Why Vail Resorts’ Park City is still one of America’s best ski resorts

Once known for its Olympic grandeur, Park City was one of the few ski areas to be plagued by complaints of overcrowding last year after a great season of discounted tickets.

The complaints were numerous and extreme. Locals considered the resorts “devastated” and tourists looked with horror at pictures of chairlifts on social media. It was up to Vail Resorts, the conglomerate behind most ski and snowboard destinations in America, to offer discounted season tickets with its Epic Pass.

A wave of thrill-seekers and budding snow bunnies grabbed the cheaper tickets and headed for the slopes, much to the dismay of loyalist locals or wealthier tourists who could always have afforded earlier, more expensive trips.

But a visit to Park City Mountain Resort, the largest ski resort in North America, at the end of the 2021-2022 season confirmed for this lifelong skier that it remains one of the best resorts in the US.

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Saved you a seat! Jennifer Smith of DailyMail.com visited Park City in late March and found that there were almost no lines for chairlifts and plenty of room on the slopes

Park City Mountain Resort extends over 7,300 skiable acres. It includes not only the original Park City Mountain Resort, but also the adjacent Canyonlands, purchased in 2015.

Granted, the best snow had been and gone, but even with that in mind, there was more than enough ground to keep our group of nine skiers busy for four full days.

As always, getting out early yielded nice rewards. If there was a line, it was short. And as we ventured higher up the mountain, the lines disappeared.

Mornings were lovely at the top of Jupiter Peak, especially on the picturesque Georgeanna trail. Claimjumper, a long and windy green, was another favorite.

It was late March when the midday sun melted most of the lower trails to mush at 2 or 3pm – which was to be expected this late in the season, and a few pistes had already closed for the season by the time we got there.

But the earlier arrivals made for a shameless après-ski retreat.

Legends, a bar grill at the base camp, promised spicy Aperol Spritz cocktails in the sun, and The Pig Pen Saloon offered a more heady experience.

For dining, the restaurant options on the mountain were plentiful, even if the menu of hot dogs, chili, and mac ‘n’ cheese could use a little update.

Come lunchtime, families gathered next to groups of friends and solo skiers on outdoor picnic benches. Wind barriers were removed and sunscreen reapplied to cheeks and noses.

The rush of skiers and snowboarders after lunch was generally the only time chairlift lines felt long.

Otherwise, the only traffic we encountered on April 1, when local skiers and resort staff take to the slopes for a fancy dress, joke-filled blowout.

You’re spoiled for choice: Park City Mountain Resort is America’s largest ski area, spanning over 7,000 acres spanning the original Park City Mountain (left) and Canyonlands (right)

This year, elevator wait times will be improved with improvements to some of the busiest chairlifts

To reserve Park City tickets for the 2022-2023 season, visit the Epic Pass website here before prices rise on October 9th

It’s not for the faint of heart and should generally be avoided by families with young children (some of whom were left terrified by the older experts whizzing past after a few beers over lunch).

Tickets for the 2022-2023 season went on sale earlier this year, but remain available.

An unlimited Epic Pass, which gives access to Park City and 39 other resorts all season, costs $879.

A Local Pass gives unlimited access to Park City excluding vacation dates for $655, and a four-day pass costs $362 – less than $100 per day.

The earlier finishes made for a shameless après-ski retreat. Legends, a bar and grill at the base, promised spicy Aperol Spritz cocktails in the sun

Prices will go up on October 9.

This year, the resort is determined to keep the crowds in check.

Park City Mountain Resort’s new vice president and COO, Deirdre Walsh, says she will enforce caps on ticket sales this season.

She is eager to iron out the tensions between the community and the resort.

“I think there’s a chance now to reset,” she told The Salt Lake Tribune in a recent interview.

She may meet resistance from a handful of locals who have recently blocked improvements to the Silverlode Express chairlift (the resort wanted to add chairs to cut wait times).

A court sided with the locals. Vail Resorts is appealing the decision.

Deirdre Walsh, COO of the resort, told DailyMail.com: “We will continue to pursue our license to upgrade the Silverlode and Eagle chairlifts as we are committed to investing in the guest experience at the resort. Once we have settled our permit with the city, we plan to purchase the elevators and equipment needed for the installation.

“In the meantime, we are moving the two previously purchased elevators to Whistler Blackcomb where, subject to approval, they could positively impact the guest experience in time for the 2023/24 season.

“We are very optimistic about the future of Park City Mountain and look forward to sharing more about upcoming projects and capital investments soon.”

Even without the improvements planned, a trip to Park City is a safe bet for a group of friends or a family in the mood for a fun mountain getaway.

To reserve Park City tickets for the 2022-2023 season, visit the Epic Pass website here before prices rise on October 9th