by Jeremy Spencer
Like St. Moritz with Mormons, Park City is not only a vast powdery playground; it's a true ski-in/ski-out town with big-city swank. After you've zonked your mortal coil dropping off cornices and carving down chutes, head to town and knock back an espresso: You have to be awake to enjoy the finer things.
Why we love it: Oh, the mountain comes off as harmless at first—what with those rolling hills flush with cruisers—but it drops the hammer a couple lifts in, making for delighted schussers, from expert on down. There's terrain-park action, and the superior lift service (16 chairs, including four high-speed six-packs) can move more than 28,400 butts an hour.
Number-one run: Not for the timid or the kamikaze, O-zone drops 1,000 feet off the lip of Pinyon Ridge, down a 30- to 40-degree face, before delivering you into forgiving tree trails that lead to a high-speed six heading right back up.
Bring the kids: The resort boasts the Kids Signature 5 Program, the only ski school in the U.S. that guarantees class sizes of five or less children.
Hot lodge: Right on chic Main Street is the Treasure Mountain Inn, a locals-owned lodge with a great little café. This eco-minded pad has a range of homey accommodations, from simple studios to decked-out apartments, as well as a Jacuzzi and heated pool beneath the stars.
Soul patch: Once a wild silver town, Park City's gone all civilized. The high-end gastronomic fusion served up at 350 Main will have you double-checking your coordinates—and for boozophobic Utah, the cocktails are mighty sinful.
This profile is taken from the Winter 2005 issue of Outside Traveler. To read the entire article, "We Sing the Slopes Fantastic",
What's cool: Check out www.mymountainplanner.com, an online guide that lets you plot your exploration of the mountain by your particular ski interest. Simply select your level of desired difficulty, the type of terrain, and what kind of day you'd like to have on the mountain, and then take a personalized tour of the resort, highlighting runs and routes catered to your selections.
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