Ski Deer Valley, Expensive but Worth it

NO SNOWBOARDS ALLOWED. A limited number of lift tickets are sold. Expect sell-outs, but not crowds, for Christmas, Presidents Day, and sunny or snowy weekends. Call ahead and reserve a lift ticket.

There are six parking lots at Snow Park Lodge, at the end of Deer Valley Drive. All but Lot One, right in front of the lodge, have trams that pick you up at the side of the parking lot, opposite the entrance, and take you to the lodge. Going up the stairs, ski rentals are the first left, restrooms (a must-see) are the second left, and lifts are to the right. Stop in front of the lodge, and the DV staff will unload your skis and carry them to a ski rack. There is covered, indoor parking at the mid-mountain base for an extra charge (call DV and ask how). There is limited parking at the Gondola base, 10 miles out of town, useful only to those staying in Heber.

With 19 lifts, 82 runs, and five mountains with a dip in the middle, DV is complex at first. Take the free guided mountain tour to get the layout. The lower mountain (1,200-foot vertical) has runs for all abilities, including Olympic race courses. There is a dip between the lower mountain and the three upper mountains. Ride up Carpenter and ski straight ahead, or ride Silver Lake non-stop to the mid-mountain base.

Northside quad: easier intermediate terrain; 1,000-foot vertical
Wasatch quad: advanced intermediates; 1,700- to 2,600-foot vertical.
Empire Canyon: even more difficult; 1,500-foot vertical.
Deer Crest: something for everyone; 900-foot vertical. Jordanelle is steep and narrow, but a ride down and back from the top of the gondola is a good way to rest your legs on a sunny day.

Grooming is impeccable. Some runs are groomed every day, some every few days, others never -- something for everybody. There is a beginner run from the top of all but Empire Canyon, the kiddie ski program has no rival, and the food is even better than its reputation. DV has an undeserved reputation as a powder-puff resort. Experts will find plenty to keep them busy on the Expert Trail Map -- much of the best expert terrain is not obvious from the tops of the lifts, so use this special map.

Check your skis (free) at each of the lodges for lunch or overnight. Buy lift tickets for the next day after 3pm.

Quick Tips:

Scenic runs: Sunset (beginner); look out over Heber Valley, 4,000 feet below you. Orion, Supreme, and Jordanelle (difficult intermediate). Stein’s Way to the top of the Mayflower chair (intermediate -- the black diamond part is below Mayflower; turn left on the track, into the woods).

Best view: Luck Jack (beginner)

Best Way To Get Around:

Rental cars not necessary if you stay at DV or in Park City on the extensive local (free) bus route, but these are the most expensive accommodations. With a car, you can save big by staying in Salt Lake City, Heber Valley (see Ski Heber Valley), or Evanston, WY, where booze flows freely, compared to Utah. Use the Park City bus to get to the mid-mountain base to start your day.

Open for lunch and the occasional dinner, Empire Lodge is one of Deer Valley's three on-the-mountain cafeterias with identical food, which are not-to-be-missed eating experiences. They will change your mind about what is possible in cafeteria dining. Tables and chairs -- no backless stools or benches. Free refills on coffee. We have tried everything on the menu, and nothing is less than top quality. The best deal is soup or stew with a handful of fresh baked bread for $6-7. Several choices, with daily variety. Some items, like coffee, are a little more expensive here than at the base cafeteria.

My only complaint is that you can’t order a medium-rare burger. Burgers are cooked when ordered, all to medium-well, per the Department of Agriculture's recommendation, because the Department of Agriculture allows contaminated meat into our food supply. All the grill sandwiches can be topped with chili, bacon, cheese, onions, and BBQ sauce at no extra charge.

Check your skis (free) at the coral between the lodge and the Ruby Chair. Deer Valley limits lift ticket sales so that everyone can get a seat for lunch between 11:00-2:00. 3.2 beer is available.

Empire Lodge is very popular -- especially the large outside deck in sunny weather, with impressive views of Empire Canyon. It's the only one of the lodges with restrooms on the same floor as the cafeteria.

Access: at the base of Empire Canyon runs and Bandana (Beginner). Try the pretty Luck Jack cut off.

NOTE: There are free demos at the Rossignol tent behind the ski coral. The Empire Canyon Grill also serves a dinner buffet one or two nights a week, but reservations made weeks ahead are essential. You can arrive by horse-drawn sleigh.

Open for lunch and breakfast only, Silver Lake Lodge cafeteria is one of Deer Valley’s three on-the-mountain cafeterias with identical food, which are a not-to-be-missed eating experience. (See Empire Canyon Lodge entry)

Silver Lake, at the mid-mountain base, is the largest of the three cafeterias. The serving line is at the left side of the building, looking at it from the slopes in front, behind the main dining room. Ski directly there via Ontario-Homeward Bound from Flagstaff Mountain and Empire Canyon, or take either of the two lifts running in the opposite direction as Quincy from the Quincy base area. Get there via Birdseye from Bald Mountain. From the lower mountain or Deer Crest, eat at Snow Park and avoid some crowds. Check your skis (free) at the open door of the small building to the left of the lodge, looking at the front of the building.

Deer Valley limits lift ticket sales so that everyone can get a seat for lunch between 11am and 2pm.

Open for lunch and breakfast only, Snow Park Lodge Cafeteria is one of Deer Valley’s three on-the-mountain cafeterias with identical food, which are a not-to-be-missed eating experience. (See Empire Canyon Lodge entry)

Snow Park Lodge is the base cafeteria, between the lower mountain runs and the parking lot, and is the least busy of the three cafeterias. By a small margin, it has the most pleasant interior. Check your skis (free) at the open door in the side of the lodge (facing the high-speed chairs), go through two sets of doors, and bear left at the fireplace.

Deer Valley limits lift ticket sales so that everyone can get a seat for lunch between 11am and 2pm. 3.2 beer is available.

You can get a fine meal at the Glitretinde Restaurant if you are careful. The regular menu regularly disappoints. For lunch, I ordered an $18 hamburger medium-rare. It was served well-done. A burger ordered well-done came with a pink center. Otherwise, it was an excellent burger with fine onion rings, but for $18, why can’t they deliver what was ordered? Stuffed pork tenderloin had a nice flavor but was way overcooked and dried out. Other lunch dishes from the menu were similarly flawed, and that should not happen in place with a five-star reputation and six-star prices. Dinner was pretty much the same—flaws abound for a supposedly top-ranked eatery, but we did have one superb buffalo dish. Based on the seafood served at the buffet, I the catch of the day ought to be good, but we’ve not tried it.

Where Glitretinde shines is the lunch buffet, of which there are three versions—the Skiers’ Buffet ($27 Monday to Saturday) during the Deer Valley ski season is the best deal; holiday buffets, which seemed to be modestly more elaborate Skiers’ Buffets for an extra $10; and the Sunday Jazz Buffet, which we have not tried, as it costs $15 more than the Skiers’ Buffet, which is the best buffet we have ever encountered anywhere.

Every year, we have a family argument over how often we should go to the Skiers’ Buffet. In favor of going every day is the great food. Against going are the calories and the problem of having to ski 3 miles back to our car after gorging. We settle on twice a month.

The offerings change somewhat from day to day, so you could happily eat here every day of your ski trip, but then you would miss lunch at the not-to-be-missed Goldner Hirsch and the Deer Valley cafeterias.

Among the regular offerings, don’t miss the venison chili, creme brulee, chocolate decadence, iced tea, and the smoked salmon—the best we’ve ever had outside France.

Access the Skiers’ Buffet from the top of the Viking lift. Non-skiers: use the free PC shuttle bus or drive to Stein’s.

We haven't eaten at Deer Valley's newest eatery, but the low cost makes it worth a look by those on a tight budget.

Price of burger:
Gondola Grill - $5
DV Lodges - $8.75
Goldner Hirsch - $9 (the best, and it includes chips or fries)
Stein Eriksen Lodge - $17

They have a limited menu. They possibly only have outside tables or a stand-up option.

Chef Jean-Louis Montecot’s menu for the 2004-2005 ski season makes the Goldner Hirsch the top choice for lunch when skiing at Deer Valley, and for dinner in all of Park City/Deer Valley.

A lunch recommendation at DV is a tough call. DV’s three cafeterias redefine cafeteria food and are a not-to-be-missed experience. The skier’s buffet ($27) at Stein Eriksen Lodge is superb and also should not be missed. That said, the Goldner Hirsch is the best lunch spot. The $8.75 hamburger at the cafeterias is excellent. The Hirsch’s $9 burger is even better, and the extra quarter gets you incomparable fries or Terra Chips, making for a fully satisfying and very filling lunch. (Burger at Stein’s: $17.)

The bratwurst ($13) with potatoes and sauerkraut is right from the heart of Old Germany, an outstanding grilled sausage served with Yukon Gold potato slices cooked to perfection and kraut mit speck. Ever attentive to detail, Chef Jean Louis dishes up a different version of sauerkraut with lunch than the version served at diner with weinerschnitzel. Regardless, it was excellent service on all our visits.

Adding to the pleasure of a lunch or dinner at the Goldner Hirsch is the delightful decor of the restaurant. This is place where you feel good just sitting there. Brightly lit by the sun at lunch, the dining room takes on a different atmosphere in the glow of the fire and dim lights at night. From 2:30 on, much of the lunch menu is available in the bar for après-ski eats.

To get to the Goldner Hirsch while skiing, come down Birdseye run. Facing you at the bottom of the run on the hill on the left is Stein Eriksen Lodge. On the far right is Silver Lake Lodge. Head toward the far left end of the Silver Lake Lodge (painted burnt orange), where a few steps lead up to Mt Cervin Plaza just behind the lodge. Go up the steps and follow the brick deck along the left side of the building. That deck connects to the Goldner Hirsch’s deck, about a 40-yard walk. Access is also easy from the Viking lift.

 Chef Jean-Louis Montecot’s menu for the 2004-2005 ski season makes The Goldner Hirsch the top choice for lunch when skiing at Deer Valley and for dinner in Park City/Deer Valley. The seafood tower ($32) is a pile of tomato slices, grilled halibut, shrimp, Portobello mushrooms, salmon, and red potatoes that almost looks too good to eat. The halibut—slightly overcooked—was spectacularly broiled under a high flame that gave it a crisp crust on top. Salmon was cooked to perfection—flaky to the touch but still moist—and all was as fresh as seafood can be 800 miles from the nearest ocean. The mushroom and balsamic demi-glace perfectly accented the fish.

Should lamb shank braised in molasses be the daily special ($34), don’t pass it up. The fork-tender lamb falls off the bone at a touch, and the lamb, sauce, and bitter greens blend into a fine combination. Spaetzle compliments the dish well. This dish hits the spot on a cold winter evening and was clearly superior to the $46 rack of lamb at the nearby Café Mariposa.

Weinerschnitzel, sauerkraut, and spaetzle is another excellent dish. This plate has gone through three or four variations since Jean-Louis took over the kitchen, and excellent as the current version is, I preferred version number one, where the veal, slightly creamy sauerkraut, and baked apple with cheese complimented each other to perfection.

Veal Marsala was the best version of this classic either of us had ever tasted, and it was accompanied by interesting and tasty wild mushroom pate. Elk Rib chop is a good introduction to wild game, topped with an excellent red-wine reduction and served with a small roast potato topped with mashed potatoes. It sounds pedestrian, but it was anything but. The two treatments of the potato were characterized by different textures and even different flavors, and they go together like magic. Over the last month, we have had four different versions of potatoes at Goldner Hirsch, all different, and all strikingly good—a revelation of just what can be done with an old standby by a talented chef.

Apple strudel was all you could ask for. Heimbeer Kuchen is a super-rich, semisweet chocolate fudge cake topped with fresh raspberries, whipped cream, and a raspberry sauce which will satisfy your sweet tooth for a week. Wines were $32-110 and also were available by the glass.

Last but not least, the décor and ambience of the Goldner Hirsch are superb. This is place where you feel good just sitting there.

The Goldner Hirsch is on Park City’s free bus route. By car, take Royal St. or Marsac Ave./Empire Canyon Rd. from the Deer Valley traffic circle. For parking under the hotel, enter from the rear or in the lot next to the hotel.

Advertised as a French-American bistro, the menu at Bistro 412 takes good advantage of its French heritage. Easily the most interesting menu in Park City, Bistro 412 offers a nice range of choices. Trout encrusted in almonds was super. Nicely cooked fresh fish–neither is easy to get in Utah–was buried under a fine toasted crust of almonds and accompanied by a large serving of carrot mashed potatoes, with the carrots giving the potatoes a nice yellow color and just hint of carrot flavor. The second side was julienne veggies, mostly carrots and zucchini, which was properly cooked, an unusual finding in a Park City restaurant where the local culture regularly produces undercooked vegetables. The vegetable julienne was also only disappointment of the evening–-the kitchen had applied far too much pepper. For shame. The pepper shaker is on the table for pepper freaks, but there is no way to un-pepper an overly spiced dish once its damaged in the kitchen. If you have never had roast duck in Huckleberry Sauce, you will love this dish. However, it’s better at the Pollo Grill, Whitefish, MT. Huckleberries are something like a wild super-flavored blueberry from the high mountains. Difficult to cultivate, huckleberries are mostly harvested by hand from wild bushes in remote mountain areas, where they are favorite treat of grizzly bears. The Pollo Grill takes classic Canard a l’orange and, substituting huckleberries for oranges, surpasses the French original. Bistro 412's version was more like Canard au porto with huckleberries added. It is a fine dish, but I prefer ed the Pollo Grill’s. The duck was cooked as ordered and with an excellent crispy skin. It was accompanied by the carrot-zucchini side discussed and nicely done Pommes de terre a la creme. Both meals were attractively served on large oval plates.

I didn’t much care for the decor of Bistro 412, yellow walls trimmed in red odd little lights hanging down from wires stretched across the room below the high ceiling and faded photos of French street scenes on the wall. We have traveled excessively in France, and Bistro 412 reminds me of no restaurant I have ever seen in France. It reminds me of what a crazed California yuppie interior decorator might imagine a French bistro would look like, but that’s far from the real thing. Chairs were a bit uncomfortable, but the booths are worse. White tablecloths were covered with plain paper--saves on the laundry bill, but looks a little tacky--and the table was set with one burgundy glass and one claret glass, perhaps another touch of the misguided decorator. Service was typical Park City professionalism and very prompt, but the place was mostly empty, as it was low, low season.

Based on one visit, Bistro 412 shows promise of being one of Park City’s best. We will be going back in a week or so, the next time we feel like dinner out.

We first ate at the Easy Street Brasserie in 2005. It was so good we went back not too long after. Then Easy Street closed for 2-3 years while a hotel was more or less built on top of the restaurant. By 2009, it was open again, and back we went. The interior looks much like the same attractive setting we remembered.

I’m of the view that one visit to a restaurant is not sufficient to judge it’s quality. You may be fooled by the chef having an unusually good or bad day, or changes of staff in the kitchen, or by the accident of what you ordered. Properly judging a restaurant requires several visits and several dishes. There is a puzzle about how many times we have eaten at Easy Street, which was forced to close for two years for massive contraction project next door. We ate there twice before the closure, and once since the reopening. Can we judge their consistence on three meals with a two year gap? Possibly so, for it seems to be much the restaurant we remembered. The kitchen is open to view from one of the three dinning rooms. I said I recognized the head chef. She said I was crazy. So first, our most recent meal and then the two from two years ago.

We both ordered "Pan Seared Sea Bass with Mediterranean vegetables and Spinach" ($32). The Sea bass was cooked perfectly, something you cannot count on in Utah, and as fresh as it is possible to get ocean fish in Utah. The Mediterranean Vegetables on one side of the plate were mostly excellent beans with some chunks of zucchini and leaves of wilted spinach other stuff. On the other side of the plate, the room temperature salsa was OK for out of season tomatoes. The butter was properly soft for spreading. The bread was a decent standard French style. The menu said something about Onion Bread would be returning, which we didn’t understand at the time. When I got home and looked up my earlier IgoUgo review of Easy Street, I saw that we had been very favorably impressed with Easy Street’s Onion Bread, so a good move when it happens.
Portions are large. The entree alone was very filling, all we needed for a meal.

Service was perfect. Food was on the table very quickly and the attentive staff kept water glasses filled and had the table cleared with dispatch and the bill ready.

Entrees include mussels, sea bass, rib eye, lobster mac & cheese, short ribs, veal chop, tenderloin, vegetarian pasta, seafood stew, tuna, prime rib, and roast chicken. Entrees run $23-48. Veggie sides include four types of potatoes, green beans, and sauted spinach. All priced at $5. There are five salads, $10-15. Appetizers include Buffalo Carpaccio, calmari quesadilla, deviled crab, onion soup, shrimp pate, salmon with caviar, and pizza, $9-19. There is also a small raw bar

We arrived just as the kitchen was opening and the kitchen staff was setting up in full view of some of the tables. We got to watching one cook who was putting big rubber mats down on the floor to see if he washed his hands before touching any food. It looked like he wiped them on a towel several times, but we saw no soap and water employed(there were times when his hands were out sight, so he might have washed them. We can only hope). This is a bit of a buzz kill. Probably cooking killed any germs encountered. Restaurants with open kitchens should take care to prevent scenes like this.

Based on that one meal, we would place Easy Street among Park city’s finest restaurants, which what it ought to be for the high prices. That conclusion was confirmed by our two meals there two summers ago. On our first visit, I had braised Lamb Shank ($29), and never had to touch my knife to get the well cooked meat off
the bone. The lamb was accompanied by garlic mashed potatoes, French fried onion rings, excellent asparagus spears, wax beans, and carrots surrounded by a brown sauce with a pool of
pesto floating in on one side of the platter. This was a fine dish, but so was her goat cheese ravioli
($24), which included remarkably tasty tomatoes for a mid-November meal.

Although the wait to order was a little long, the food was on the table very quickly and the attentive staff
kept water glasses filled and had the table cleared with dispatch and the bill ready.

On a second visit, we both had Seared Scallops in Squid Ink, another good dish after we asked the server to tell the chef we nated the scallops cooked through, not the quasi-sushi version many Park City restaurants offer where the scallop is quickly browned but left raw inside.

Service was clearly the best in Park City. Although the wait to order was a little long, the food was on the table very quickly and the attentive staff kept water glasses filled and had the table cleared with dispatch and the bill ready.

There are two dining rooms at street level, both attractive and somewhat reminiscent of a restaurant in France, and a more informal(staff decritption, we didn’t see it) room downstairs.

From the transit center for Park City’s free bus system, cross the parking lot jus down hill. Heber Ave. is the street to your right. Easy street is at the far end of the short block.

A note on Park City prices. Easy Street’s prices are in line with the better Park City restaurants and the less expensive places fare not all that much less. On the trip home, we heard a commercial on the radio for Motel 6 where Tom Bodett uttered the line, "If lobster in mac ‘n cheese costs $15, is it still comfort food?" Lobster in Mac ‘n Cheese at Easy Street costs $30. That had better not be comfort food. We will probably try it on our next visit.

The menu is pricey, but during the off season, which is Spring, Summer, and Fall, Easy Street, like many Park City restaurants, regularly puts a 2-for-1 coupon in the local paper, The Park Record (sold in boxes on Main St.)

Bistro 412: second dinner

About a month after our excellent meal at Bistro 412, we had a second one, with some changes.
In the interval, there was a change of chefs, but not in the menu offerings. She again ordered the
Trout Amondine, but there were some differences from the first visit. Carrot mashed potatoes-
had been replaced with plain mashed potatoes, and, although were fine, the carrots blended into
the earlier version added a nice touch. The trout wasn’t quite as fresh and the almond layer was
not as thick and crusty. We both agreed that while it was still an excellent dish, the earlier version
was better.

The dipping oil for the nicely crusty french bread even better flavored than before.

I’ve had lamb shank at 5-6 Park City restaurants, and I’d put Bistro 412's lamb at the head of the
list. The lamb shank appeared to have been roasted rather than braised, making it not quite as
tender as at some of the other places, but still tender enough to remove from the bone with a fork.
The accompanying sauce was the best I’ve ever encountered for any lamb dish. A medley of
vegetables– pearl onions, green beans, and a mini carrot also came with the meal. Green beans
are one of the tests of a fine restaurant. A great restaurant serves fresh, small, very dark green
beans that are cooked just beyond the crunchy stage but far short of soggy(like canned green
beans). Bistro 412 hit everything right, a feat beyond the ability of most of Park City’s noted
chefs.

Prices are on the moderate side for one of Park City’s better places to eat, with entrees about
$17-29.

Servings are large. We found that an entree only was more than enough food.

See "Bistro 412" for review of our first meal

We have dined one to three times a year for the last 7 years at the Mariposa (open only during ski season), and, until this year, never thought the place lived up to its high reputation as the best restaurant in Utah. Yes, it was good, but flawed (see previous review). This year, it scored. The only problem with our visit was that we both ordered the same thing, so we can’t say if they finally got everything under control, or only the Mixed Grill.

As for the Mixed Grill, which was much improved over what was encountered in years past, it is supurb. Still, it was not without flaws. The biggest improvement is that Mariposa seems to have finally figured out how to cook vegetables. Previously, veggies were uniformly undercooked. This year, perfect. The other great improvement was in the sauces. The Mixed Grill serves a terrific wild game sausage, lamb chop, and slice of veal tenderloin. Our recollection of years past was that all were accompanied by a nondescript common sauce. In 2006, each had its own sauce, and each was an excellent pairing with its meat.

The Amuse was excellent. I forget the irrelevant paragraph-long absurd description of what it was, for that is just yuppy BS. The important point is that it was a real treat—enjoy.

The bread basket featured a fine baguette and an even better whole grain loaf. Again, hard to beat, although no match to what chef Jean Louis Montecot can turn out at his eponymous Park City establishment when he opts to bake bread.

Presentation is masterful. The Amuse is an amusing, colorful pile of suff. The entree plate is divided into thirds, one for each meat, by a mashed potato dike, and within each segment, blocked off by the potatoes, is a pool of sauce with one of the three meats swimming in the center.

In sum, considering the inflated prices which are found at all resorts, Mariposa’s expensive Mixed Grill is hard to beat, but it is not yet perfect. I want to make that point before I take up the remaining significant flaws in the Mixed Grill that still keep it short of perfection, and why not expect perfection at these prices?

Never in America have I had veal that compares to what is routinely served in Europe. Part of the problem is that American restaurants overcook veal, and so does Mariposa. The lamb chop is oddly red on the inside but devoid of juiciness. I don’t know how this can be done, for it defies all the rules of cooking. The butter was refrigerator cold. At these inflated prices, one would at least expect an herb flavored butter, but good Lord, to be served rock hard plain butter? What is this? Joe’s Slop House?

Mariposa still has significant flaws, but they are outweighed by its strengths, at least for the Mixed Grill this year. Well worth a visit for the Mixed Grill.

The Goldner Hirsch changed chefs in mid-2006. We’ve eaten there once since. It did not seem up to the previous high standard as Park City’s best restaurant; more a typical good Park City restaurant, and no longer the clear #1 choice in Park City/Deer Valley. #1 followed the former chef to JeanLouis Restaurant in the nearby center of Park City.

Wines are $32 to $110, also by the glass. There is an atmospheric bar between the hotel entrance and the dining room.

Adding to the pleasure of a lunch or dinner at the Goldner Hirsch is the delightful decor of the restaurant. This is a place where you feel good just sitting there. Brightly lit by the sun at lunch, the dining room takes on a different atmosphere in the glow of the fire and the dim lights at night.

The Goldner Hirsch is on Park City’s free bus route. By car, take Royal Street or Marsac Avenue/Empire Canyon Raod from the Deer Valley traffic circle. Parking under the hotel (enter from the rear) or in the lot next to the hotel.

We have dined 1-3 times a year for the last 7 years at the Mariposa (open only during ski season), and, until this year, never thought the place lived up to its high reputation as the best restaurant in Utah. Yes, it was good, but flawed (see previous review). This year, it scored. The only problem with our visit was that we both ordered the same thing, so we can’t say if they finally got everything under control, or only the Mixed Grill.

As for the Mixed Grill, which was much improved over what was encountered in years past, it was superb. Still, it was not without flaws. The biggest improvement is that Mariposa seems to have finally figured out how to cook vegetables. Previously, veggies were uniformly under cooked. This year, perfect. The other great improvement was in the sauces. The Mixed Grill serves a terrific Wild Game Sausage, Lamb Chop, and slice of Veal tenderloin. Our recollection of years past was that all were accompanied by a nondescript common sauce. In 2006, each had
its own sauce, and each was an excellent pairing with its meat.

The amuse was excellent. I forget the irrelevant paragraph long absurd description of what it was, for that is just yuppy BS. The important point is that it was real treat– enjoy.

The bread basket featured a fine baguette and an even better whole grain loaf. Again, hard to beat, although no match to what chef Jean Louis Montecot can turn out at his eponymous Park City establishment when he opts to bake bread.

Presentation is masterful. The Amuse is an amusing, colorful pile of stuff. The entrée plate is divided into thirds, one for each meat, by a mashed potato dike and within each segment blocked off by the potatoes, is a pool of sauce with one of the three meats swimming in the center. In sum, considering the inflated prices which are found at all resorts, Mariposa’s expensive Mixed Grill is hard to beat, but it is not yet perfect. I want to make that point before I take up the
remaining significant flaws in the Mixed Grill that still keep it short of perfection, and why not expect perfection at these prices?

Never in American have I had veal that compares to what is routinely served in Europe. Part of the problem is that American restaurants overcook veal, and so does Mariposa. The Lamb Chop is oddly red on the inside but devoid of juiciness. I don’t know how this can be done, for it defies all the rules of cooking. The butter was refrigerator cold. At these inflated prices, one would at least expect an herb flavored butter, but good lord, to be served rock hard plain butter? What is this? Joe’s Slop House?

Mariposa still has significant flaws, but they are outweighed by its strengths, at least for the Mixed Grill this year. Well worth a visit for the Mixed Grill.

One visit is not enough to render final judgement, but it looks like we have a new and worthy
contender for the tittle of best restaurant in the Park City area. Spicy Lady serves excellent food
at reasonable prices, most entrees being under $20.

Our first visit was on the evening of Dec. 25, 2007. If you ever visited Utah at this time of the
year for the great skiing, you already know this place is something special– it’s open on Christmas
day (and Sundays!). The daily special appetizer ($12) was roast duck breast on a bed of arugula
with Bordelaise sauce– terrific. Tender duck, perfectly cooked, an excellent sauce that
highlighted rather than overwhelmed the duck. It was the only thing I’ve ever eaten with arugula
where arugula did not seem out of place.

Chicken Florentine ($17) was the best prepared chicken we have ever had in Utah (possible
exception, the now defunct Bonanza Café). As for the accompanying risotto with mushrooms,
she said, “I don’t like risotto, but I like this.” The mushrooms, which I could not identify were
intensely flavored, certainly not button or, as appearances showed, not morels.

The daily special was a huge slab of Roast Prime Rib, the third best I’ve ever enjoyed anywhere
($25). The owner-executive chef-maitre d’e-waiter-cashier warned us it was left over from the
day before and was served from medium rare up. Very tender with terrific flavor, and this was
leftovers! Sides of mashed potatoes with gravy and a simple ratatouille were excellent.

The Spicy Lady gets its name from the decor, not the nature often food. It’s in an original
Victorian era old west building whose most recent previous incarnation was as a poor hall– get a
good look at the grand exterior. The attarctive interior is done in the style of an old west brothel.
The walls are loaded with picturers and paintings of, shall we say, ladies of ill repute. Hence the
name– Spicy Lady. This is really daring for uptight Utah.

Service was good although a little slow on picking up payment and interesting. The owner-etc. is
a Korean orphan adopted by Dutch parents who spent enough time in London to acquire a British
accent and lived in Paris for a number of years. Why is he now in Utah? For the world’s best
skiing, what else? He says the menu theme is peasant dishes from around the world– Coq au
Vin, Toad-in-Hole, goulash, a schnitzel, Indian Vegetarian Platter, etc. Lamb Shank is the
Thursday night special, and it rotates through five version including Greek, Moroccan, and New
Zealand.

Spicy Lady is 15-20 min. from Park City, and worth the trip. The lower prices will more than
cover your gas costs. Leave Park City on Kearns Blvd to Rt 40 expressway at the stoplight well
out of town. Turn right to Heber’s Main Street. Spicy Lady is on the right about 2/3 the way
between the first and second stop lights in Heber.

Beer and wine.

Our first two visits to The Spicy Lady were a mixed bag. The first meal, on Christmas Day, was all around superb, a terrific British style roast beef and a perfect Chicken Florentine. Our second visit was a let down and a bit of a disappointment. Although nicely flavored, lamb shanks were greatly in need of longer cooking, leaving them difficult to cut off the bone, a real battle. Our third visit had good points and some not so good. Starting with the best, the Vietnamese Spring Rolls were nice and the Kangaroo Empanadas were superb appetizers. The Kangaroo, inside a pastry shell with cheese and stuff, is not to be missed. Several of us had Crème Brule for desert. It won unanimous praise.

She had a repeat of Chicken Florentine which was not up to the standards of what was served the first time. First time, the chicken was perfectly cooked, cooked through but still juicy, easily the best prepared chicken we ever encountered in Utah with the possibly exception of the old Bonanza Cafe in Beaver. Second try, the chicken was typical a Utah disaster, so overcooked that it approached the texture of cardboard. As this is the Utah standard, if you must eat chicken in Utah, the Spicy Lady is the place to go. It won't be any worse than anywhere else, and there is a chance it will actually be properly done, just don't count on it.

I had Hungarian Goulash, a culinary classic. Any restaurant that serves such classic cuisine gets a lot of points, but while it was good, something was not quite right. I've had Goulash in Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Germany, and Austria, and we make it home. The Spicy Lady's wouldn't make the cut. I think the problem was too much sour cream. The beef and onions were drowned in sour cream, rather than being accented by it. Still, you won't go wrong with it, but you will not be blown away.

Our appetizers and deserts cost about $9 each. Nobody had a a main course costing $20 or more.

Spicy Lady has a full bar, only the second in Heber City. Of course, this is Utah bar which means it is nothing like a real bar. The wrinkle is the only way you can order alcohol is if you also order food, and drinks and wine are very expensive-- state rip-off tax, it's not the restaurant. For an idea of haw baffling getting a drink is in Utah, in 2008, the State Legislature passed 187 pages of changes to the booze laws. The most important goes like this: previously, a “pour”, the amount of a liquor that could be in a drink, was limited to 1 oz. A “mixed drink” could contain more than one “pours” of more than one liquor up to a total of 2.75oz. After the change, a pour is 1.5oz. maximum and a mixed drink is limited to 2.5oz. In the real world, a Martini contains contains a 3oz. pour of gin. So how much gin is in a Utah Martini, one pour of 1.5oz, or 2.5oz.? I can't figure it out, but either way, a Utah Martini is watered down.

Utah claims it liberalized booze laws for the Olympics, but when the Olympics were over, the State Legislature reversed many of the “liberalizations”. A typical liberalization: “Beer gardens” could be set up by fencing off an area and posting a security guard at the gate to be sure nobody under age 21 entered the sin zone. One liberal change that stuck was that before the Olympics, restaurants were not allowed to display their wine list unless the customer specifically asked for it. Now, the waiter is allowed to ask you if you would like to see the wine list.

Restaurants cannot buy wine at wholesales prices, they pay the same a retail customers. Consequently, restaurant prices are 3-4 times retail prices (in most states, restaurants can buy wine at wholesale prices so the mark up over retail is 2-3 times). At most, but not all restaurants, BYO plus the “corkage fee” is cheaper than the wine list. The problem with BYO is that you have to go to State Liquor Store to buy wine, and the closest decent selection to The Spicy Lady is 15 miles away in Park City. You can't really BYO because only a bottle with a Utah state liquor stamp which is only on bottles sold in State liquor stores are allowed in Utah.

The Spicy Lady's wine list starts at $26 for an obscure Spanish red, which is actually pretty good. This runs contrary to typical restaurant wine pricing, where the lowest priced wine is the most overpriced bottle in terms of value for the money.

Service was chatty friendly good, and very fast even though the restaurant was almost full.

Our third visit was on a weekend night, when there was live music. All I can say is that it wasn't obnoxious.

So, after three visits to The Spicy Lady, we are still a little puzzled in deciding how good it is. When it is good, it is very,very good, but food quality is spotty. Considering the relatively low prices of the entrees, it is worth a shot, even with a trip from Park City.

The Mariposa, widely considered one of the finest ski resort restaurants, is only open during Deer
Valley’s ski season. We have eaten there 1-2 times a year for the last eight years, and for the last
two years, Mariposa lived up to it’s reputation. The Mariposa’s menu changes little from one
year to the next, but this year the famous sea bass is replaced by Seared Scallops ($44) in a Brandywine
Apple Reduction, which we both ordered. Without question, this was the best meal we every had
at Café Mariposa, and at one time or another we have tried everything on the menu.

The scallops were cooked perfectly, and the sauce was beyond impressive. Like most California
Yuppie restaurants, Mariposa’s concoctions impress more by their novelty that by their holding
power– unlike Coq au Vin or Wiener schnitzel, they don’t age well. Eating them once is a treat,
but who want’s to repeat the experience (curses on Alice Waters for creating this craze)? Not
only we the scallops superbly impressive, they just might be good enough to have holding
power– one of the few Yuppie concoctions we have had anywhere in Park City that calls for a
repeat.

The scallops were served atop a bed of assorted greens and veggies that went well with the sea
food and the sauce.

Service, as usual, was impeccable.

Mariposa is very expensive. As locals, we get a chance to eat 2-for-1 and I doubt if we would
ever go at full price.

Café Mariposa is located at mid-mountain in Deer Valley’s Silver Lake Lodge, enter on the side
of the building furthest from the ski runs. The free Park City shuttle bus stops nearby. The bus
top is on the other side of the plaza behind Silver Lake Lodge.

If you know how to get to mid-mountain on your own, turn off the road toward the ski runs at the
side of the Goldner Hirsch Inn, turn left at the rear of the Goldner Hirsch and enter the parking
garage no in front of you. The elevator to the plaza level directly opposite the entrance to
Mariposa is in the far right hand corner of the garage.

The Stein Eriksen Lodge continues their superb lunch buffet during ski season, but not all dishes
were equally successful. I once had some first rate veal in America. It was not Stein’s
Saltimbacca, which was also adversely affected by a plie of corn salsa on top which coved up the
delicate flavors of Saltimbacca. Even the salsa couldn’t disguise the taste of typically inferior
American veal. The swordfish entree and the scallop & shrimp salad featured seafood too long
removed from the sea.

Breast of Quail rubbed with coriander had a nice flavor, but was way overcooked– well dried out.

Take these shortcomings in context-- in the vast majority of American restaurants, these flaws
dishes would be hailed as superior meals, it is only in comparison to what Stein’s does right that
they fall short. Now the good the news.

The desert table was a collection of endless delights. The first thing I did was pick up two superb
Creme Brulees. So was the Caramel Flan, Rum Cheesecake, and Chocolate Decadence. It’s
fascinating in a place that makes fine deserts how different creme brûlée and flan can be in both
taste and texture, although both are made from eggs and cream.

Other outstanding offering on the buffet were the Tropical Fruit and Couscous Salad, Chilli
rubbed roast beef with a port au jus, asparagus, and the fresh fruit platter, although the musk
melon was a bit insipid. The cold shrimp were pretty good, but I’ve had better.

We have visited Stein’s buffet 2-3 a year for the last eight years, and I’m convinced that nobody
can sample everything that is offered, but give it a try-- take small servings. Do not slight the
desert table. If you don’t eat at least six deserts, you have not done it justice. Do not plan on
skiing after lunch. Pig out, so the buffet covers both lunch and diner. If you total up what you
would pay for lunch and diner in Park City, the Skier’s Buffet at $31 (includes drinks) is a major
bargain and among the best meals you will find in Park City.

The Sunday and Christmas Day versions of the Skier’s Buffet are considerable more expensive
and not worth the extra money.

Service generally prompt and friendly, although we had an inordinately long wait to get our bill
paid.

The Skier’s Buffet is served in the Glitretinde Restaurant. You can also order from the regular
lunch menu. We have eaten lunch and dinner many times at the Glitretinde, and none of these
meals compared favorably to the buffet for quality or value.

Skiers get to Stein’s Lodge from the top of Deer Valley’s Viking lift. The Buffet is immediately
to the right when you enter the Lodge. If driving, there is valet parking in the Stein’s garage.
The free Park City shuttle bus stops just down hill from Stein’s in front of Deer Valley’s mid-
mountain plaza.

A second visit to the Spicy Lady was a good lesson in why a single review of a restaurant should
never be counted on. Our first visit produced a spectacular meal (see review) and high
expectations, but Spicy Lady fell short of the mark on our second visit.

Greek style lamb shank ($19.95) was nicely flavored but seriously flawed by way too much
pepper in the sauce and insufficient cooking time. Great lamb shanks are cooked long enough
that the meat is all but falling off the bone and it is easy to strip the meat from the bone with a
fork. Spicy Lady’s undercooked meat was a struggle to cut with a knife. We both ended up
picking the bone up in our fingers and gnawing the meat off it, messier than a chicken drumstick
and hardly dignified dining.

We missed noticing it on our first visit, but there were no salt or pepper shakers on the tables–
more bad news. Salt and pepper is a matter of personal taste. Salty food is also a matter of good
health. The food industry so overloads us with salt that it is killing people. No decent
restaurant should add salt to their food, leaving it up to the customer the gamble his life on the
salt shaker. At least this would not force those who care about their health to eat the salt
poisoned food served at most restaurants. As for those who want salt on their food, let them kill
themselves, but don’t force in on the sensible diner.

The lamb was accompanied by tasty mashed potatoes, but I have a minor quibble with
restaurants like the Spicy Lady that serve real mashed potatoes with lumps still in them to
remind you these are not potato buds. It’s easy enough to tell they are real, so mash ‘em up. A
vegetable medley– yellow squash, red bell pepper, mushrooms, and onions– also was included.
It was very nice, but again a minor quibble– the veggies should have been cooked longer. I
don’t like onions that crunch like potato chips, the flavors of the peppers would have been better
developed with more cooking time, and doing so would not have harm the squash or
mushrooms.

A quirk to note. The Spicy Lady does not deliver bread to the table, either before or with the
meal.

On the other hand, service was spectacular. The Spicy Lady was crowded, but we were in and
out in less than 45 minutes.

So there you have it, a brief history of one great meal and one not so promising. Stay tuned for
the tie break, our future third visit to the Spicy Lady.

Big Stick starts and ends as a gentle Intermediate run, but is a well deserved double blue in
between. There is an easier opt out at the top of the Big Stick face, Little Stick, the path to
your right in the trees. Be careful about stopping on Little Stick. Experts use it and they came
around the blind curves at high speed. Going down Little Stick, you come to a big intersection,
where the run ahead, Deer Hollow, gets very wide– watch for skiers coming down from the
right. At this intersection, Little Stick makes a sharp turn to the left.

There are several ways to ski Big Stick. After making the U-turn at the top of Carpenter high
speed quad chair, stop facing downhill. Solid Muldoon is straight ahead. Next on your right,
where there is an opening into the pine trees, is Know You Don’t. Next on the right is Big
Stick proper, and, one more to the right, Roamer. Know You Don’t starts as a green run. Stop
when you see the run ahead disappear. You are at the start location for the Olympic Slalom
Race Course. Advance to the edge of the drop off to look down an Olympic Race course. Off
to the right below is the start of the Olympic mogul Race Course. To the right, you will see a
narrow, but not steep, track that takes you back to Big Stick. Or go directly down Big Stick, or
go down Roamer and you will end up on Big Stick.

Big Stick face, the drop just below where Little Stick branches off, is a terrific steep run.
Improving Intermediates will find its well groomed surface a delight for testing out steeper runs.
Experts returning to the parking lot at the end of day prefer this as the way home, coming from
either the Homestake or Crown Point chairs.

I’ve been to 62 ski resorts. None compare to Deer Valley for quality intermediate skiing. There
is the light, fluffy snow of the Central Rockies; Deer Valley grooms better than anyone else;
most of the runs are laid out to ski from top to bottom– no flat, boring spots; there is a great
variety of intermediate steepness; Deer Valley limits ticket sales to hold down the crowds.

Most of Deer Valley’s runs are intermediate. The easiest intermediate runs are off the Northside
Chair and at Deer Crest. Northside is more popular, since it is a high-speed chair. Deer Crest
offers no lift lines and empty runs.

Bald Mtn. (Wasatch and Sultan quads) has steeper intermediate runs. Looking downhill from
the top, the runs are easier to your left and get more difficult the right, to the Advanced
Intermediate Wizard, Perseverence, and Tycoon.

Bald Eagle Mtn. (Carpenter high-speed quad) has Last Chance, the easiest (see the Bear
House). It’s our favorite last run of the day when going back to the main parking lot.

Solid Muldoon, straight ahead from the top of Homestake chair or after making a U-Turn off
Carpenter, is a nice intermediate cruise with one steeper spot beside the Olympic aerial jump.

White Owl, double blue, rarely groomed, includes the Olympic area hill. Warning– the landing
hill is beyond black diamond steep. There is an escape route to the right. Start down Success by
making a U-turn under the Carpenter chair.

Big Stick is one of the most popular intermediate runs at Deer Valley, discussed separately
under How to Ski Big Stick.

There are some difficult (double blue) intermediate runs off the Empire Canyon Express chair.
Supreme, skiers left, is groomed every day. Orion, skiers right, is groomed most days, but has
one short expert pitch. Empire bowl, the vast snow field under the chair, is double blue to
skiers right of the chair, but it is heavily moguled for the first 800 vertical feet, after which the
bowl funnels onto either Orion or Supreme. WARNING: Lady Morgan Bowl, to the left of
Supreme, is much steeper than it looks, and even Experts, if they don’t know where
they are going, can get into serious trouble on this run. DO NOT ski Lady Morgan until after
you talk to Ski Patrol on how to do it.

Sooner or later, you have to get back to where you started. For most, that’s the main parking
lot (Snow Park). You are somewhere on one of Deer Valley’s five mountians. How do you
get from here to the parking lot, or to the bus stop or to slope side lodging?

First, getting to the main parking lot. From Empire Canyon and Bandana run: Take the Ruby high-speed quad, the chair to the left as you come out of Empire Lodge. At the top of Ruby, go straight across, above the chair to the left, as far as you can to Ontario (green). On Ontario, there are
two options: 1] branch off onto Homeward Bound (green), then ski down to Snowpark Express
highspeed quad to ride all the way to the parking lot, or take Homestake or Crown Point lifts to ski down Bald Mtn. 2] At the end of Ontario, take either Viking or Judge chairs to Snowpark Express highspeed quad to ride all the way to the parking lot, or take Homestake or Crown Point lifts to ski down Bald Mtn.

Viking is the furthest chair from the end of the Ontario to the right then straight ahead, Judge is
the second chair to the right--turn and go past the Quincy loading maze.

From Flagstaff Mtn., and Northside, and Quincy highspeed quads: Follow the directions from the top of Ruby chair for Empire Canyon.

NOTE: There are four other options, but they are too complex to try to explain. Discover them
by exploring. Also, three of the four involve long flat stretches that usually require some
walking.

From Mayflower: At the top of Mayflower, turn right and go straight across Stein’s Way to the
path that goes into the woods. This takes you to Perseverence. Ski down to the Sultan highspeed quad . At
the top of Sultan, ski down to the base of the Wasatch highspeed quad, pass it, and go to the Crown Point
chair (or go to Homestake or Silver Lake Express via Birdseye). A more difficult option: go
down Stein’s Way to Finis(expert).


Deer Valley finished #1 in Ski Magazine’s readers poll in the spring of 2007. Food, service, and
grooming scored especially high. There is a new lift for 2007-2008 expanding the resort to 2,020
skiable acres, the Lady Morgan High Speed Express Chair, located on the far side of Lady
Morgan Bowl which serves nine new runs, mostly black diamond. There is one Blue run, one
Green run, and the rest expert.

Uphill lift capacity is 46,500 skiers an hour. Lift ticket sales are limited to 6,500 a day, not
counting season pass holders. Lift lines are short.

Lift ticket run from $13(under age three, afternoon) to $81(adult all day, Christmas week). Daily
adult tickets outside Christmas week are $79.

Ski season is Dec. 8, 2007 to April 13, 2008. Daily hours are 9:00-4:15. Snow making allows
about 25% of the resort to open on the scheduled date so far. One of these days, global warming
will delay opening, but not so far.

Other improvements include 51 new snow blowers, heated tile decks on two of the three lodges,
and ground penetrating radar to measure snow depths.

For the last several years, most of the ski resorts in northern Utah, including Deer Valley, have
been part of a program of ski free the day you arrive. To get a free ski pass, present your airline
boarding pass/ticket at the lift ticket window on the day you arrive in Utah. I haven’t heard for
sure that this promotion is going to be done this year, but it’s worth checking out. It is possible
to arrive in Utah by noon from most parts of the country if you take a non-stop flight to Salt Lake
City. It takes less than one hour to reach Deer Valley (and 10 other resorts) from the airport. A
fast change of clothes, and you can be on the slopes by 1:00pm.

Deer Valley does not allow snowboarding.

 Deer Valley is very popular with parents of young children, for Deer Valley will take them off your hands for the day so you can ski unencumbered – for a price. Daycare is provided for non-skiers ages 2 months to 12 years, 8:30am-4:30pm, $90. Kids ages 3-14 who want to learn to ski get lunch, lessons, and a babysitter, 8:30am-3:45pm, $140. A special teen skiers program operates during Christmas and President’s Day weekend, $140.

In addition to the children’s programs, there are special ski school programs for adults, women, men, and would-be racers. Further up the stairs, on the left, is a large room with day lockers, storage baskets, and benches to sit inside while buckling up. The main restroom is also here. We overheard one visitor leaving the restroom say to her friend sitting on a bench, “You got to go see the johns!”—gold-plated fixtures, fresh flowers, a hand lotion dispenser on the sink, a rack to hold your gloves in every stall and over every urinal, and a full-time staffer who makes sure nothing runs out and regularly runs a squeegee over the sink counters to keep them dry. The walls are tile and rustic wood, the floors tile.

DV’s ski instructors specialize, getting extra training to match instructor to student age and ability. The staff who take little kids, Bambi and Reindeer, spend all their time taking care of and teaching only little kids.

Another option for lessons, guided tours of the resort, and somebody to talk to is to hire an instructor for a private lesson-- $125 an hour, and yes, some people do this all day long for their entire trip. The popular ski school employs 500 instructors to serve no more than 6,500 daily skiers at the resort.

Deer Valley recommends advance reservations months ahead for Christmas and President’s Day weekend (888 754 8477 or 800 424 3337), and reservations at all times. Although the numbers taking lessons shrinks in the spring, so does the number of instructors, as the ones who are college students on summer break from New Zealand and Australia have go back to school.

 If you stay in Park City or at Deer Valley, you can get by without a rental car. Park City has a free bus that runs all over town and to the ski resorts. Deer Valley: Most expensive are the ski-in, ski-out lodges. Contact Stein Eriksen Lodge or Deer Valley Housing. Available at both the Snow Park and Silver Lake ( mid-mountain) bases. Next most expensive are Deer Valley condos, where you have to take a shuttle bus to the base. Available at Snow Park, Silver Lake (mid-mountain) bases, and across the expressway from the gondola (some of these do not have a shuttle bus).

Salt Lake City. Car essential; it can be done by bus, but it is not pretty unless they have greatly improved the operation since I did it some years ago. A huge number of alternatives at much lower prices than Park City since winter is off season in Salt Lake City. Deer Valley is about 30 miles from downtown Salt Lake City, most of it by expressway, and all by four lane roads. City roads can be dicey if it snows, from ice, not snow, but once on I-80, snow removal is remarkable. Nevertheless, a big storm can cause delays of a couple hours–snowplow can’t work miracles. Before we moved to Utah, we commuted here to ski from the east coast for 20 years. Never was the weather so bad that we could not get to a ski resort from the city, but sometimes it took awhile.

Heber City. Closer than Salt Lake City, no smog–-which can be terrible in Salt Lake City– cheapest of the lot, and a prettier setting than either Salt Lake City or Park City. No nightlife. Car almost essential, or call Sunrise Transportation for chauffeured service. Take the US 40 expressway to the Park City exit. Turn left at the second light– Bonanza Dr.--turn left at the next light onto Deer Valley Blvd. Go 3/4 way around the traffic circle to Deer Valley’s main parking lot. Rooms here run $50-200 a night less than comparable rooms in Park City. Steak dinners start at $9.

Getting There: Park City: Shuttle or rental car. Driving: Leave the airport and exit onto I-80 eastbound (Salt Lake City). I-80 will merge with I-15 southbound (Las Vegas). Stay with I- 80, which branches off I-15 (Cheyenne). I-80 climbs a 3,000 ft high hill to Parley’s Summit, then drops down into a large flat valley at 6,500 ft attitude. Take the Exit for Park City(green sign) and the ski areas (brown sign). Park City’s street system is confusing. Get detailed directions from your hotel before leaving home. Distance from the airport: 35 miles.

DV, Snow Park Base: Follow the directions to Park City. Turn left onto DV Drive, stoplight, Jan’s Sporting Goods on the corner. At the traffic circle, go 3/4 way around to stay on DV Drive, the third road out of the traffic circle (in the traffic circle, pass the exits for Main St/Heber Ave and Marsac Ave). Park in front of the Snow Park Lodge, go inside to the Concierge Desk, or follow the directions you were given in advance. Distance from the airport: 37 miles.

DV: Silver Lake Base (mid-mountain) Stein Eriksen Lodge, Goldner Hirsch, The Chateau, condos. Follow the directions to DV above as far as the traffic circle. In the traffic circle, take the second right turn, Marsac Ave. Go up a steep hill. When the road dead ends, turn left, then take the next left. When that dead ends, turn left. Stein Eriksen Lodge turns off to the right. For The Goldner Hirsch, turn right just past the little parking lot on the right, go down the road beside the Goldner Hirsch, turn left at the end of the building, and enter the garage. The Chateau is across the street from the Goldner Hirsch. The Deer Valley Club is a little further along, on the right. Distance from the airport: 39 miles.

DV: Empire Canyon base. Follow the directions to Silver Lake, only don’t take the second left turn after Marsac Ave dead ends. Pass that road, and shortly the road turns to the right and starts going uphill. (NOTE: a new entrance road to Empire Canyon Base from Marsac is unedr construction). Distance from the airport: 40 miles.

Heber City: Follow the directions to Park City from the airport, but do not exit I-80 at the Park City exit. Continue east on I-80 and exit at the next exit, US 40 (green sign, Heber City). In 15 miles, US 40 becomes Heber City’s Main St. Distance from the airport: 55 miles. Storm Warning. I-80 climbs from Salt Lake City, 4,400 ft. to Parley’s Summit, 7,500 ft. and snow, over 400 inches a year, does fall, especially at the summit. Snow removal is exemplary. I-80 is rarely closed by snow, unlike the road to Alta and Snowbird, but it might happen.

Be sure to ask at the airport about road conditions if the sun is not shining. Because the mountain wall of the Wasatch Range blocks storms, creating a precipitation shadow on the east side of the mountains, once over the summit, snowfall is much less than on the road up the western side of the mountains. You will be amazed by how well Park City clears snow off its streets, as well as by how much snow there is.

DV lists its vertical drop as 3,000 feet. This is one of the few places where DV takes liberties with the truth. Technically, yes, the difference in altitude between the top of the Empire Canyon Express chair and the Gondola base is 3,000 feet, but you can’t ski it without having to ride lifts along the way, because the mountain(s) go both up and down along the way. DV sprawls over 1,800 acres of skiing spread across five mountains. Changing mountains requires going up one mountain, then skiing down to the base of the other. With the ups and downs, it is just over 4 air miles and 6 miles of skiing to get from the top of Empire to the gondola base. It takes at least 25 minutes to make the trip, if you know how to do it.

Snow Park base, the main starting point for skiers, is located in a mountain bowl, with a big parking lot surrounded by condos occupying most of the valley. The base lodge, Snow Park Lodge, and lifts sit at the bottom of Bald Eagle Mountain. Houses, some for rent, and condos, many for rent, line many of the runs on Bald Eagle Mountain. Think of the various bases as stacked in tiers, one above the other. The gondola base is the lowest, then Snow Park. Silver Lake, Flagstaff, and Empire are on the same level, 1,000 feet above Snow Park. This makes the trail map confusing, until you learn the directions of the ups and downs.

GETTING AROUND (I tried to give directions as if you are standing on top looking downhill, skier’s left or right, except for which way to turn when unloading from a lift)--To Get From the Gondola Base to Snow Park--At the top of the Gondola, ski straight ahead on Deer Hollow (green). Keep to the left, because three runs branch off Deer Hollow. When you come to an intersection with a cat track coming from the left, where Deer Hollow turns to the right, stop and locate the cat track that continues straight ahead, Little Stick (blue). Go down Little Stick to Snow Park Base.

To Get From Snow Park Base to the upper mountains--Bald Eagle, Flagstaff, and Empire Canyon--Easy blue run: Go up the Carpenter chair, the chair closest to the lodge. At the top of the chair, ski straight ahead, and the easy blue run takes you down 500 feet to the Bald Eagle Mountain base (Silver Lake or mid-mountain base). You will see the base of a chair ahead loading people to come up the hill you are skiing down. Go to the left of that chair for the Wasatch and Sultan chairs, go to the right for Flagstaff and Empire Canyon, pass the lodge, pass the base of the Sterling chair, and go under the bridge to Quincy.

For beginners: To skip the blue run at the top of Carpenter chair and take the Silver Lake Express form Snow Park Base. This chair carries you up and over the top of Bald Mountain, unloading in the little valley in front of Silver Lake Lodge, with beginner access to the Wasatch chair (turn left on unloading) or Quincy, Viking, Red Cloud, and Judge chairs. Turn right and go pass the Sterling chair base and under the bridge.

To Get From the top of Bald Eagle Mountain (Wasatch, Sultan, and Sterling chairs) to Flagstaff and Empire Canyon--Scenic route: Go under the Sterling Chair as close to the rope as possible to Sunset(green). Whenever there is an intersection, go left until you can’t, because left is uphill. Take the Quincy chair at the end of the run. The run names you will be on are Sunset, Sunset West, and Ontario, but just remember to bear to the left.

Intermediate, fast route--Go down Birdseye--Stay to the left of the Sterling chair. Pass the base of Sterling chair on its left. Make a sharp left and go under the bridge to Quincy. To Get to Empire Canyon--First you have to get to the top of Flagstaff Mountain. Follow any of the above routes to Quincy chair, which goes to the top of Flagstaff Mountain. Turn right when you unload and go straight across the mountain, under the Northside chair to Bandana (green). Go down Bandana. When you see the lodge, go to the closest chair to the left of the lodge, Empire Canyon chair (advanced intermediates and experts only).

AT THE END OF THE DAY--To return from Empire Canyon, start by taking the Ruby chair to the top of Flagstaff Mountain. To return from Flagstaff, take Ontario (green) to either Viking or Judge chairs. Ski to either the Silver Lake Express, which goes to Snow Park base, with no more skiing involved, or the Homestake chair to the top of Bald Eagle Mountain, from where you ski down to the Snow Park Base (green, blue, or black). To return from Bald Mountain, either go down Birdseye to the Silver Lake Express, which goes to Snow Park base, with no more skiing involved, or the Homestake chair to the top of Bald Eagle Mountain, from where you ski down to the Snow Park Base (green, blue, or black), or go down to the Wasatch chair base and take the chair across the gully from Wasatch, Crown Point Chair. Caution: There is no easy(green) way down from Crown Point.

To get to the bottom of the Wasatch chair from Sultan or Mayflower: For Mayflower, turn right and go straight across Stein’s Way to the cat track into the trees, from where you ski down to Sultan chair. From the top of Sultan chair, go down any run to the left of the Wasatch chair.

From Deer Crest: See above for going from the gondola base to Silver Lake.

Deer Valley is expensive, perhaps the most expensive ski resort on the planet, but there are times when it is worth it, times when it will be the best ski trip you ever had. On the other hand, there are times when it is not worth the tariff, times to stay home or go elsewhere.

When Not to Come

1) The first two weeks of January, during the World Cup Ski races because the race set up screws up the entire resort’s operations by blocking off three of the most essential runs– Know You Don’t, Big Stick, and Solid Muldoon– at the place. These the best places to ski on the lower mountain, so for all practical purposes, it takes of 25% of Deer Valley skiing, including 66% of the runs that are just right for improving Intermediates. Even worse, it takes out 66% of all the decent end of the day runs. AT the end of the day, as many as 6,000 skiers have to return to the base area parking lot. There are four good runs for this– Last Chance, which nobody can find; Solid Muldoon which is closed,; Big Stick, which is closed; and Success, an easy Green run. Experts who can still cope with the steeps at the end of the day could go down Know You Don’t, the Olympic Slamon Race Course, but it is closed too. Consequently, everyone, all 6,000, are thrown onto one run– a flat, flat, beginner run. Chaos ensues. It is not pretty, and it not fun. Best to avoid.

That is just the major problems resulting from race week. Minor problems include screwing up Little Stick, the essential run for skiing anywhere on Deer Crest Mtn., and lengthening the flit lines. Longer lift lines ensue because the ski racers have no manners. Then tear down to the lift anh butt their way to the head of the line, a rude practice which for some inexplicable reason, Deer Valley allows, when they should be pulling their lift tickets for reckless skiing in a "Slow Skiing" zone.


2) Christmas Week. While Deer Valley is as good as it ever gets for Christmas Week skiing, it is insane to ski during Christmas Week if you the choice. Same for the MLK Birthday and President’s Day weekends.

3) December before Christmas. Global warming is the villain here, for it makes snow conditions problematic. Coverage is often skimpy at best. Yes, Deer Valley does lower lift ticket prices, but you pay 2/3 to ski 1/3 of the resort. Bad deal. Stay home or go somewhere with snow.

When To Come

1) Christmas week, the most crowded week of ski season, is one of the best times to ski at Deer Valley if you must or choose to ski Christmas Week because Deer Valley limits the number of tickets sold to 6,500 a day (2004-2007). With an uphill lift capacity of 49,000 per hour, this makes for minimal lift lines. Even at the most crowded times, with one big exception: Deer Valley has 21 lifts, but everyone starting from the main base lodge, Snow Park, has to start up the mountains on only two high speed quad lifts (Carpenter and Silver Lake). This usually results in 10-20 waits around opening time.

To minimize wait time, stay at one of the Silver Lake Hotels, located 1,000 ft. above Snow Park, with immediate access to 7 upper mountain lifts.

2) If you are not trapped into Christmas Week skiing, the best time to ski is during the Sundance Film Festival, the last two weeks of January, because Park City’s hotels fill up with people going to movies, not skiing. The drawback is that this is the busiest time of the year in Park City. Hotels are full, and restaurants overwhelmed unless you eat early because the Hollywood crom dines late. Traffic is also a mess.

To find a room and a place to eat when you want to eat, try nearby Heber Valley (see journal on). To beat the traffic, stay at Deer Valley or, if staying in nearby Heber Valley use this route. Because it is US 40 to the turn off to Park City. Entering Park City, turn left at Bonnaza Dr, the light with a light turn arrow. At the next right, Deer Valley Dr., turn left, go 3/4 way around the traffic circle, and continue on Deer Valley Dr. to Deer Valley. This is pretty safe in the early morning, as the movie crowd sleeps in.

To return to Heber Valley, backtrack until you come to the mall on the right on Bonanza Dr. Turn right at the far end of the Mall, left at the dead end, then right at the stop sign. Go as far you can, turn left. Turn right on Kerns Blvd (stop sign) to US 40 to Heber. Traffic may be bad until you reach the turn off of Bonanza, but there is no alternative. This route bypasses busy Kearns Blvd., but do not use it in the morning to get to Deer Valley since it requires a problematic left turn onto Bonanza Dr without a light.

3) The period between the Sundance Film Festival and President’s Day weekend. This marks the start of the busy, non-holiday season, but it is the least crowded part of the heart of ski season. Altogether, a great time to ski.

Deer Valley advertises a total vertical drop of 3,000 ft. Technically, this is true, and technically it
is false. It is true that the top of the highest lift, Empire Canyon, is 3,000 ft. above the base of
the lowest lift, the Jordanelle Gondola, but skiing from top to bottom requires riding at least three
lifts and more likely four unless you know the key to the most efficient route. The biggest drop
that can be skied without having to ride a lift is 2,400 ft., Stein’s Way, from the top of the Sultan
Chair to the base of Mayflower Chair (And then you have ride two lifts to get back to the top of
Stein’s Way).

Deer Valley limits lift ticket sales. There are usually several days at Christmas week and
President’s Day when they sell out. Arrive too late, and you won’t get in. To assure yourself a
lift ticket, tickets can be reserved in advance by phone or purchased the day before after 3:00pm.
Season pass holders are not subject to the limit.

The parking lot isn’t big enough to hold all the cars that come on busy days. Overflow parking
spreads out on the nearby streets, but beware of the parking restrictions in some nearby
neighborhoods. The cops will give you a ticket. Alternatively, ride the free Park City bus from
your hotel, or park somewhere on the bus route, or stay at a place on the mountain or that
provides a skier shuttle. Parking is rarely a problem except on sunny weekends and at Christmas
and President’s Day.

Deer Valley runs a wagon with seats, and no springs, from the parking lot to the door of the
lodge. There are five parking lots, all in a row extending away from the lodge. The wagon stops
at all except Lot # 1, the closest. Facing the mountain, the wagon stop is to your right at the
gap in the orange rope marking the end of parking except in lot 5 where the wagon will stop
wherever you are along the wagon road. Note the lot number on the sign at the gap in the orange
fence so you know where to return to. On the return, signal the driver that you want to
disembark by holding your hand up above your head (but they usually stop at every lot because
not everybody knows this).

If you are renting a car, consider staying in nearby Heber Valley (Heber City and Midway)
where there are accommodations for all budgets at striking lower prices than comparable digs in
Park City. From Heber, it is 20-30 minutes to all three Park City resorts or to Sundance. The
road to Park City is a four lane expressway that is kept well clear of snow. In 10 years of living in
Heber City and driving to Deer Valley to ski five days a week, the worst road conditions I ever
encountered caused me to slow down to 45 mph. Be warned, there is no night life in Heber Valle,
but there are some good restaurants.

A warning to expert skiers: Deer Valley opened a new mountain, Lady Morgan, for the 2007-
2008 ski season. Lady Morgan is mostly expert terrain and is located on the side of Lady Morgan
Bowl opposite Empire Canyon. Lady Morgan Bowl now has chairs on each side of it, which
makes it tempting to ski down. Beware!! Lady Morgan Bowl is tricky. The Bowl has a funnel
shape, narrowing down into a gully at the base of the Bowl’s fall line. This gully looks tempting,
but you cannot se what is ahead. There is a dam and a reservoir across the gully. There is no
slope to the reservoir, so you walk across the surface. Winter is low water season, so when you
reach the dam, you have to climb the dam. Then Climb down the front of the dam, and resume
skiing. Before risking it, check with ski patrol to see if that’s still how it works.
If you go down Lady Morgan Bowl to the tree line and come to the signs that say easiest
way to your right, turn there. It is not all that easy, being a very narrow steep bumpy path
through the forest, but it beats climbing dams in ski boots.

Park City’s streets are grid locked during the Sundance Film Festival. It is best to stay on the
mountain or at one of the lodging establishments within walking distance or that has its own
shuttle bus to the base.