This year, Deer Valley’s last day coincided with the Easter holiday, and some skiers showed up in style to celebrate both occasions.
Children sported rabbit ears on their helmets and an Easter Bunny roved the mountain taking family photos.
Gwen Dudick and her friend, who only gave her name as Chicken, sat enjoying the sunshine outside Silver Lake Lodge, Dudick wearing a homemade Easter bonnet piled high with flowers and a plush rabbit on top.
“I was just explaining to Chicken, about 20-some years ago, I made this hat,” she said. “We had Easter egg hunts throughout the mountain, and all the dads would go ahead and set the eggs, and then we’d come up with the kids a little bit behind them and find the treats. And the moms, we all made Easter bonnets for that event, so this guy’s like 20-some years old.”
She said she wears it every Easter to ski.
“My only day without a helmet,” she said.
The friends are longtime Park City locals. Chicken said she moved to town in the 1970s. On the last day of the season, the pair said they were thrilled with snow conditions at Deer Valley.
Others on the mountain wore outfits that had nothing to do with Easter – like Jami Solveig Cirone, who sported a spa robe over her ski boots, her head wrapped in a towel.
“We came out for a spa day on the mountain, so we brought some Martinelli’s [sparkling cider] and our champagne flutes,” she said.
One skier wore a fur coat and many had Hawaiian shirts.
Sequins were also a trend for the day, from bedazzled blazers to disco ball helmets.
Salt Lake City resident Barb Peterson said she was having so much fun skiing Sunday that she didn’t want to stop.
After enjoying Deer Valley’s closing day, she said she plans to take some late-season laps over the next week in the Cottonwoods, where the resorts hope to be open until mid-May.
“They make snow like no other,” she said. “Deer Valley beats our snow into submission, and it pays off. I think this is, like, day 70 for me here.”
She said she’s excited about all the new East Village terrain slated to open next winter.
Kat Brammer also came up from the valley to ski Deer Valley’s last day. She said despite the lackluster snowfall, she had a great winter – including exploring some of the expanded terrain.
“I’ve done the Green Monster and Age of Reason and the Keetley Express – that whole area,” she said. “It’s awesome, and I can’t wait to see what they open up next year.”
It’s not too late for skiers and riders to squeeze in a few more runs this spring.
Park City Mountain’s last day is Monday, April 21, with only the Mountain Village side of the resort open.
In the Cottonwood canyons, Solitude will remain open through May 11, and Brighton’s last day is May 18. Snowbird intends to keep lifts spinning through May 26.
Deer Valley is a financial supporter of KPCW. For a full list, click here.
