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Lifts & Terrain

Park City Ski and Snowboard TerrainPark City Mountain Resort has a huge area with 3,300 acres (1,335 hectares) of skiable terrain. It would take days to ski all the runs on the mountain and many more to explore all the off-piste areas. The terrain of the bottom half of the mountain is characterised by long wide cruisers of varying difficult, whilst the upper parts have multiple bowls and gladed areas for experts. The steeps are not as terrifying as those at Alta or Snowbird, but Jupiter Peak is adequately challenging.

The terrain is divided into 7 different zones which are outlined on trail maps to aid orientation. A town bridge that goes over Park Ave enables skiers and snowboarders to ride directly from the mountain to lower Main Street.

Park City Lifts There is great lift infrastructure with four of the 16 lifts being 6-pack high speed chairs. There are a few slow lifts, with the Town Lift being a notable one where it’s tempting to have a snooze on the way up. The slowness is excusable considering the convenience it provides. This lift can also be downloaded.

Lift queues are only a problem during holidays or other peak periods. Signs at the top of Payday and Bonanza provide likely wait times for these lifts. If Payday has a line, try the Eagle chair or Town Lift. The slow Three Kings Lift can also suffer from queues, but none of the park and pipe riders seem to mind.

Night skiing is available for the PayDay and First Time lifts.

Lift Tickets If you are skiing at Park City in peak periods, you may want to purchase the Fast Tracks Pass which enables priority access to the lifts. These are available on multi-day tickets of 10 days or more.

Lift ticket prices vary throughout the season with an average price of about $79 for a single adult ticket, and up to $86 at Xmas time (08-09 prices). Prices per day are not necessarily discounted for multi-day tickets. Slightly cheaper tickets are available on the Silver Passport which also enables flexibility to use multi-day tickets at The Canyons or Deer Valley (not for snowboarders). The tickets can only be purchased at least two weeks prior to arrival and as part of a lodging package with various companies. Black-out periods apply during the Xmas holiday period.

Costco offers significant discounts on PCMR tickets. Ski N See in SLC and other various ski shops will also sell discount tickets. SkiTruck.com near the airport also sell discounted lift passes.

Snow and Weather Conditions Park City has characteristic Utah dry powder, and with high altitude, the snow quality is beautiful. The annual snowfall is nothing to baulk at, but it doesn’t receive the 500 inches of snowfall that other Utah resorts get.

Pinecone Ridge and the Jupiter area have a lot of rocks so they need a lot of snow coverage, and may be closed early in the season. Snowmaking tops up the coverage in the high traffic areas, with water being pumped up from the mines.

This resort doesn’t typically suffer from visibility issues, and even though McConkey’s area is sometimes windy, it is incredibly rare that any of the lifts are put on wind hold.

For the Beginner The proportion of beginners’ terrain is only 18 percent, but considering the size of the resort, there is more green terrain than your average beginner could poke a stick at. Novices play on the aptly named First Time lift at the base of the resort. For other beginners, there are two dedicated slow zone areas. This is necessary because lots of blue and black runs feed into the green trails, and peak hour hits the Homerun in the afternoon. Hold your best snowplow and the faster skiers should go around you – hopefully!

Intermediate Ski and Board Terrain Forty four percent of the terrain is rated blue or double blue, so choices abound for the intermediate skier. The number of blue runs off the King Con lift is mind boggling, let alone all the other trails on the mountain. Park City is blessed with lots of great fall line highway-wide groomers. Keystone is a lovely quiet blue run off the Thaynes chair which provides plenty of rest time. For great snow quality ride the McConkey’s lift and rip up Tycoon and the new Georgeanna run.

Park City also has Signature runs that are black runs that have been groomed. These are fantastic to practice edging or are great for those with a need for speed.

Skiing Terrain For the Family/Kids The area near the base is great for families. Ski lessons for the little tackers are in a dedicated ski school corral with magic carpets, and the lifts that fan out from the base service green runs as well as more challenging trails and terrain parks. If the family needs a break from skiing or snowboarding, the Alpine Coaster (rollercoaster) is in this locale also.

Parks and Pipes Park City Mountain Resort has four terrain parks for different levels, as well as a massive superpipe. The tricks performed by the folks with their pants past their crack are just as massive. Serious park riders who can perform should hang around the Three Kings Lift, whilst Payday Terrain Park is lit at night.

Park City is great for snowboarders, but there are some flat spots to avoid, namely Jupiter Access and Thaynes Canyon.

Advanced Skiing and Snowboarding The resort has many traditional on-piste black runs across the lower parts of the mountain. The signature runs are groomed periodically so the bumps don’t get too big. Black runs off the Motherlode and Thaynes lifts are some of the best, and if you want a little more of a challenge, duck into the Motherlode Meadows. The gladed area is marked as double black but it is not steep so it is not too tricky.

Another easy double black is the beautifully gladed area in the Black Forest (off McConkie’s) where there may be great powder rewards. The Blue Slip bowl off the Pioneer lift is also not too taxing. This bowl received its name because this area used to be beyond the resort boundary, and workers who were caught ducking the rope received a blue slip (ie you’re fired). Not a bad way to lose your job!

Expert Riding McConkie’s Bowl is “the legendary” run at Park City Mountain Resort. The perception of the steepness of this run will depend upon whether it is covered in fresh powder, or has shoulder-high moguls. It’s well trafficked so it doesn’t take long for the bumps to grow. Much more fun can be had next door in the really steep trees in Molly’s. This is definitely territory to wear a helmet.

Jupiter Bowl is the highest point on the mountain, accessed by the Jupiter double chairlift. Up here there are double black diamond trails that should scare the pants off most. The terrain up here is varied with wide faces, narrow treed runs and chutes. One common denominator for all runs is the steep pitch. A 20-minute walk along the ridge to Jupiter Peak will get to the steep East Face into Puma Bowl. The peak and Puma can also be accessed with a hike from McConkey’s.

Pinecone Ridge receives very little traffic and those who are prepared to make the hike from Scott’s Pass west of Scott’s Bowl will be well rewarded. The 600 acres of bowls and glades provide an in-bounds back-country experience. Unfortunately this area is frequently closed, either due to lack of cover or because of the significant avalanche control required.

For the Powderhound Park City is a very appropriate mountain for powderhounds, although the likelihood of having the powder to yourself will vary depending upon the time of year. The best powder can be found in the trees off McConkey’s and Thayne’s lifts, and the areas least likely to track out are off Jupiter Peak and Jupiter Bowl.

Skiing or snowboarding out of bounds is not permitted, unless you go on an Interconnect Tour.