The winter playground of Park City
It was a gorgeous early January day with clear, blue skies and crisp temperatures. As I skied over to one of my first runs at Park City Mountain Resort, I saw the slope labeled “Parley’s Park” right beside another one called “Prospector.” Only then did it dawn on me the history behind this winter playground was rooted underground in silver mining.
Park City’s origins lie with a Mormon pioneer named Parley P. Pratt who explored this canyon in Western Utah back in 1848 and was granted a charter to build a toll road through it. Parley’s Park later became Park City, which incorporated in 1884 and sits at an elevation of 6,936 feet about 30 minutes east of Salt Lake City.
The year-round population of around 8,400 residents swells during the winter and spring ski season, and outdoor enthusiasts flock to the mountains during summer months to enjoy mountain biking and to escape higher temperatures in the low country. Park City’s population is growing alongside neighboring Salt Lake City, and with an easy 30-minute highway drive between the two, it’s easy to explore all that Park City has to offer.
Boom to bust to boom again
The silver mining industry put Park City on the map and lasted nearly a century. Once that industry folded in the early 1970s, Park City had to reinvent itself.
The ski industry opened its first lifts back in the 1930s here, but the next step forward came in 1963, when a government loan helped start Treasure Mountain Resort (current day Park City Mountain Resort). Expansion continued through the 1980s and ’90s with the opening of nearby Deer Valley Resort.
But what really propelled Park City into the skiing and boarding spotlight worldwide were the 2002 Winter Olympics. Both Park City Mountain Resort and Deer Valley hosted alpine events, with Utah Olympic Park at the edge of town hosting ski jumping, bobsledding and luge events. That venue still serves as a training facility for those sports, and downtown Main Street turned into a vibrant nighttime scene for dining and entertainment.
Another huge draw for Park City annually is the Sundance Film Festival, which is the largest independent film festival in the U.S. and brings in nearly $80 million to Utah’s economy. Park City in total contributes a yearly average of nearly $530 million to Utah’s economy as a tourist hotspot and skiing mecca.
Skiing around history
Silver mining continued in Park City until the 1970s, but Park City Consolidated Mines officially entered the ski business in 1963, building the first ski lifts on what was then called Treasure Mountain. Ski slope names today give a fun nod to the city’s rich mining history, but you also see some of that history right beneath your feet.
Skiers and snowboarders at Park City Mountain Resort ski on top of abandoned silver mines while a few of the original buildings and conveyor belts still dot the terrain between mountain peaks and ski runs.
Park City Mountain Resort was purchased by Vail Resorts (which now owns Seven Springs, Hidden Valley and other resorts here in Pennsylvania) back in 2014 and combined it with neighboring Canyons Resort the next year to create the largest lift-served ski resort in the country. Skiers and snowboarders can now explore 7,300 acres of skiable terrain thanks to a gondola that connects the two areas. I skied seven days in a row during our trip and covered almost every sector across the entire resort, but I still didn’t get to hit all of the slopes.
From mountain to Main Street
One fun way to get from the ski slopes to your accommodations or to the always busy après ski scene in Park City is to ski right into the heart of Main Street. While other resorts feature ski in/ski out condos and slopeside chalets, Park City boasts many places to stay in the heart of the historic Main Street area.
The street is still lined with historic buildings built in the 1800s, and the Town Lift will take you from Main Street to the top of the slopes in just a few steps. At the end of the ski day, just take the aptly named “Quit N Time” slope, and you can ski all the way down to Main Street, step out of your skis, pop off your boots and slip into a spot for a cozy cup of cocoa or après ski cocktail. You’ll find wonderful restaurants along Main Street and on Park Avenue next to it along with dive bars, including the famous, must-visit No Name Saloon, along with art galleries and boutiques. Start at the very top of Main Street for a delicious, cozy dinner at Grappa featuring fresh, rustic Italian fare like Bolognese bianca with a lamb and pork ragu.
While Park City’s nightlife is largely centered on historic Main Street, staying in any of its neighborhoods is wonderful and convenient. There’s so much more to do here other than skiing and the city’s free bus line whisks visitors from Deer Valley to Main Street to the Park City base area and over to the main shopping district.
We stayed at Prospector Condos near Prospector Square, which is one of the venues for the Sundance Film Festival. We visited just after the holidays and just before the film festival (which takes place in late January) and found early January to be less crowded and more affordable with just as much snow as later in winter. Grab a delicious steak across the street at Grub Steak or a wood-fired pizza just down the block at Fuego Bistro & Pizzeria.
Getting there:
Fly into Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC), only 32 miles from Park City via major highway. We flew on Southwest via Denver on the way out and through Las Vegas on our return. With two free checked bags, that means you can take skis/boots or your snowboard along for free instead of paying to rent gear.
You can rent a car, but you don’t really need one. Uber from SLC Airport one way starts around $35, depending on time of day and how large of a vehicle you need. Once in Park City, take advantage of the free bus system that runs from 6 a.m. until midnight, services all of the ski areas, the Main Street area and has convenient stops right in front of the grocery and liquor stores.
Where to stay:
The Prospector, 2175 Sidewinder Dr., Park City, UT
Park City Peaks Hotel, 2346 Park Ave, Park City, UT 84060
Where to eat:
Grappa, 151 Main St. , Park City, UT 84060
No Name Saloon, 447 Main St., Park City, UT
Fuego Bistro & Pizzeria, 2001 Sidewinder Dr., Park City, UT
Grub Steak, 2093 Sidewinder Dr., Park City, UT
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- Park City Mountain Resort boasts 7,300 skiable acres in the Wasatch Mountains.
