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Utah Park City for non-skier

Pdub

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We are planning a family trip next year in early March. My wife does not ski and enjoys art galleries, high end shopping, and hiking/snowshoeing. We usually go to Snowmass; I ski there with the kids while she explores Aspen or hikes. This year we wanted to try something different. I am hesitant because 1. I have an Ikon Pass 2. I like Snowmass and the Highlands far more than Park City/DV/Canyons and 3. why change something that has worked well?

Anyway, if she has plenty to do we'll consider PC. For one thing flights are easier and cheaper.

Specifically, is there reasonably good hiking or snowshoeing within walking distance of the old town? Is the ambiance of Park City similar to Aspen?

Thanks!
 

Jim Kenney

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You'll need a PC local to chime in for the finer details, but I have visited both Aspen and PC a number of times and they are generally comparable in many ways for a ski vacationer, especially from the perspective of a tag-along non-skier. PC has plenty of shops, galleries, restaurants, Olympic Museum, etc., as much or more stuff going on as Aspen. For your situation I would look at accommodations at the base of the Park City lifts, not the Canyons lifts, so that your wife as super access to the town, while you can still easily ski the whole complex. With my non-skiing wife I have hiked and snowshoed a couple miles from the town of PC over by the PC Ice Arena at the quiet Quinns trail loop near Deer Valley, but I know there are closer trails near the edge of town too. The elevation of PC is about a 1000 feet lower than Aspen which might help with lung power for a walker. There is also a large conventional shopping district about five miles from PC in Kimball Juncion, and SLC (free choir concerts thursday nights at Mormon tabernacle) is only 45 mins from PC. There is a ton of good skiing at PC. However, the skiing at the Aspen areas has more high-end double black diamond terrain, but you asked about non-skiers.

PS: since you have IKON I guess you'be be interested in skiing DV, Alta/Bird. You could reach all those based in PC and perhaps only do a couple days on the hill at PC. DV five mins, Alta/Bird about 50 mins from PC.
 
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Wilhelmson

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I think there's a lot of stuff. I had a friend who used to bike or cross country ski to work downtown, so I know there's a maintained trail around there somewhere. Bring your wallet and several credit cards.
 
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Pdub

Pdub

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Thanks for responses, very helpful. I didn't realize DV was on Ikon. Two days at PC, one at DV, one at Alta will make good use of the Ikon Pass. Will check those leads on hiking trails.
 
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Pdub

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Follow up question:
What are the chances that the run "Quit n Time," which leads back to the Town Lift Area, will be open by December 21? My wife wants to stay close to the Town Lift, which is fine as long as we can ski back without taking a shuttle.
 

scott43

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We drifted through PC the Sunday or Monday, can't remember, after the Sundance Festival. Lots of wine and beer trucks cleaning up so there is definitely stuff to do. It's on our list of places to ski because of the town accessibility and having kids that may need something other than skiing to do. Not to mention it's 30mins to the airport..
 

Jim Kenney

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Follow up question:
What are the chances that the run "Quit n Time," which leads back to the Town Lift Area, will be open by December 21? My wife wants to stay close to the Town Lift, which is fine as long as we can ski back without taking a shuttle.

Again, need a local to help with that detail, but I would think they'd be pretty motivated to get that covered with snowmaking ASAP, certainly by Christmas. Here is a photo I took of that run a couple years ago in mid-season. The famous High West Distillery/Restaurant is one of the grey buildings behind black lift pole in right foreground.
park city town lift.jpeg

More photos of PC here: https://web.archive.org/web/20161127191559/http://www.epicski.com:80/a/park-city-2-0
 

Tony

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I didn't realize DV was on Ikon. Two days at PC, one at DV, one at Alta will make good use of the Ikon Pass.
Park City is NOT on Ikon. Two days there will probably cost over $300 for each person. December could be too early for good skiing on that side of the Wasatch. It was last year when only a few runs were open on man-made snow. See http://bestsnow.net/010118.htm for Jan. 1, 2018 report which has Park City 18% open. Your original idea of early March should have better snow.
 
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Pdub

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Thanks Tony, I knew that PC is not on Ikon, I just meant that at least I could use my Ikon Pass by hitting DV or Alta.
As far as conditions go, I realize it's a huge risk but for logistical reasons (kids' vacations and racing schedules) March will not work. If it's a big bust I do have a car so I'll drive over to Alta for at least two days.

As far as pricing PC sells a 4-pack for $339 which seems like the cheapest way to ski 3 or 4 days. Our dates are not blacked out.
And thank you Jim, that pic is quite helpful! Makes sense to get that trail covered early.
 

Tony

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As far as pricing PC sells a 4-pack for $339 which seems like the cheapest way to ski 3 or 4 days.
Not trying to r---n on your planned trip, but when I looked for the Park City 4-pack, I saw they are only for UT residents (not sure if they check) and have to be purchased by 9/3.

If you have to change from Aspen, have you considered Steamboat? Town may not be as good for non-skiers as Aspen, but it should be comparable to Park City. I've never skied there (drove through in summer many years ago - maybe this is the year as I also have an Ikon).

Steamboat is on list of best places for early season, along with Winter Park which would not have as much to keep non-skier occupied. A earlier version of best places for early season also includes some interesting rules.
 
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Lorenzzo

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Hiking in the winter is largely confined to on skis on the cross country trails. Snowshoeing is all around the downtown area but the best way to approach it particularly for an out of towner would be through White Pine Touring's guided tours. I haven't done it but guests have and they all raved about it. Town access from PCMR is hit or miss early season. They try to get it open but elevation is low (down to 7K) so it's nighttime temp dependent. Bus service would be your fallback but it's incredible and early season in particular would be a good time to use it.

Town ambiance IMO is nothing like Aspen except that there's a Gorsuch on Main St. If an Aspen like experience is what you want, honestly I'd just go there although Aspen has its own early season issues.
 

New2

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Since you're talking about driving to Alta a couple days, sounds like you'll have a rental car, which means Sundance is a great destination for your wife to consider. It's an easy, scenic 45-minute drive from Park City, and they've got a real Nordic Center with snowshoe rentals and marked trails through some incredibly beautiful woods. And the resort also has phenomenal restaurants, a bit of shopping, and various art workshops or other events. It's impossible to accurately forecast snowfall, of course, but sometimes storms hit Sundance harder than other areas, which might mean it's worth spending a day with the whole family skiing there. And of course the opposite is true, too, they could get skunked while Alta or Park City has more snow... just another possibility to add to the list.
 

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