What is the best mountain to ski at in Utah? Why Deer Valley is worth a visit

We check out Deer Valley Resort in Park City, Utah, to see if it's worth the hype. Photo / Supplied

Travel journalist and avid skier Sarah Pollok checks out one of the best ski resorts in the US to see what a fancy ski pass gets you.

When a single-day lift pass costs almost $500, you want to ensure you get every cent of value out of it. You want fresh, powdery snow and immaculately groomed runs, non-existent lift lines and an abundance of employees eager to help. You want everything, bar the slopes themselves, to be frictionless, easy.

The problem? While I got all of that (and much more) at Deer Valley Ski Resort in Park City, I flew home with a small pang of regret knowing my new standard for skiing had been set sky high by a place named “Best US Ski Resort” for 10 consecutive years.

Abundantly snowy conditions and stellar service aside, Deer Valley may also be well known for what it doesn’t have; snowboarders.

Skiiers rule the mountain at Deer Valley. Photo / Deer Valley Resort

Almost 40 years ago, in 1985, this was common. Just 7 per cent of America’s ski areas allowed snowboarders thanks to their reputation for being young trouble-makers who brought chaos wherever they carved (a reputation they admittedly loved). Yet, over the following decade, resorts realised their exclusivity didn’t just dissuade borders but also the families these young people holidayed with. By the mid-1990s profit trumped pride and most resorts didn’t just permit boarders but tempted them with snow parks.

Today, only three resorts in America maintain the snowboarder ban. Deer Valley, an alpine ski resort located 58km east of Salt Lake City, in the Wasatch Range, is one.

“Sometimes a border gets lost and we give ‘em a hand with a shuttle,” says Jody Partridge, a mountain host at the resort.

“But if they give our ski patrol attitude, well, we’ll help them with a police ride,” she adds with a grin.

It’s 10am on a crisp February morning and today Jody is guiding me around Deer Valley’s 809ha of terrain. Our session is similar to the daily mountain host tours that run at 9.30am for experts and 10am for intermediate skiers. Surprisingly (given Deer Valley’s lavish reputation), the tours are free but considering a one-day lift pass can cost up to $486, it feels like a fair inclusion.

It is, also, an absolutely brilliant idea I wish more ski resorts had.

Mountain hosts are a huge help at Deer Valley Resort. Photo / Deer Valley Resort

I’ve spent many days at massive US ski resorts overwhelmed by their size, uncertain where to begin. Sure, there are maps but it’s akin to having a map of New York City and trying to find the best spot to eat; you know where you are geographically but it takes days (if not weeks) to orient yourself and find the good spots. The same goes for a mountain; only a regular will know where the best trails hide.

With a mountain guide like Jody, our small group simply mention we love groomed blues, powdery blacks and tree skiing and she knows exactly where to take us. All I need to focus on is getting to the bottom of each perfect run.

The following hours pass in a spray of powder as we carve through expertly gladed aspen forests, down untouched Black Diamonds and along neat Blue tracks. Short lift lines make for non-stop circuits, which is both extremely efficient and exhausting, making the resort’s slightly slower lifts a sweet relief. Granted, it is a Tuesday but even if it was a bluebird Saturday, the lift lines wouldn’t stretch far as Deer Valley strictly caps lift tickets at a certain (undisclosed) number.

During lift rides, I learn Jody hails from Iowa but now lives in Park City, Utah and works in Deer Valley or “Career Valley” as the locals call it due to people’s tendency to stick around for five, 10 or in Jody’s case, 27 years. Looking around the terrain blanketed over six mountains, from cruisy greens to thrilling double black diamonds, you can’t blame her.

Skiing at Deer Valley Resort isn't cheap, but it is a memorable experience. Photo / Deer Valley Resort

Of course, Deer Valley isn’t the only ski field taking advantage of Wasatch Range’s perfect snow conditions. Sharing a boundary (one we’re told the odd snowboarder “accidentally” crosses) is Park City, which has 40 ski lifts across 3000ha of skiable terrain. In terms of size, Park City wins but Deer Valley is set to become a worthier competitor in the 2025-2026 season, when a major extension plan will double its size to 2300ha and 37 lifts.

When it comes to skiing in style, however, Deer Valley is where you’ll find sleek Porsches in the parking lot and brand-new Rossignol on the ski racks. This, combined with the tennis club-esque brand colours (a forest green and white used abundantly across the resort), and commitment to the old snowboard ban cultivates a distinctive old-money atmosphere that feels lavish and nostalgic and fitting for a big overseas ski holiday.

Of course, the opulence comes at a cost (a one-day lift pass is triple the price of one back home) but also comes with employees who are unbelievably, unashamedly dedicated to “bringing a five-star resort experience to the slopes”; a phrase I hear several times during the day. From the moment I enter the resort (a two-minute walk from my hotel), there appear to be at least two mountain guides, instructors or lifties for every skier, all happy to help with any need, or potential need, regardless of whether you’re part of a tour or group.

Ski maps can be confusing to newbies, so mountain hosts often stand nearby the help out. Photo / Deer Valley Resort

Sitting on the lift later that morning, Jody overhears two men discussing how to reach a certain part of the mountain. “You wanna get to Ontario Bowl?” she asks, before explaining the runs and lifts they’d need to take before we had to hop off the lift. “You have a good day now,” she calls as they ski away.

Even if Jody hadn’t pitched in, the lads wouldn’t have been lost for long. At the top of most lifts, employees are parked by the large ski maps, wearing immaculate forest green ski suits and helping skiers find their way around. Dare to look dazed or confused near the bottom of a run or entrance to a cafe and you’ll surely be asked if everything is okay.

However, peak customer service happens several runs later when I’m offered a tissue while waiting for a lift to swing around. It’s a gesture that pulls my mind back to a busy day at a New Zealand ski field, where hoards of visitors clogged lift lines for what felt like hours. Sure, here you’re paying more, but you’re getting more too; more snow, more time on the slopes and, undeniably, more service.

Several runs later, we break for a 1pm lunch and the mid-mountain Silver Lake Restaurant canteen is packed with pink-cheeked people digging into hearty dishes of nachos, soup, pizza or fries. Every table seems taken by a group of diners or a collection of helmets so I’m thankful we walk straight through to Royal Street Cafe and up a small set of stairs to a cosy bar called Sticky Wicket. Decorated with neon signs, deer antlers and old ski paraphernalia, the attic-like space hums with chatter and 80s pop tunes.

The Sticky Wicket is a must-visit bar and restaurant. Photo / Deer Valley Resort

After 10 minutes, our group of nine are shown to our table and order a feast of nachos with guacamole, tuna tacos, crispy waffle fries and chunky burgers along with the best glass of mulled wine I’ve ever tasted. My European friends say it’s no apres-ski sesh but between the upbeat tunes, delicious food and buzz of happy conversation around us, it’s an excellent vibe, which means we need no convincing to try a “shot ski” when the concept arises.

Described as a way to “have fun and build comradery with your ski mates,” by a local, the idea is simple; a group lines up behind an old ski that has four, eight or at times, 11, shot glasses attached to it. The glasses are filled and, on a count of three, raised to everyone’s face to drink at the same time and those who fail to finish their shot end up wearing it.

Moments later six of us are clutching a shot ski full of bourbon, the eyes of the whole room on us after someone rings a loud bell and yells out “three, two one”, prompting us to lift the shot glasses to our lips in near-perfect synchronicity. The bourbon hits sharp and warm as we laugh and holler in celebration, revelling in yet another perfect moment before heading out to chase more perfect runs.

Doing a "shot-ski" at the Sticky Wicket in Deer Valley Resort. Photo / Deer Valley Resort

CHECKLIST

PARK CITY, UTAH

SKI PASSES

Deer Valley offers several lift pass options and is included on the Ikon 2023-24 international ski pass.

Prices range from $324 to $487 per day and sell out during the holiday seasons, so skiers are advised to book online in advance or through tour operators.

deervalley.com

skiutah.com

GETTING THERE

American Airlines flies from Auckland to Dallas Fort Worth daily from late October to late March. From here you can connect to Salt Lake City International Airport.

Canyon Transport runs regular Express Shuttles from Salt Lake City International Airport to various Park City, Utah locations for around $84.