Stay Wild at Deer Valley

Since trying out skiing for the first time last year, Aubrey's fourth grader has been asking to go skiing. In July. Reminders again at fall break. And finally a message on our December bucket list board: "Ski Trip." 

Since this winter in Utah has not delivered the snow for big mountain adventures and chasing powder days - we started chasing something different. It turns out it was a great year to watch a 9-year-old fall in love with skiing in the mountains. And her favorite place to learn, Deer Valley. It turns out that at any age you can appreciate the Deer Valley difference. 

Why Deer Valley?

Hey, it’s Tyler — a.k.a. Granola Guy. Welcome back to the Stay Wild: Adventure Report Series, where I share guides to hikes, ski lines, backpacking trails, and bike routes that keep us exploring. My goal is simple: help you feel ready, motivated, and fueled for your next adventure.

Ski Utah offers an amazing opportunity for 4th - 6th graders to get a discounted pass that gives them access to three days at all Utah resorts (we paid $89!). We've been bouncing around to different resorts so she can experience new places to ski. And Deer Valley is hands down her favorite. 

If you’re craving well-groomed corduroy, tissues at every lift for your snotty nose and an arcade where the games are free, Deer Valley delivers. 

Resort Stats

Trails	Chairlifts	Terrain	Season	Single Day Tickets
202	31	4,300 acres	December - April	$200 - $350

Getting Out There

Deer Valley still offers free parking, one of the few places in Utah that still does. New parking options take the pressure off getting there extra early, still we arrived around 8:30a to get a spot in the lower lot at Snow Park Lodge. After taking the shuttle to the lodge and a quick potty break, we picked up our lift ticket. 

I love that they have a test gate for you to make sure your pass works before getting in the lift lines. It's one example of the Deer Valley difference, and we had fun trying out our passes to make sure they beeped. 

We're still at the point where it's nice to get a warm up lap in on the bunny hill to remember what we're doing and build confidence. Deer Valley has an amazing learning area full of obstacles to navigate to help you learn your turns. 

All the places you can go

In my brain, Deer Valley is organized by peaks. Several lifts service a single peak. I like this because you can spend some time in one area and ski different runs, usually picking which have fewest people, then head over to a different area. It makes it feel like you've been skiing different mountains all day. 

Bald Eagle Mt.

Continuing our warm up we found some nice wide green runs. And when we ski under the lift we're a bit of a show off, or at least like to remind people to have fun out there. Skiing can feel like you're flying so we like to flap our wings and remind ourselves to bend our knees. 

Bald Mt. 

The views from Bald Mt. are absolutely picture worthy. Whether you're overlooking the Jordanelle Reservoir or looking out over the new Park Peak terrain, it's worth a stop to take it all in. This was our first time traversing narrower runs and she handled it like a pro. We realized that turning on skis is a lot like navigating a hoverboard, something she's been doing for years. 

East Village

We took a wrong turn and ended up on the longest ski run in North America, dubbed the Green Monster. I was a little worried because the terrain was variable with lots of small bumps, and also very narrow. My worry quickly turned into a proud moment when she navigated over and around the bumps with little fear. And that led us to our first gondola ride, on the new 10-person gondola up to Park Peak. And for three people those gondolas were very spacious. 

Park Peak

I cannot wait for the lodge up here to open. This is arguably one of the coolest views in the Wasatch. I feel like I have been transported to a European mountain. While I wish it was going to be as small and intimate, I expect many mid-day stops here in the future. 

The Arcade

Deer Valley is THE place to ski with kids. Not only does it offer so many beginner trails and great snow conditions. This hidden arcade is absolutely clutch for a lunch break. Around the side of the Stein Eriksen Lodge is the Champions Club. It's a kid's (and big kid's) dream. I kept looking where to pay, only to realize all of the games were free. So we did less eating and more playing. 

I'm maybe too old to have realized how fancy arcade games have gotten. I also had fun on classic games with a modern twist.

 

Ending the day on a high note

I have learned that it's probably best to wrap up the day quickly after lunch. When the legs are tired, attitude drifts. This day was an exception, she wanted to keep skiing so we did.

And wow, am I glad we kept going. As her confidence grew she kept asking if we could go down harder runs. So together we tackled her first blue run. Steep and wide, she headed down without fear until we got to the steepest pitch. She looked down, and back at me, looking uncertain if she could do it. A little, "you got this," and she was off. 

Carefully taking slow, wide turns she navigated the hardest run of the day, at the end of the day. We stopped at the bottom to look back, because it's always good to remember what you've accomplished so it doesn't feel as scary the next time. 

Next time you’re in Park City, take yourself, your children, your friends, to Deer Valley and have an absolute blast. 

The views, the games, and the mountains, are ready for you.