Escaping New York in February, I craved sun, and this mountainous desert destination delivered. I went to Park City, Utah for the skiing and got blue sky and blinding rays to go with it. Sunglasses are needed for this winter wonderland. Park City, Utah, about 30 minutes by car from Salt Lake City, is an old western town turned ski resort town boasting active pursuits galore in a gorgeous rugged landscape.
My hosts turned me on to the free bus system that runs throughout town (its fine to bring your ski gear on board) – a good way to learn the lay of the land and get around if you’ve got a few minutes to wait. I took the bus with some seasonal liftees from Java, Indonesia to Main Street where the storefronts selling cowboy boots and turquoise jewelry preserve the historic building structures and western mining town vibe.
At the top of the hill is Karleen’s Uptown Fare, serving homemade lunch fare (soups, salads, sandwiches and baked goods). Karleen was indeed behind the counter and the colorful locals made it a more than worthwhile stop – I even managed to have a psychic at the next table give me an unsolicited reading based on my birthdate. Apparently “spring is [my] new beginning”, I am “intuitive and should beware of material grasping”, have a “very balanced feminine and masculine side.” Great.
The Park City Museum, a building with old jail cells in the basement, was closed for renovation, but I was able to explore exhibits of three local artists at the Kimball Art Center and check what was playing at the funky Egyptian Theater on Main Street. If you walk slowly, you’ll notice placards on all the historic buildings which tell their story. Most were damaged in a major fire that swept the town in 1898. While making a stop at the Geneology Library Branch on Main Street, I learned more about the church than geneology from the enthusiastic staffers from the Church of Latter Day Saints. Further down the street, for a caffeinated respite, stop at the Alpine Internet Café and pick up some of the Park City weeklies and ski magazines to find out about upcoming events.
My first adventure in the snow was skate-skiing with Jess. Similar to cross-country skiing, skate-skis require a skating motion and allow you to glide for more continuous movement than cross-county skiing. Trails are maintained around the McPolin Farm or the “White Barn” as locals refer to the property, accessible for a fee. Additional trails across the street meander around creeks and aspen trees for free. With so many active, rugged men skiing the trails with their dogs, single women should run here after work!
It's hard to get up early for work but its easy to bounce out of bed for a day on the slopes…Friday we enjoyed impeccably groomed trails at Deer Valley, fueling ourselves with the resort’s turkey chili and Snickers. Besides the snow on the ground, Friday had all the makings of a stunning summer day. My pasty winter white skin got sunburned in no time, and I easefully spent the entire afternoon making run after beautiful run. Half-priced sushi rolls are a happy hour special at Oh Yum Sushi where our group feasted - the Firecracker, Playboy and Texas are all recommended. In this town, its best to stick with wine for après ski drinks since Mormon laws require beer be lamely watered down to two or three percent.
As the boys suited up with beacons and shovels for back country skiing, Jess, Karen and I had a lazy morning ending up at Canyons to ski the afternoon. It was a gorgeous, sunny girls day out, warm enough to eat a burger on the side of the mountain. Feeling ambitious after lunch we took the “Ninety-Nine 90” lift to the top of the mountain and hiked the final crest to enjoy the sweeping views of the valley and Great Salt Lake. And once you are at the top, you have to ski down, in this case through deep powder. Taking it slow, the three of us closed down the mountain as the only other skiers at this point were staff in red jackets.
Since Park City is a movie town (Sundance takes place late January), we viewed a screening of “Rachel Getting Married” at the town’s library, part of the Park City Film Series. At this kitchy venue there’s a raffle and other charming pre-show traditions.
Even though I am not in New York, Sunday still equals brunch. The Eating Establishment on Main is a good bet for strong coffee, huevos rancheros and all kinds of omelettes and eggs benedict combos. The Wasatch Brewing Company had six-dollar pints in the afternoon-try the Polygamy Porter or Full Suspension Ale for a local brew. More skiing at the Canyons was had - half-day passes are a great way to save money and still enjoy a full afternoon on the slopes.
Olympic Park is an obvious stop for any Olympic enthusiast where you can tour the grounds and a special museum exhibit with feel-good success stories, gold medals, skeletons, nationality pins, uniforms and bobsleds. I couldn’t resist the opportunity to lay on a real Olympic skeleton and take advantage of the photo op carrying a faux Olympic torch.
Good Karma, serving green curries, lamb, dahl and other tasty dishes, is a Persian restaurant managed and owned by Executive Chef Houman Gohary. Gohary, who moved from Iran at the age of 12 to be educated in Austria, chatted warmly with us about his conviction to the belief that positive thoughts create positive opportunities. A true “glass-half-full” kind of guy, Gohary takes turns running the restaurant with his wife, choosing fresh powder days to ski. For dessert we wondered to Java Cow on Main Street which offers an extensive selection of ice cream flavors in a cozy café. Dolly’s Bookstore is also open late, selling, in addition to books, crafty burlap totes, stationary and gift-y items. For night on the town: Spur’s has live music almost every night in a Wild West saloon setting, the No-Name Saloon boasts a lively, laid back bar scene and Harry-O’s is the club to for dancing. The taxi drivers of All Resort Taxi service are friendly locals with stories to tell about living in “eco-huts” and driving Sundance scenesters. While Park City is a beautiful and outdoorsy place to live, our driver complained that the town is somewhat awkward to navigate socially and that the work force is largely transient because of seasonal resort jobs. Tip: if you take the shuttle into Park City from the airport, be sure to pick up $20 taxi vouchers which saved us a lot in an otherwise expensive town.
To cure Jess’s case of the “Mondays” we ambushed her for lunch at El Chubasco, a Mexican joint serving tacos at rapid-fire speed for the noon working crowd. Skiers and the local police force alike settled into the restaurant for the popular spicy eats. Beware the mango salsa-it sounds sweet but there are habeneros in there!
Mike and I went to the Johnson Mill bed and breakfast in nearby Midway for a night, a rustic and beautiful residence on the grounds of an old flour mill. Snowshoes are available for exploring the snowy landscape. We saw mule deer, bald eagles and plenty of wild tracks during our hike. From the Waterfall Room, the sounds of running water can be heard and French doors open to a gorgeous mountain view and porch. Complimentary coffee, cookies, oatmeal and popcorn are available 24/7 and an extensive video library is open to all guests. We settled (appropriately) on “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” and also watched the original version of “The Red Balloon” the following day in front of the fireplace. Don’t depend on having dinner delivered if you are without a car. The only option from here is Dominoe’s (mmmm…Cinnisticks.) For breakfast we were served popovers with candied apricots, bacon, juice and fresh fruit. Staying on a quiet weeknight allowed for a quiet and peaceful stay at this magical little retreat.
With just a little time left in town before taking a red-eye back to reality, we had a beer at the dive-y O’Shucks on Main. Peanut shells littered the floor, extreme surfing and snowboarding played on the television screens and a chill playlist let us enjoy vacation mode just a little bit longer.
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