Utah Ski Deals

Flaky Fundraiser Supports Ski Utah School Program

Ski Utah offers an in-school learn to ski and ride program for fourth graders. For the first time, the organization has introduced a fundraising promotion in hopes of spreading this unique program to more schools throughout the state.

In trying economic times, some schools cannot afford the fees associated with the program. As a result, Ski Utah has introduced the “Flake Your Friends” fundraiser in hopes of raising money for these schools and families.

Donors can visit the Ski Utah website at www.skiutah.com to make donations to the school program. Donations of $50 or more will earn the chance to “Flake a Friend.” Five large snowflakes will be delivered for every $50 donated to the yard of a friend or family member selected by the donor. Ski Utah’s flakes will spread across Utah as a token of gratitude for helping more children have the opportunity to enjoy The Greatest Snow on Earth.

On Oct. 24, Ski Utah participated in “Boo at the Zoo,” Hogle Zoo’s annual Halloween celebration. Brigham Young University Recreation Management students handed out information concerning Ski Utah’s 5th and 6th grade programs from an igloo booth that they created. BYU students are also assisting with the Ski Utah “Flaking Fundraiser.”

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Second Utah Ski Resort Set to Open This Week

Solitude Mountain Resort launched the Utah ski and snowboard season this past Friday with its Moonbeam Express and Link chairlifts spinning, following a passholder-only sneak season preview on Thanksgiving. Now its neighbor, Brighton Resort, announced on Monday that it will get into the game as well this Wednesday, five days ahead of schedule.

Brighton will open for the 2009-10 season at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 11 with limited trail access from the Majestic and Explorer lifts. Lift tickets are discounted to $30 for the Veterans Day opening.

The mountain is reporting 16 inches of snow at mid mountain.

“With colder temperatures coming to Utah on Thursday, our crews are hopeful that they will be able to open up additional lifts on the weekend,” said Brighton spokesperson, Jared Winkler.

Solitude remains open with lift ticket rates reduced to $39 for ages 14 and up, and $29 for juniors 7-13 . Children 6 and under ski free.

Other Utah resorts are scheduled to open for the winter season as follows:

• Alta: Nov. 20, 2009
• Beaver Mountain: TBA
• Brian Head: Nov. 21, 2009
• The Canyons: Nov. 27, 2009
• Deer Valley: Dec. 5, 2009
• Park City Mountain: Nov. 21, 2009
• Powder Mountain: Nov. 28, 2009
• Snowbasin: Nov. 26, 2009
• Snowbird: Nov. 21, 2009
• Sundance: Dec. 11, 2009
• Wolf Creek Utah: Nov. 27, 2009

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Hot Deals During Park City’s Cold Winter

From free lift tickets and meals to bonus spa treatments and lodging nights, Park City resorts and lodging properties are offering deals and incentives to visit the Utah resort community throughout the 2009-10 ski and snowboard season.

Check out these deals below for affordable lodging options, perfect for the value-savvy traveler.

* QuickSTART (Ski Today and Ride Today)
Free lift ticket
www.parkcityinfo.com
Hop on an early-morning flight to Salt Lake City International Airport and start your ski or snowboard vacation with a free lift ticket. Show your boarding pass, redemption voucher and a valid out-of-state ID at any of the three Park City-area ski resorts and receive a free same-day lift ticket. Note: Online pre-registration required. Visit www.parkcityinfo.com to register. Offer valid resorts’ opening day – December 24, 2009; January 3 – February 12, 2010; March 28 – April 11, 2010.

* Ski Free, Stay Free
Participating hotels throughout Park City
www.parkcityinfo.com
Super-size your early-season vacation with a free night of lodging and a free day of skiing per person at participating hotels throughout Park City. Purchase three nights of lodging and three days of lift tickets and receive and extra night’s lodging and extra day’s lift tickets at any of the three Park City-area ski resorts for free. No strings attached. Note: Valid only December 5-18, 2009 and March 28 – April 11, 2010; visit www.parkcityinfo.com for a list of participating hotels.

* Third Night Free
Starting at $79 per night
Yarrow Resort www.yarrowresort.com
Need to get away for a hot minute and don’t want to break the bank? Book a room at the Yarrow Resort for two nights and receive an additional third night for free now through December 17, 2009. Deluxe rooms at the Yarrow Resort start at $79 per night. The Yarrow Resort is conveniently located on Park Avenue and one block to Park City’s free public transportation bus stop.

* Ticket to Ride (or Ski)
$215 per person, per night
Treasure Mountain Inn
www.treasuremountaininn.com
Stop paying premium rates during the holiday period with Treasure Mountain Inn’s Ticket to Ride (or Ski) package. Valid over Christmas and New Years, the Ticket to Ride (or Ski) package provides discounted savings on the big components of a ski trip. Perched at the top of Main Street in Historic Old Town, Treasure Mountain Inn is a convenient hotel that provides walking access to dozens of shops, restaurants and bars.
Package includes:

• Round-trip airport transfers (an $80 value)
• Breakfast (approximately a $15 value)
• Daily lift tickets at choice of three Park City-area ski resorts (approximately an $80 value)
• Lodging (a $40 value after factoring in the above amenities)

Note: 4-night minimum; package rate not available on premium rooms during holiday period.

* Free Daily Spa and Breakfast
Starting at $325 per night
The Sky Lodge
www.theskylodge.com
Receive a free 50-minute spa treatment and complimentary breakfast per room for each night of your stay at The Sky Lodge between Nov. 26, 2009 and Apr. 13, 2010. Each 50-minute spa treatment is valued at $110. Located on the corner of Main Street and Heber Avenue, The Sky Lodge is Main Street’s first five-star property, combining urban loft flare with Rocky Mountain living. Note: Free Spa package not available December 26, 2009 – January 2, 2010, January 21 – 31, 2010 and February 10 – 15, 2010.

* 2-Night Luxury Stay & Ski Package
Starting at $409 per night
Hotel Park City
www.hotelparkcity.com
Forget long minimum-night requirements and indulge in a luxury value ski getaway at Hotel Park City. Reducing their minimum-stay requirements to two nights, Hotel Park City is offering the ultimate ski lodge escape for an affordable weekend-style getaway. Hotel Park City is centrally located within five minutes of all three Park City-area ski resorts and major shopping and dining establishments.

Package includes:

• Daily lift tickets for two people at choice of three Park City-area ski resorts
• Daily breakfast buffet for two people
• Courtesy shuttle to all three Park City-area ski resorts
• Unlimited use of health club and spa amenities

Note: Children under 17 staying in room with adult are at no extra charge; offer expires Apr. 12, 2010.

* Winter Playland Package
Save over $500
The Canyons Resort
www.thecanyons.com
Book a Winter Playland Package through any of The Canyons Resort’s lodging properties and receive over $500 in bonus amenities. This package is available Dec. 4, 2009 – Apr. 7, 2010 with no blackout dates. With over 3700 acres of skiable terrain, The Canyons Resort is one of the largest ski and snowboard areas in North America.
Package includes any three of the following choices:

• Three-day adult lift ticket
• Two First Tracks passes
• Three-day rental equipment
• Full-day adult or child group ski/snowboard lesson
• $150 resort dining credit
• 50-minute massage at the Grand Summit Spa

Note: Four-night minimum stay required in a 1-bedroom (or larger) suite.

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Snowbird Customer Appreciation Days Generate Over Two Tons of Food

Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort on Wednesday will deliver to the Utah Food Bank more than 5,000 pounds of food – the equivalent of 2,500 meals – collected during the resort’s annual Customer Appreciation Days.

An exact figure of non-perishable food donated will be determined at the Utah Food Bank on Wednesday at the organization’s new $10 million facility, which opened earlier this month. Last year, Snowbird’s Customer Appreciation days were extended from four to six days due to warm weather and the Utah resort raised a total of 8,352 pounds of food.

In addition, $1,200 was raised for the Wasatch Adaptive Sports Program. Customer Appreciation Days, during which one can of food equals one free Tram ride, took place Oct. 31-Nov. 1 and Nov. 7-8. In lieu of food, customers were able to make a $2 donation for a Tram ride.

“Snowbird’s annual customer appreciation program is a great way for us to give back to our guests while contributing to a great cause,” said Snowbird President Bob Bonar. “We’re delighted to help support the Utah Food Bank as they embark on their Holiday Food Drive.”

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Thanksgiving Specials at The Canyons Resort

The Canyons Resort is offering some exciting Thanksgiving specials this holiday season including; lodging packages, Thanksgiving dining options for in home or at the Cabin restaurant, and seasonal spa treatments. The Thanksgiving holiday weekend launches the 2009-10 ski season as the resort’s opening day is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 27.

The Canyons is extending its employee rate to all guests at any of The Canyons’ four world-class lodges. Rooms are available from $49.50 per person, per night based on double occupancy. Guests who stay 3 nights will receive 2 free lift tickets. These lodging deals are available Nov. 23-29, 2009 and can be booked by calling 888-CANYONS (226-9667).

The Canyons’ culinary team has taken the hassle out of preparing Thanksgiving dinner with a number of special offers:

• Dine at The Cabin Restaurant’s Thanksgiving Harvest buffet from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The buffet costs $36 for adults and $15 for children 12 years and under. Reservations are required.
• For a more intimate Thanksgiving dinner, guests staying at any of the properties at The Canyons can book the “In-Room Turkey” program. For $149, staff will deliver a complete Thanksgiving dinner to your room for six to eight people. For those in the area but not staying at one of The Canyons’ properties, it’s available for $179 delivered or $149 picked up at the Grand Summit Hotel. Call The Cabin at (435) 615-8060) 72 hours in advance to place your order.

Information about any of these offers can be found at www.thecanyons.com or by calling (888) 226-9667.

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Utah Ski Resort Going on Auction Block

Once envisioned as a private luxury ski resort, the former Elk Meadows ski area in Beaver Canyon will be sold via an Internet auction Nov. 20.

For 25 years, Elk Meadows was a hidden stash in the Tushar Mountains east of Beaver. However, its location — nearly four hours south of Salt Lake and a 90-minute drive past Brian Head for Las Vegas skiers — left the mountain with less than 20,000 skier visits annually in its later years. The ski area ceased operation following the 2001-02 winter season after its then-owner Wayne Case of Portland, Ore. filed for bankruptcy.

Subsequent efforts by Craig Burton, the president of Holladay, Utah-based CPB Development to transform the defunct 1,138-acre ski area into an ultra-luxury, ultra-exclusive resort modeled on Montana’s Yellowstone Club drew the ire of local residents and Elk Meadows homeowners alike.

The ski area has six lifts spanning 1,300 vertical feet. While there is some infrastructure in place, Elk Meadows is a project that requires vision and persistence, say auctioneers LFC Group. This non-operational ski resort needs work, and the low minimum bid of $1,000,000 reflects that reality.

“This is really a special piece of property, one that requires the broad exposure and universal accessibility that only an online auction can deliver,” said Shawn Miller, Director of Sales the LFC Group of Companies. “With our Internet-based auction platform, interested bidders can easily conduct due diligence and place bids from wherever they are – an unmatched level of convenience for buyers that has helped spark substantial international interest.”

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December Winemaker’s Weekend at Alta

Fisher Vineyards and Alta Lodge have teamed up for a festive weekend of food and wine pairings, dining and skiing at Alta during the first weekend of December, featuring wines from Fisher’s Spring Mountain and Napa Valley estates paired with specially selected menu items from Alta Lodge Chef Paul Raddon.

Napa Valley proprietor and winemaker Juelle Lamb Fisher grew up in Salt Lake City skiing the slopes of Alta. After graduating from University of Utah and moving to California, she met and married her husband Fred, and Fisher Vineyards was launched in 1973.

“I remember skiing at Alta when there was only one lift – the single chair Collins. None of the runs were groomed and there was always great fresh powder,” reflected Fisher. “Today, I often think, when I walk to the top of our vineyard terraces, what a great journey it has been, from the pristine mountain air and skiing to the quietness of the early morning in our mountain vineyards.”

Chef Raddon was schooled in French Escoffier-style cooking as well as and Asian-fusion, which combines Asian and French cooking. He refers to his cooking style as “eclectic”, with signature menu items that include pork tenderloin with cider Bourbon sauce and cranberry chutney, panko-crusted salmon with mango vanilla bean sauce, and bison prime rib with red currant Cabernet sauce. Alta Lodge has drawn wine enthusiasts for the last four years for summer wine pairings weekends.

The weekend Dec. 4-6 starts on Friday evening with a winemaker’s reception. After skiing on Saturday, there will be a vintner’s dinner featuring special food and wine selections. Sunday is another ski day, with a break for lunch at the Lodge. The three-day winter event includes lodging, breakfast and dinner daily, opening reception, vintner’s dinner and Sunday lunch.

The weekend event is open to non-skiers as well as skiers. The cost for the extended weekend is $797 per person, double occupancy, or $1,154 single occupancy. Tax and service charge are included; a “no wine” rate is also offered.

For more information, visit www.altalodge.com.

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Stay Three Nights and Enjoy the Fourth Night Free at Stein Eriksen Lodge

At Stein Eriksen Lodge, Utah’s only Mobil Five-Star, AAA Five Diamond property located slopeside at Deer Valley Resort, guests can enjoy luxury for less with the announcement of the Lodge’s winter season promotions.

Guests can now receive a free bonus night at the Lodge and a free day of skiing. The special offer is valid Dec. 5-18, 2009, and Mar. 28-Apr. 11, 2010. The package includes Deluxe Room accommodations, daily buffet breakfast, taxes and one adult lift ticket per person to Deer Valley Resort. Rates do not include service charges or gratuities, and additional terms and conditions may apply.

Additional Ski and Stay Packages available during the early winter season at the Stein Eriksen Lodge include the Bronze Ski Package with Deluxe Room accommodations, daily buffet breakfast, taxes and one adult lift ticket per person to Deer Valley Resort for $276 per person, per night, based on double occupancy. This package is valid from Dec. 4-17, 2009 and Mar. 28-Apr. 11, 2010. A two-night minimum stay is required and lift tickets are non-refundable.

To book reservations online visit www.steinlodge.com or call (800) 453-1302.

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Park City’s Ted Ligety is Ready for Vancouver

A champion after only his first trip to the Olympics, the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver mean something special to Park City’s Ted Ligety. Ligety, a member of the U.S. Ski Team, kicked off his trek to Vancouver by finishing second in the World Cup season opener Oct. 26 in Soelden, Austria – just seven months after knee surgery.

“Being Vancouver-bound is super exciting for me. To come into another Olympics, especially in Canada, which is close to my family and friends and having a lot of people up there watching us is going to be really exciting,” Ligety said.

Four years ago, in the cold mountain air, his breath standing out in the floodlights of the brightly-lit slalom course in Sestriere, Italy, Ligety became an Olympic champion. His parents, his friends, his family stood at the bottom of the mountain reveling in the success that took a lifetime of dedication and support to achieve. Now, for Ligety and his teammates, it’s time to do it again.

As the 2009 season came to a close, Ligety was dealing with season-long wear and tear that required time rehabbing at the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association’s (USSA) Center of Excellence in Park City. But, as the summer weeks passed, the champion was back in top form and preparing himself for the road ahead.

A total 16 World Cup podiums, a World Cup GS title, a World Championship bronze medal and his Olympic gold. These are all accomplishments that the shredder has had to work for in the lead up to a moment where he stands on the cusp of the 2010 Olympic season.