to make my own rules and fashion them so the contest would be as user-friendly and as convenient as I wanted it be. With that in mind and since there was no one to watch over my shoulder, I also committed to follow my rules to the letter.

I began by deciding that I would only focus on marked ski runs with perhaps one exception: I like some of the kid’s runs. I’m particularly fond of Bucky’s Backyard, a whimsical bumpy run off the Bandana ski run. I would also leave the resort’s six bowls out, as the infinite variations they offered might complicate things and be subject to endless interpretations. I would also allow myself to conveniently count one small run that would be close to a larger one so I could score an extra run without having to take the same lift one extra time for just completing a tiny trail. For example, Trump is a sub-set of Ontario, and I assumed that going through Trump, while skiing the remaining balance of Ontario should count for two runs.

With that in mind, I began by inventorying all the marked trails that I could see on the official Deer Valley Resort map and tried to organized my findings in a sequential order that I felt, would maximize the number of runs I could cover during the time most lifts were open, that is from 9 a.m. until just after 4 p.m.

For each trail, I estimated the time it would take me to ride up the lift, plus the necessary time to safely ski down to my next lift or run, and I added everything as I went through the Deer Valley trail map. I came up with a total number close to one hundred and figured it would take me more than twelve hours to navigate the whole itinerary. With the lifts being opened just seven hours, I would not be able to ski all the runs in the space of one day, but would do my best to ski as many trails as humanly possible.

They were, of course, a few unknowns like the possibility for some bad weather and, if that were the case, perhaps some wind-hold during which certain lifts could be temporarily stopped. In addition there was also the likelihood of fairly large crowds as I wanted to run my experiment during the Spring Break holidays. More skiers would demand more attention and reduced speed while skiing down the hills. Any significant delay would have a detrimental impact on the total number of runs. At first, I had considered taking a break for lunch, but that possibility quickly appeared to be a luxury I could hardly afford if I wanted to rack up the highest possible number of runs.

I could also have tried to optimize my course so I would hit only those runs or lifts that provided me with the best return on my time and efforts, but I decided against it. I had in mind that I would begin with the Little Baldy Peak area then move to Bald Mountain, Empire, return to Flagstaff and conclude the day around Bald Eagle Mountain. Finally, I was asked by some why I wouldn’t use a smart phone app to account for my day, but I must say that I didn’t want to take any chance and suffer any breakdown due to failing technology, so I planned to keep the running tally by hand.

Shortly, I will let you know how the project went and how many runs I was able to cover in just one day of skiing. Of course you don’t have to wait for these results; you can try tomorrow if you feel like it and discover what a typical ski day at Deer Valley Resort can be worth in terms of total ski trails visited. Modify or change some of my rules if you have to and please, ski safely!

Cross Country Skate Skiing- Day Off From Downhill

Posted on March 14, 2013 by Nancy Anderson

Do you -
Want a day off from downhill skiing?
Want to cross train and use different muscle groups?
Have a friend who doesn’t downhill ski that you want to spend time with?

All of the above applied to me so I made a reservation for two for cross country skate ski lessons with White Pine Touring Company. Since I don’t cross country ski, I assumed skate skiing would be a challenge to learn but a great workout so the learning curve would be worth the effort.

Surprisingly, we were able to learn the basics in an hour and ski the 3 kilometer track the same day! I went from what looked like a duck walk to a basic skate with the help of the instructor, Don. As often happens in Park City, Don was more than meets the eye. He is a cross country ski instructor on the weekends and during the week he is a paleontologist (dinosaur expert) for the State of Utah. In other words, Don is an interesting guy.

He took us to a well groomed teaching area (that doubles as the driving range of the Park City Municipal Golf Course in the summer) and taught us to skate on long skinny skis. He suggested, “glide like Dorothy Hamill!” I tried but looked more like Daffy Duck. After a few “back and forths”, the glide became more pronounced.

It took me a while to get the concept and get used to the different style of skis – like skiing on toothpicks! It started to click for me when Don had us put one ski in the classic track going straight which enabled us to focus on pushing off with the other leg skating at an angle.

After an hour, we had the basics down and were cut loose to ski on the beautifully groomed track on the front nine of the golf course. The course had some gentle hills which gave us enough of a challenge as a beginner but not too much to be frustrating. We skated the 3K and at the end, I was dripping with sweat, could feel every muscle in my body, and was absolutely in love with skate skiing.

Skate skiing isn’t for everyone. In my personal opinion, you don’t have to be in top physical shape but at least be in good shape. It is physically challenging getting up the hills. This wouldn’t be the sport to go from “couch to skate ski.” It would also be best for groomed trails since it would be really tough to cut a trail using this method. So if this is an intro to the sport of cross country or you are a back country person, stick with classic cross country.

Take a lesson. I assume you could learn skate skiing on your own, but why? It was much easier taking a lesson. If you are open to feedback and want to learn something new, skate skiing could be your new sport.

Oh another thing… if you want to eat an entire pizza all by yourself afterwards and not gain an ounce, take up this sport because it burns about twice the calories of downhill skiing!

For more information on cross country skiing in Park City, call White Pine Touring at 435-649-6249 or by email, ben@whitepinetouring.com

Snowmobiling Adventure

Posted on March 11, 2013 by Nancy Anderson

550 cc snowmobiles (with speeds up to 60 mph)
7000 acres of groomed trails
My husband
Our 23 year old son
An experienced Deer Valley snowmobiling guide named Tabitha
And a sunny day

What could be a better combination for fun than that? I have to say the experience of snowmobiling with Deer Valley was the perfect recipe for a great time.

It was a pretty safe bet the guys would like it. Like many men, they love anything involving motorized speed — motorcycles, dirt bikes, ATVs, etc. I am more of a human power fan myself — rowing, kayaking, or hiking so I didn’t realize how much fun I would have, too. Once we were set up with our gear and our helmets strapped on tight, we jumped on our machines to listen to Tabitha give us the run-down of how to operate the sleds.

We headed down the trail to a wide open meadow that served as a track – we could go anywhere as long as we avoided the hazards and kept going left (aka NASCAR drivers.) After a couple loops and getting a feel for the sleds, we opened them up a bit and took turns cutting through the middle and passing each other (while keeping a safe distance of 2-3 sled lengths in between, per our guide’s direction).

The panoramas were next as we headed to the top of the ridge to look over the Wasatch front.

We followed the fence line and headed through the Aspens covering a lot of territory on the ranch.

On the way back, we hit the throttle and opened up the sleds through the wide meadow before parking them at the ranch. Another adventure under our belts, I was reminded of the saying, “a family that plays together stays together” and an afternoon of snowmobiling was just the ticket for this family.

Apres Ski at Montage Deer Valley

Posted on March 5, 2013 by JF Lanvers

Dan Howard has been Director of Public Relations for the Montage Deer Valley, located in Empire Canyon, ever since the establishment opened up to the public three years ago. We wanted to know more about the Montage’s Après-Ski options that are made available to its guests and day-visitors, and we asked Dan to provide us with an update of what happens at his hotel when the ski day comes to an end…

What is the meaning of Après-Ski at Montage?

It means everything to us. Montage was recently named the number one family-friendly hotel of any resort in the world, and our Après-Ski program is one of the reasons we have been recognized in that way.

Are you saying an “Après-Ski Program?”

Yes, we have eight activities that really fall into that category at Montage. Again, we’re a family-oriented, multi-generational resort. The family generally skis together and Après-Ski together at Montage and all of these activities are geared to everyone, from the youngest to the oldest.

Can you start with traditional Après-Ski that includes food and beverages?

Although Après-Ski isn’t limited to food and wine, I will start with that category and introduce the Apex Restaurant that is easily accessible from the mountain. It’s located directly above Compass Sports and features a large wrap-around terrace, perfect for blue-bird days, with Adirondack chairs circling a large fire-pit. We have some wonderful foods available including a lunch menu until 3 p.m. followed by a bar menu that runs until 5:30 p.m. when the dinner menu begins. To accompany our delicious bar menu we have two beers that are brewed for us locally by Wasatch Brew Pub, the Montage Mountain Ale, on tap, and the Monty Belgian White Ale, in bottles, that is named after Monty, our Bernese mountain dog. We also offer our extended wine list and local whiskey.

What else is available?

Right below Apex near Compass Sports, we’ve added a new popular option, the Beach Haus, that is also a children favorite. There, we’re grilling bratwursts, hamburgers, cheeseburgers, right on the mountain, and people can ski-in and stay in their ski boots while making just a fast stop if they wish to still keep skiing.

What happens if some guests, not staying at Montage, have so much fun that they miss the last Ruby Express chair at 4 p.m.?

If guests are enjoying Après-Ski so much and find themselves still with us at 6 or 7 p.m., on the “wrong” side of the mountain from where they’re staying, we’ll gladly take them home. We have complimentary transportation, and we’ll take them to Silver Lake, Snow Park or even Main Street, wherever they came from, within Park City, we’ll take them there.

Is there live music available anywhere at your hotel?

Yes, we do! It begins in the Apex from 12 to 4 p.m. and we have speakers for those outside on the patio can also enjoy the music. At 4 p.m., it moves into the Vista Lounge. (Here’s a tip: the Lounge fills up between 5 and 7 p.m.) The Lounge features a roaring fireplace and live music, the menu is Asian entrees, served in a relaxed lounge setting with a huge variety of signature drinks. Vista is wonderful because it’s a true family gathering place, a giant living room; it’s our largest space and the classic Après-Ski lounge.

Is there a place where guests can get light fare?

Yama-Sushi near the Vista Lounge is perfect for that. It opens as early as 4 p.m. It’s another great option for Après-Ski that offers signature rolls, nigiri, Japanese beers and sake pairings. As you probably know, “Yama” means mountain in Japanese. Then from 4 until 5 p.m. each day, we offer complimentary marshmallow s’mores for guests staying at the hotel and everyone can roast the s’mores on the open fire-pit, next to the Vista Lounge.

Do you have outdoor Après-Ski activities too?

Yes, we have the Powder Park, our own tubing park. Even though it starts at 11 a.m. it is another after ski favorite. Access to the park is complimentary to our hotel guests. It’s a fun Après-Ski option for kids who still want to play in the snow and it’s always a perfect complement to roasting s’mores at the end of the ski day.

What else is there for kids and their families?

The other family gathering place is the Daly’s Pub and Rec, on the lower floor of the resort. There, we offer four bowling lanes, billiards, English darts, a nostalgic video game arcade and the more modern, Wii Lounge. Fresh pizzas made from scratch and other pop foods are served and are perfect for families that choose to hang out in what is the most popular section of the whole hotel.

Does your famous Spa also participate in Après-Ski activities?

As you perhaps know, ours is the largest spa in Utah. It’s also a place where guests can enjoy their Après-Ski experience with food and wine served right in this indoor, mosaic spa pool. Lots of people are looking to this unique spa experience after a long day on the slopes. Guests can pick between the whirlpool, the swimming pool or even book a spa treatment. While our spa doesn’t offer family hours during the day, our guests’ families are always welcome from 6 to 8 p.m. in the spa pool.

Any other Après-Ski options?

Oh yes, I almost forgot; there’s Buzz, our coffee, hot-chocolate and tea quick-stop. There, you can find homemade sweets from our pastry kitchen and it’s where our resident beekeeper offers his honey production that is available along with some hand-made gelato. Buzz is located alongside the retail promenade, a wonderful shopping area complete with designer jewelry and extraordinary fashions which completes in high-style the Après-Ski cornucopia at Montage.

What happens to Après-Ski at Montage when winter is over?

When the ski chairlifts close, Montage becomes a family camp as the days grow longer. One of the first things that changes is that s’more-time goes from 4 and 5 p.m., to 8 and 9 p.m. in the summer months around our camp fires that remain a daily, year-round routine, and then Compass Sports converts from ski shop into a mountain bike shop. We’re the only official demo center from BMC Swiss mountain bikes and guest can try them all on Deer Valley’s trails.

What other activities do you offer outside of winter?

Compass Sports becomes the recreation hub for 30 different activities that are offered to families in the summer and in the fall as long as the sun is up. Activities cover soccer, croquet, badminton, complimentary archery lessons on the front lawn, now that the tubing park has long melted. When the sun goes down we also offer star-gazing, a non-winter activity, that gives the opportunity to urban guests to discover a sky and some constellations that are almost impossible to observe from any large metro areas.

So, are you magically turning Après-Ski into Après-Sports as soon as the snow melts?

Absolutely, you can say it; the end-of-day fun never stops at Montage!

NextGen DV

Posted on February 22, 2013 by Bari Nan Cohen

L1002576 As a parent, anything that makes skiing with my family easier is a treat—and when that added ease involves treats, you know I’m in.

Obviously, I know enough about skiing with kids to have an arsenal of bribes—candy in my jacket pocket, and plenty of cash on hand for cocoa and cookie breaks. And that’s for an activity the kids enjoy. However, that enjoyable activity involves something that my kids consider a necessary evil—shopping.

Fortunately, Deer Valley has my back—and yours, too. The friendly staff at NextGen DV also runs Quincy’s, the attached self-serve frozen yogurt shop.

L1002512

They know that if we’re running in to buy ski gloves, because, say, Lance’s hands were cold on the hill (as happened one recent day), that he wants the process to be quick and painless. And they do it one better—because they make it fun. The team in NextGen DV has a knack for making the kids feel like they are the central decision-maker in the purchasing process, while keeping the parents in the loop. And–this is key—since the yogurt shop is at the front of the store, it’s very easy for the ultimate parenting deal to be struck on the way in: “If you’re cooperative, you will be rewarded.”

We figured out one more way to make all the angst of shopping go away—we bring friends. It didn’t take much to coordinate with a couple of other families for some “get it done” shopping time—which quickly turned into lots of laughs as the kids tried on goofy hats, our boys’ boys goofed off in some pink helmets (don’t tell them I said this, but they looked fetching in pink!), and the girly girls got to play dress up all afternoon.

: Our friend Mel jumped right in to scout options for the kids to try on.

: Nathaniel, 7, opted for this red Marker jacket with contrasting pattern red-and-black bib pants.

: Natalie wasted no time making a beeline for the Bogner jacket in white.

: Before long, Natalie was suited up in Spyder pinks—and modeling them for an admiring Seth, 5. (He’s been looking up to his friend Nat in total admiration since he was born!)

: Natalie and Ethan, brother-and-sister who moved (with their brother Jack and their parents) this year to Park City from South Florida, have been skiing at Deer Valley for their whole lives (they are eight and 11 years-old). Natalie liked the sweetly goofy style of the knit cap—and Ethan wanted to check the helmet for aerodynamics (but we wouldn’t let him take it out for a test jump.)

: Natalie helps Seth try on a helmet for size.

: Monster Mashup: This zany outfit looked like the perfect fit for our two-year-old buddy, Ben

: —but no amount of cajoling from mom …

: ….(or offers of frozen yogurt) could convince him to try it on.

: Lance, 9, and Ethan trying to take each other seriously…

: then, this happened.

: Seth, 5, needed to get in on the act. Pretty sure this three-eyed monster helmet cover summarizes his personality.

: Lance loved the pops of orange and black on this white Descente coat.

: Libby liked the look of those Spyder pink stripes that she had to try on a contrasting pattern

: She loved the result…

: …And, together, she and Natalie looked ready to crush a few runs in style.

: Ethan’s personality matches the wild patterns on this aqua and yellow Rossignol ensemble. Or is it the other way around?

: Ethan and Lance express the pain of being so stylish.

: Finally, it’s time to cap off the day with some rich rewards—yogurt at Quincy’s Frozen Yogurt!!

Trip of a Lifetime Winner: Deer Valley

Posted on March 30, 2012 by Emily Summers

Scott Dwyer was the winner of SKI Magazine’s Trip of a Lifetime Contest to Deer Valley Resort. While flying home following the trip he was able to reflect and so kindly shared his experience with us. Enjoy!

I’m here to say that dreams really do come true and, when those dreams include Deer Valley, there is a very fine line between fantasy and reality. At times, the delineation between the two is only separated by the smile on my face and the joy in my soul.

I suppose I could qualify as the quintessential reader of SKI Magazine and fan of Deer Valley: I typically read the magazine cover-to-cover, and, prior to my first visit to Deer Valley last year, considered reading the trail map to study the terrain and amenities a mandatory night time activity. Further, I was well aware that Deer Valley was awarded the top spot in the reader rankings for the fifth year in a row and knew the exact dates the SKI Magazine Deer Valley Trip of a Lifetime entries were open. Like many I’m sure, I submitted an entry and forgot about it.

In late December, though, my fantasy turned into reality as my email inbox glowed with the subject line “Trip of a Lifetime Winner: Deer Valley”! It took several glances to confirm it as fact and me not delusional.

It didn’t take long to fall in love with Deer Valley during our first visit, but I suddenly knew that our second visit would be infinitely more special. Sure, my wife and I looked forward to sitting in Cushing’s Cabin while gazing out over the majestic snow-covered peaks again, but imagine our delight when we discovered our award included elegant accommodations, a loaded welcoming gift basket, lift tickets, and all meals highlighted with dinners at the Seafood Buffet and Mariposa! Yes, our second visit would be special!

While all of the resort amenities were nothing short of remarkable, the highlight of our trip was meeting a bunch of really nice people. These are not just ordinary people; these are a cadre of very special people that elevated a very nice trip to a magical experience and helped us turn the resort into “Our Deer Valley.” It is impossible to mention everyone that had an impact on our trip, but some highlights include: breakfast with Communications Manager Emily Summers, meeting other members of the marketing team that had a hand in making our trip happen (thanks Terry, Ed, and Coleen!), our Mariposa waiter Jon Good, a litany of on-the-mountain hosts and guides, and ski equipment storage representatives that handled all of our gear with warmth and a smile.

How do you say thank you for something like that? I suppose a vote towards the sixth straight number one ranking is a good place to start. That is kind of a given, though, and I wanted to do something more. You see, leading up to our first visit, I became so enamored with the 30^th anniversary Deer Valley logo that I decided to paint it.

(Scott’s fantastic painting for Deer Valley’s 30 Year Anniversary)

This year, though, required something more unique, so I used the view from Cushing’s Cabin as inspiration and painted a fall scene using the Deer Valley logo and a large number one. I’m proud to say that both are now in the possession of the resort and, I hope, serve as just one reminder of how special this place makes people feel.

(Scott’s latest painting)

So, on the plane ride back to North Carolina with my wife by my side, I started typing…and thinking. My thoughts were dominated by the reality that our stay at Deer Valley was really an Experience of a Lifetime, a remarkable series of events that we will never forget. And, while our vacation did many things, it certainly made me wonder how quickly we could get back, hopefully sooner than later. Until that time, I’ll be filtering through my memories of a special place and thinking of what to paint next year. For that, I’m certainly open to suggestions.

Free ski check—free advice

Posted on March 26, 2012 by Bari Nan Cohen

For most of us, it’s the little things that make-or-break an experience. Deer Valley’s free ski check is one of those things.

There isn’t a bathroom break or mealtime when I don’t take advantage of the free, secure ski storage located at every lodge on the mountain. And, yes, I am one of those skiers who checks in my gear at the end of the first day of the season—and every day thereafter.

I like it for a few reasons. First, I am one of those people who can never remember where I parked my car—or which rack I used to stash my skis during lunch. Second, there’s no chance of me grabbing another skier’s similar gear by accident—or vice versa. The fact that it’s free makes it a no-brainer.

However, the system isn’t flawless. If you’re the sort of person who can’t remember where you put your keys (ahem), you may be prone to losing the little numbered tag. And I’m not sure which is more frustrating—being the person who arrives at ski check in the morning, having stored their gear overnight, only to have lost the tag, or being in the line of good, tag-wielding folks who have to wait while you fill out the paperwork and fail miserably at properly describing your ski by make, model and color. (This particular predicament is not limited to those with rental gear. My friend Steve forgot the pertinent details of his skis once, and I once described the color of my skis as yellow, when the rest of the world would see them as a light, bright green). So, yes, I’ve been both people in this scenario—and found them to be equally frustrating.

Lucky for you, I’ve learned a few things from these experiences. Here’s my quick list of tips for avoiding the dreaded lost tag:

Use your smartphone to take a photo of your tag. The guys at ski-check suggested it to me—and it works. If you lose the tag, you’ll be able to show the photo to the attendants at ski check, so they can retrieve your skis. You will still have to fill out a form, but it will eradicate the sweat-it-out search-by-sight that will otherwise ensue. You’ll still have to fill out a form, but it will take seconds instead of minutes. I pull out my phone and open the camera app as soon as I hand off my skis and poles.
If you’re checking multiple pairs of skis for your family, photograph them separately with your phone, and put the corresponding skier’s name in the caption
Attach a carabineer to the ticket ring on your jacket or ski pants. I know it’s tempting to take that wristband-sized loop and, yes, wear it on your wrist. Resist the urge. The minute you take of a glove, or remove your jacket for lunch or a bathroom break, that long-forgotten “wristband” will fly off, unnoticed and lay, useless, on the floor. Use the carabineer to hold any tags you acquire over the course of the day—whether you are using the basket check in the basement of Snow Park or Silver Lake lodges, or simply checking your skis in at lunch. You’ll never be at a loss for the tag’s location.
If you own multiple ski outfits and alternate them regularly, pick a spot in your boot bag that always houses the carabineer at the end of the ski day. This seems like a very basic rule, but it’s one that will save you a lot of headaches.

Got any other great tips for absent-minded folks like me? Leave them in the comments.

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