The 2020-2021 ski season at Deer Valley Resort is starting to warm up in the heat of the summer. The Park Record has shared that Deer Valley sees ‘pent-up demand’ as it readies for a socially distanced ski season.
The leader of the resort in a recent appearance during a City Hall-hosted online event said Deer Valley is taking lodging reservations for the next ski season from people in various parts of the U.S. Todd Shallan, who is the president and chief operating officer of Deer Valley, said the top five states for reservations are California, New York, Texas, Colorado and Utah. Shallan added that a business plan relying on regional crowds is not sustainable in the long term.
He predicted there will be crowds at Deer Valley for the ski season made up of local people and skiers from out of town. He also acknowledged there will be limitations based on capacity and ensuring social distancing.
“We will certainly prioritize season-pass holders and will certainly prioritize, you know, local guests as much as we possibly can. But we still have a bunch of lodging in this community that needs to be filled,” Shallan said. “And there’s a lot of people that depend on out-of-town visitors in our community, and our business community. So, there’s got to be a mix of both in order for all of us to be successful.”
Shallan said season-pass sales for the upcoming ski season are strong, which he described as a “great indicator” of the winter. He said lodging reservations for the ski season are also strong and another indicator for the winter. “We know there’s a lot of pent-up demand. We just want to make sure that we accommodate that demand as safely as we can,” he said. Shallan described that Deer Valley has not crafted the detailed plans for the ski season yet even though there are many questions about the season, such as the possibility of limiting capacity and social distancing. “We need to learn from the Australian resorts and how they’re managing crowds,” he said. Click here for the full article.
Looking for an outdoor adventure, here are Park City’s 5 Best Trail Runs according to Park City Magazine. Whether you’re already an off-road addict or a pavement pounder looking to mix it up, don’t miss these mountain jaunts.
Jenni’s Trail - Distance: 5 miles. Beginning at the base of Park City Mountain Resort, Lower Jenni’s Trail is popular among runners who love tough steep climbs and exhilarating descents. Pass through scrubby shrubs and aspen stands while winding underneath ski lifts and up to the Jenni’s Trail sign at a fork in the trail. From here, continue up or speed downhill back to the base, winding through the forest as you hear the screams of Alpine Coaster riders racing down the mountain. Starting at 6,900 feet and topping out at 8,200 feet, this trail can be run uphill or down, but be aware that the path is shared with uphill mountain bikers.
Armstrong Trail - Distance: 6 miles. Find fantastic views of town and moderate climbs on this dirt trail above Silver Star Café. It’s also an uphill-only mountain bike trail, so you won’t have to worry about speeding cyclists crashing into you during your ascent. Park at Silver Star and follow the signs leading to Armstrong for a three-mile run. Continue to HAM and Spiro Trails for a roughly six-mile loop, ending back in the parking lot. Or, if you’re running out of daylight and just need a short 3-miler, turn off of Armstrong after 1.5 miles (before you reach HAM) and loop down Dawn’s Trail.
Round Valley - Distance: 30 miles of trails. The rolling hills and valleys of this preserved open space northeast of Old Town make it a go-to for locals. With over 30 miles of trails spread over 700 acres, there are soft dirt doubletrack and flowing singletrack paths for every skill level. For easy access, start and end at Quinn’s Trailhead--near bustling Kearns Boulevard. Thanks to its lower 6,500’ elevation, Round Valley is the best place for early spring and late fall trail runs if you’re looking to avoid muddy, snowy slogs. Of note: the area is popular with mountain bikers and off-leash pups are welcome and abundant.
Historic Rail Trail - Distance: 28 miles. During Park City’s silver mining boom, a Union Pacific railroad line connecting Coalville to Park City was used to transport coal and ore. But when the boom went bust, the railroad was abandoned and fell into disuse. In the 1990s, an ambitious project was proposed to turn it into Utah’s first non-motorized rail trail. Today, this unpaved, historic path welcomes runners, cyclists, and hikers on its 28 miles as it passes through Park City, along the river, and to active farmlands and tiny towns before ending at Echo Reservoir—an idyllic place for a post-run swim.
Mid-Mountain Trail - Distance: 26 miles. The iconic Mid Mountain Trail bisects Deer Valley and both sides of Park City Mountain at an elevation of 8,000 feet, and it isn’t just for the mountain biking crowd. Head out on foot, running through fir forest and aspen stands with views of mountains and town below. The best starting point for an out-and-back run is Deer Valley’s Silver Lake Lodge. Head down the mountain just right of the Sterling Express Lift to catch the trail and run until you’re ready to turn back.
For more off-road options, check out the Mountain Trails Foundation map, available at local retailers and online.
Looking to get away - Outside Online has shared 8 of Their Favorite Adventuremobile Rental Companies. Vanlife has become the new norm, but if you don't have enough to buy your own, these companies have you covered.Tent camping isn’t always relaxing and Outside has found that an interest in vanlife among campers grew from 8 percent to 14 percent in 2018. Here are there top picks:
Red Rocks Base Camps - Located in Moab, Utah, this delivery service will tow a cozy teardrop to the campsite of your choice.
North Shore Vans - Owner Chris Detchon retrofits his fleet with beds and kitschy Hawaiian style, then sends you off with beta on how and where to camp respectfully on Maui.
VanGo Durango - VanGo offers Volkswagen EuroVans to explore the San Juan Mountains of Colorado or the deserts of the Four Corners.
Outdoorsy, RVshare, and Campanda - Like Airbnb for RVs, vans, and trailers, these sites let you rent privately owned camping vehicles, though quality can be a bit of a gamble.
Explore Rentals - This Bozeman, Montana, outfit rents AWD and 4WD setups like the Tacamper, a Toyota Tacoma with a superlight pop-up over the bed.
Escape Campervans - These artist-painted vans are available from 13 locations in the U.S. and Canada.
AlaskaVans - Take one of these spacious, built-out utility vans oceanfront camping on the Kenai Peninsula or into the mountains of Denali National Park.
