Park City Mountain Resort

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Park City Mountain Resort is a ski resort in Park City, Utah. The resort has been a major tourist attraction for skiers from all over the United States, as well as main employer for many people in Park City. Park City, as it is often called by locals, holds many training courses for the U.S. Ski Team, including slalom and giant slalom runs. The resort hosted all snowboard events and the men's and women's alpine giant slalom events in the 2002 Winter Olympics.

[edit] History

The present Park City ski area opened on December 21, 1963. Originally named Treasure Mountain and operated by the United Park City Mines, it boasted the longest gondola in the U.S., as well as a double chairlift and two J-bar surface lifts.

The Gondola was a four passenger Polig-Heckel-Bleichert (PHB, a German aerial ropeway company). Its sister lift was built at Sugarloaf/USA in Carrabassett Valley, Maine, after top members of Sugarloaf's management visited Park City to view the lift.

When the slopes opened to the public, skiers were transported nearly 3 miles (5 km) into the mountain on the Spiro Tunnel mine train and then lifted 1800 ft (548 m) to the slopes on a mine hoist elevator. Aerial trams once used for hauling ore were converted into chairlifts. To this day, there are still more than 1000 miles (1609 km) of old silver-mine workings and tunnels beneath the slopes at Park City Mountain Resort and Deer Valley.

The ski area's name change to Park City came in its fourth season of 1966-67. After seven seasons, the resort was sold by the mining company to Edgar Stern in 1970.

The sister area "Park City West" (now The Canyons) opened in 1968. Deer Valley Resort opened in December 1981, at the site of the former "Snow Park" 1946-69.

[edit] Facts and figures

Base elevation: 6,900 ft (2103 m)
Summit elevation: 10,000 ft (3048 m)
Vertical rise: 3,100 ft (944 m)
Total mountain peaks: 7
Total skiable area: 3,300 acres (13.4 km²)
Lifts: 15 total (4 detachable 6-person, 2 detachable quad, 5 triples, 4 doubles, 1 magic carpet)
Terrain:
- Beginner: 18%
- Intermediate: 44%
- Expert: 38%