The operators at Park City Mountain were excited by the successful ski season and they are looking ahead to activities and projects for the summer.
KPCW visited with Emily Curtis, a 16-year employee with Vail who has been here the past nine months as Park City Mountain’s new marketing director.
She said they had a wonderful 2018-19 season.
“We had 400 inches of snow at the Jupiter snow stake," Curtis continued. "Which was significantly more than we had last year and certainly above the seasonal average of 355 inches. We were really excited for the season we had. We had really consistent snowfall throughout the season.”
We asked, though, about the resort catching flak from some residents when it didn’t extend its closing date to capitalize on the continued winter weather. Curtis said that the resort decided to stick with its original closing date.
“We set those closing dates early on," Curtis explained. "That April 7th closing date was announced last May. We made that decision to stick with that closing date. what we typically see is as the weather starts to warm up people start to think about other activities. They’re heading to Moab; they are getting on their bikes. We had a wonderful year; we had a great year. I know I certainly enjoyed it. It was my first-time skiing Park City Mountain.
Some of the capital projects in place last season included the improvements to the Mid-Mountain Lodge.
“We refurbished the inside of that," Curtis said. "We put in a full-service bar which you know in the state of Utah is something really unique and different. Our guests just really resonated with the experience that we provided up there. The craft cocktails, the incredible deck, in the spring we had DJ's up there. People were able to just enjoy that great deck in the sun fresh food that we offered was really incredible. As well as Cloud Dine. We expanded that area; we expanded that restaurant up at the top of dream peak. We know that our guests love to ski that area of the mountain. We were able to expand that to 200 seats to accommodate more people, give a little bit more elbow room. Our chefs up there are known for their fresh dough, so the fresh pizzas and the salad was just a really big hit with our guests.”
Coming up, the resort will create a new chair lift called Over and Out.
“Really the purpose of that chair lift was in response to the guest feedback that we heard about egress out of the tombstone area," Curtis continued. "Guests that are out enjoying Dream Peak and Iron Mountain that are maybe working their way over to Park City mountain or are trying to get back to Canyons Village at the end of the day this is really going to be a game changer for them. They're really going to be able to get off the mountain faster. So, the lift will be an egress from the bottom of Tombstone Lift to the top of Sunrise and then guests will be able to quickly ski down to Canyons Village from there. So, really shortening the return time back to Canyons Village at the end of the day for those guests staying in Canyons Village.”
We asked, though, why the lift couldn’t also operate in the other direction. Curtis said they are following the input they have received from their customers.
“This was the feedback that we received," Curtis explained. "They just wanted to be able to get back to Canyons Village in an easier or faster manner at the end of the day. So, this is really going to be able to provide that for our guests.”
“I think people standing at the base of Orange Bubble Express or the Gondola would say they'd like another way up the mountain," KPCW's Leslie Thatcher asked. "That could provide it right? Going up Sunrise and if you would allow that to go up to Tombstone then, Over and Out?”
“Yeah, I mean again this was the guest feedback that we heard," Curtis answered. "We're excited to be able to provide this for our guests and be able to get people back to Canyons Village faster by the end of the day.”
Meanwhile, the resort delayed a little due to the wet weather, but they are opening for the summer on Saturday.
“For summer we’ll just have the adventure park as we did last year with the coaster and the Alpine slide," Curtis said. "We’re working with Mountain Trails Foundation as to when we’ll open up the mountain biking. We really just want to make sure that the trails are dried out before we before we offer our bike haul passes. Farmers market will be back for another summer as well as a bunch of other great activities and events that we’ll have going on. We’ll have the summer concert series in Canyons Village again on Thursday and Saturday nights. We’ll have the July 3rd event in Canyons Village which will include live music and fireworks. Then obviously in conjunction with the city we’ll have the July 4th event at Park City Mountain Village.”
Curtis added that the Canyons Village Management Association has selected a developer to build the 1,100-bed employee housing at the bottom of the resort area.
