You know what I’m talking about.  Every family ski day morning finding coats, pants, hats, socks, boots . . .and going back for the forgotten goggles and helmet . . .and back again for the forgotten again skis.  Then getting to the ski resort and buying the overpriced forgotten gloves.  Then hearing, “I don’t want to ski.”  Then hearing, “it’s too cold.”  Then . . . . well as I said:  You know what I’m talking about.  Soon, you realize that instead of working and fighting just to ski the bunny hill all day . . .again. . .  Maybe you should just ski without them and wait till they are older to try again.

Hmpfff . . and bah humbug.

DON”T GIVE UP!!!

Yesterday, I finally realized the dream that kept me going.  My daughter squealed with delight as she skied powder for the first time.  And my son skied his first off trail black diamond run, “Vail Ridge”, knee deep in powder.  Thank you Alta.  Thank you Snow Fairy.  Thank you to all the other parents who fight the good ski family fight.  And thank you, kiddos, for fulfilling my dreams.

I attended a Park City Area Lodging Association meeting at Deer Valley on Wednesday, Jan 4, 2012 (what a great group of people!).    After the meeting I went outside intending to quickly run to my car to get back to the office.   As I stepped out of the doorway, I was greeted by sun, smiles, and amazing views.   I then noticed a scene unsurprising at Deer Valley.   A Ski Ambassador and Ski Patrol walking with a guest to the chairlift.    I had to stop and ask for a phone photo opp.   They enthusiastically agreed to indulge me, and posed together.   Take a look at those smiles!
Why smiles? 220 million gallons of water was converted to snow in the month of December. 220 MILLION GALLONS! Note – I stated converted, not used. Not lost, or wasted, just converted for a few months. In the spring it will return to mother earth.
Why smiles? 61 Open Runs
Why smiles? Sunshine and perfect family conditions
Why smiles? Unparalleled service. Two employees for each skier on the mountain.
Why smiles? I haven’t even mentioned the gourmet cuisine.
Why smiles? Well – I guess a few other people have been smiling along with me – as evidenced by the unprecedented five years reigning as the #1 Ski Resort in North America as voted by Ski Magazine.

Deer Valley Ski, Sun, Snow, Service

Like much of the nation, snow reports indicate ski conditions aren’t great – however snow totals don’t always accurately depict ski conditions.  We continue to get this question “How is the snow?”  and our truthful answer is “it’s better than you think”.

Ski Utah describes how conditions can be so good despite lower than average snow totals:

1. Temperatures are cold, resorts are making snow and moving it around their mountains.
2. Sunny and blue skies make for great experiences for families, friends and groups!  And it’s a great time to introduce a never-ever to our sport.  (January is “Learn to Ski & Snowboard” month).
3. Groomers are awesome and moguls are challenging.
4. 106 of 138 lifts are OPEN in Utah!
5. Some of the snowiest months are yet to come!  February averages as much as 90 inches of snow, March can deliver nearly 100 inches and even April averages 80 inches of The Greatest Snow on Earth ®.

I am a strong believer in buying local. Whether it is local art, locally grown food, or any locally owned business, I believe in supporting the economy where I live. I also believe that purveying the local pearls cuts down on the need for preservatives in my food, and pollution in my air. Well, Utah Vacation Homes is Utah born and bred. I assumed that people calling would know that we are sitting here in the shadows cast by the great, snow-covered mountains they will come to ski. I was wrong.

I think I am the farthest thing from local that we have here, I came to Utah 33 years ago, (really? AAAGH!!!), for college. As much as I cling to my urbane, New England roots, I am a local. I even sound like a local. Hmmm.

So, to clarify, for those of you who are used to national call centers and anonymous voices on numerous lines: we live here. When you drive to your vacation home, you will pass within 3 miles of us. We are here.

When we tell you to go to The Cotton Bottom for the best Garlic Burger on the planet, we know. When I tell you that “in my opinion” Le Caille is pompous and pricey, well, I was married there, so I know, (it was a beautiful wedding). When I say that Bambara is great, IF they don’t seat you near the kitchen, well, it is true, (-and they did, and I was not happy).

Yes, in fact, if you add together all of the years of combined skiing experience in this office, well, we have something like 167 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE ON THESE SLOPES!!! And of course, we have 231 years of experience eating in these restaurants, playing in these parks, hiking and biking and golfing and….well, there is very little that we have NOT done here.

So please, go local!!

Snowbird is 40 years old. Hard to believe. I remember when it opened up (yes, I realize this dates me, too.) It was great right from the start. The snow was terrific and the staff eager to please. My sister and I took our little ones for lessons and they came away with a great love for skiing that continues to this day. I remember a light, fluffy snow was falling as we stood at the foot of the slope when we arrived that morning and the sky was blue with a shinning sun by the afternoon; it was a perfect day.

Snowbird has a very high level skiing experience that has powder lovers like my son scrambling to get “first tracks” after a new snowfall and keeps them there all day because the snow is always good and the runs challenging. Little Cottonwood Canyon is a skiers delight as it offers the intermediate skier a great day as well as the expert.

The Tram at Snowbird is legendary. It has been there since the opening and has brought people from all over the world together in the roomy gondolas. Your whole family or group of friends can walk on and ride together as the most beautiful scenery ever flows by you.

From the beginning, great attention was paid to the surrounding buildings. The idea was to bring the mountain experience inside with wonderful mountain views through the large windows. I love eating an energy lunch looking at the snow-covered hills I just conquered, knowing I have a full afternoon of great skiing ahead of me.
Happy 40th Birthday, Snowbird. And thanks for the memories.

Tired of Skiing Your Front Yard?

Ever dreamed of taking a ski vacation to Park City or Salt Lake City? Enter now to win a 3 night ski vacation to Utah! Ski Weekend Sweepstakes winner will receive airfare, lodging, car rental, ski lift tickets, ski rental and restaurant gift card. Utah Vacation Homes has partnered with Ski N See Ski and Snowboard Rentals, Enterprise Rent-a-Car, and Market Street Grill to bring you a chance to live the dream. Don’t delay – enter to win now!

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And while you are at it – take a look at the following condos and homes still available for this Christmas and New Year’s week with only a 4 night minimum:

Park City
Bear Hollow #10 http://www.utahvacationhomes.com/parkcity_bear_hollow10.aspx
Bear Hollow #9   http://www.utahvacationhomes.com/parkcity_bear_hollow9.aspx
Red Pine O6   http://www.utahvacationhomes.com/parkcity_redpine_o6.aspx

Salt Lake City

Canyon Racquet Club B4
 http://www.utahvacationhomes.com/saltlake_canyon_racquet_clubb4.aspx
Oaks at Wasatch #8  http://www.utahvacationhomes.com/Oaks-at-Wasatch-8-205.aspx
Ontario House http://www.utahvacationhomes.com/Ontario-House-207.aspx
Oaks at Wasatch #4   http://www.utahvacationhomes.com/saltlake_oaks_wasatch4.aspx
Oaks at Wasatch #2 http://www.utahvacationhomes.com/saltlake_oaks_wasatch2.aspx
Bengal Park http://www.utahvacationhomes.com/saltlake_bengal_park.aspx

I had the duty of attending a Ski Utah Board Meeting yesterday, December 7, 2011 at Alta Ski Resort.  I know, bummer for me right?  Well when duty calls . . .

Fortunately the meeting was a mid-mountain at the Watson Shelter mid mountain lodge.  And attendance required a ski -in ski out agenda.  Much to my delight, conditions were amazing!  Great coverage on all runs, and even Ballroom was completely filled in.  I shared a chair lift with Onno Wieringa, Alta Ski Resort General Manager, who mentioned that even Ballroom Couloir was almost ready to open.  The snow was a blast to carve, no icy spots and no crowds.  Blue skies and nice temperatures were the cherry on top.

I also shared a chair lift ride with Kym Buttschardt (by the way, she rips).  She was excited to share with me that she would soon get her new  Goode Cabon Fiber Skis – made in Ogden Utah! .  She’s very proud of her hometown – Ogden, Utah – and it’s transformation into the outdoor recreation industry capital of the world.

Kym didn’t take any credit, but reveled in the revitalization of Ogden’s 25th street and downtown atmosphere.  A little digging showed me that her family has been greatly instrumental in the creation of a new life for the city, and its downtown entertainment atmosphere.  As a result of her parents long history in the restaurant business, Kym and her husband Pete jumped in to develop Historic Union Grill at Union Station and Roosters Brewing Company and Restaurant on 25th Street in 1994 – long before downtown was cool.  Their presence gave locals and the droves of new outdoor recreation companies, including Salomon, Goode, Descente, Smith Optics and others,  a place to hang.  I’ve also been a customer for a long time, not knowing the faces behind the food till now.  Mmmmm  . . . I’m getting hungry.

Anyway – the meeting was a great chance to network, and work, and do business stuff – very official and  . . .workish.  And, the skiing after was OK too .

Kym from Roosters & Union Grill Skiing Alta Dec 7, 2011

I can hardly wait! The new Natural History Museum in Salt Lake City opens tomorrow! I am dismayed that all the tickets are sold out for the “first look”, but excited that we will have this amazing state of the art facility in our backyard from now on. The sneak peaks on the website http://nhmu.utah.edu/?q=visit/tickets are enough to give you a sense of something unique and special dawning on the mountainsides of Salt Lake City. The building itself is a work of art. Nestled on a terraced landscape on the east side of the valley, the exterior is made of copper mined right here in the valley and seems to be a part of the mountain itself. The environment around the building has been designed to begin your experience upon your arrival. And you can arrive by hiking to the trail head as the Museum is located right along the Bonneville Shoreline Trail. I am really anxious to see the huge gathering place called The Canyon that is a magnificent view in its own right and gives one a view back into the valley and the city; it also holds 500 collectibles.
Although you do not have to make reservations, it is recommended that you do, especially for the opening through Thanksgiving Weekend.

My personal memories of spending the holidays at the Bear Trap Lodge go nearly 30 years back.  My grandparents started a family tradition to spend the holidays with the entire family together for three days.   The first year Grandpa, Grandma, aunts and uncles, and a whole mess of cousins packed into a cabin in Midway, Utah.  Although a bit small, we made it work and had a great time.  We knew that as the family grew, the size of the cabin needed to grow as well.  The Beartrap Lodge was a Godsend for us.   The next year we all drove up Big Cottonwood Canyon for a great vacation at the cabin in the woods. The 5,500 square foot lodge can sleep 24+ people in 12 queen beds.  Kids love sleeping in sleeping bags in the loft.  And the location, next to Solitude Ski Resort and Brighton Ski Resort gave us plenty of winter and summer activities close nearby.  Breakfast, lunch, or dinner and the Silverfork Lodge also became part of the experience.  Thanksgiving is especially wonderful due to the two kitchens, two dining tables seating 20, and other bar and family room seating.   Priceless memories of turkeys, pumpkin pie, skiing, fruit cocktail pancakes, sledding races, jumping into the snow, stories by the fireplace, and more will always be with me.  The Beartrap became “our” family cabin.  Every year we look forward to our time getting away together.

Beartrap Dining for 20+

I spent a weekend this fall at the beautiful Deer Lake Village #3 in Park City. I was up there with a small group of friends and we had a blast. This home has the perfect lodging  location  for anyone who wants to be close to Main Street but doesn’t want to stay in the crowded, noisy Old Town area. When I got there on Friday night I had a great time preparing dinner in the fantastic chef’s kitchen. Everything I needed to make lasagna from scratch was available, making the dinner process go without a hitch. After dinner we sat outside and enjoyed the views of Deer Valley from the hot tub. We chose the perfect time of year to come out, we saw a myriad of colors as the fall leaves were starting to turn. After relaxing in the hot tub we sat around the fireplace and talked about how nice the vacation home was. What is great about the fireplace is while it is wood burning there is a gas lighter making it convenient to get a fire started. The next night we spent on Park City’s Main Street exploring all of the sights. From the home we only had to drive about 3 or 4 minutes to get to the heart of Main. Once we were done with the noise, we got back to the home and slept in the super comfortable beds. Overall we all had a fantastic time and I hope to go back for ski season, with it being on the Deer Valley shuttle route it would make ski access  at one of the top rated resorts so easy.