Five Days of Winter Fun in The Mighty 5®
Southern Utah is well known as home to the Mighty 5® national parks (Zion, Bryce, Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef). It is also home to two high-elevation ski areas that receive generous helpings of what Utah calls, with scientifically proven authority, The Greatest Snow on Earth® – Brian Head Resort and Eagle Point Resort. Visitors looking to experience the Mighty 5® are encouraged to skip the summer crowds and enjoy Southern Utah’s wonders in solitude during the winter months. Taking five days to combine the thrills of skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling and hiking while exploring Utah’s red rock country makes for a perfect winter combo for Canadians. To see this suggested itinerary, click here.
Park City Welcomes Canadians During Winter Season
Park City will launch its 2018-19 ski season with new reciprocal offers for Canadian skiers and snowboarders. Visitors with Vail Resorts’ Epic Pass can enjoy Park City Mountain opening Nov. 21 and those holding Alterra Mountain Company’s Ikon Pass can ski Deer Valley Resort opening Dec. 8. Beginners and families can perfect their skills this season at Park City Mountain’s new High Meadow Park; a dedicated learning area with gentle terrain, advanced snowmaking technology, a faster, higher capacity lift and even a candy cabin. Deer Valley Resort will replace its Homestake chairlift with a new, detachable, high-speed quad chairlift; cutting ride-time in half and increasing uphill skier capacity by 400 skiers per hour. www.visitparkcity.com
Powder Pups to the Rescue
For most dog owners, their pets provide daily love and companionship. To the avalanche rescue crew at Utah’s Solitude Mountain Resort, the relationship is even more meaningful. Four highly trained pups are an integral part of keeping winter visitors safe while enjoying the mountain. While a ski patroller’s standard kit — consisting of a beacon, RECCO device, shovel, probe and years of experience — proves effective, a rescue dog offers a nose and agility that simply can’t be matched. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that when the pups are off duty, they are on PR duty and make resort-goers feel warm and fuzzy. To meet the pups, click here. Bonus tip: Alterra Mountain Company purchased Solitude over the summer, making it one of the newest resorts where Ikon passholders can ski and snowboard.
Learn to Ski in Utah
The ideal destination to learn the ropes (or slopes, if you will) has to have easy access, first rate rentals and lessons, and great snow — the Greatest Snow on Earth®, in fact. Enter Utah. With 14 ski resorts in the state, ten of which within an hour of Salt Lake City airport, Utah is a haven for beginner skiers and snowboarders. Three resorts in Utah to get every beginner on the slopes include:
· Ogden – For Variety
In Ogden, visitors can experience three resorts — Snowbasin Resort, Powder Mountain and Nordic Valley — boasting 4,200 skiable hectares and over 13 metres of snow. Snowbasin offers a specific “First Timers Package” which includes everything needed for an epic first day on the slopes
· Powder Mountain – For the Crowd Averse
As a beginner, the thought of navigating crowds of skiers can be terrifying. At Powder Mountain, lift ticket sales are limited to 1,500 per day ensuring the lowest skier density of any major ski resort in North America. They also offer a dedicated “First Time” lesson with expert instructors and equipment
· Alta – For the Optimistic
Alta’s 13 metres of annual snowfall makes conditions powdery and soft. Beginners can access the mountain using seven different lifts which provide a progressive experience, including the Sunnyside chairlift which skiers can ride for free after 3:00 pm each day
Issued by the Utah Office of Tourism Canadian Press Office.
For more information and/or high-resolution images please contact: Heather McGillivray at Canuckiwi on +1 250 888 5687 or email heather@canuckiwi.com.
