Park City Quick Start, anyone done it?

[abc]

I'm heading to SLC for a week. :lol:

My friend from Park City mentioned the Quick Start program. Basically, fly in early enough and ski for free in any of the Park City resorts, ON ARRIVAL DAY. But when I look at the flight time and airline schedules, I had to get on the dawn patroll flight to arrive at SLC to have any chance of REAL skiing! I'm talking about getting up at 4 in order to catch a 6am flight! Then, I MIGHT get in a half day of skiing FOR FREE, provided there's no weather or other issue with the flight (and all my luggage comes out promptly)

Has anyone done it? How pratical is it? Would you do it again? Free is very appealing, but with a 6 hrs flight, seems it's not all that easy to get into SLC with enough time spared for hitting the slope.

 

[xlr8r]

Did it in 2006. Took a direct flight on Delta that left BOS around 7-7:30 and arrived at SLC around 10:30. Got over to park city, checked into hotel at the base of PCMR by noon. After a quick lunch was on the payday lift at PCMR by 12:30. Got around a dozen runs in that afternoon. So it is possible but everything has to be well timed and go as planned.

 

[abc]

Doesn't Park City has night skiing?

Or was the Quick Start only good for day time ticket?

I wish there's a flight at 8. I'm flying Delta and it's either 6:30 or 9:30. 6:30 is just plain uncivilized (especially with the security delay these days)! 9:30 would had me arriving nearly 1pm. By the time I get over to PC, it'd be close to 3! Though if the ticket is good also for night skiing, I could still easily put in a couple more hours (wouldn't want to over-do it anyway, still, more than an hour of skiing to be worth the hassle & rushing about)

 

[Puck it]

I am doing this year on 2/4 and on the 6:30am flight.

 

[drjeff]

Doesn't Park City has night skiing?

Or was the Quick Start only good for day time ticket?

I wish there's a flight at 8. I'm flying Delta and it's either 6:30 or 9:30. 6:30 is just plain uncivilized (especially with the security delay these days)! 9:30 would had me arriving nearly 1pm. By the time I get over to PC, it'd be close to 3! Though if the ticket is good also for night skiing, I could still easily put in a couple more hours (wouldn't want to over-do it anyway, still, more than an hour of skiing to be worth the hassle & rushing about)

I've done it twice. Once was on the hill at Park City Mountain Resort by 1PM (they actually had a deal where for not alot of $$ - I forget the exact amount as it was 7 or 8 years ago before my wife and I had kids - you could add on the night skiing option at PCMR. We skied until maybe 5 and then were tired and quit).. The 2nd time we skied right aftre getting off the plane, we went upto Brighton which also has night skiing, ended up skiing for atmost 3 hours, and then the day of travel + knowing that we had many full days infront of us had us quitting.

Fun to do, yes. But the reality is for many that with the time change from the East coast, the travel factor, and for many the reality that you've got many FULL days infront of you, it's just a fun, novelty type of thing for many.

 

[dmc]

I'd rather rest and drink then hit Park City... Place is like Killington with a bowl... To me that is...

 

[ta&idaho]

I've never bothered coming from the East Coast, but my buddies coming from the West Coast have done it several times. One year it worked well, but this year they got delayed and got maybe 2 hours in. In my view, lift tickets everywhere else are in the 40-55 range if you buy at one of a bizzilion ski shops or secure one of the other discount options, so its not as huge of a deal as it may seem.

All that said, its a pretty cool gimmick...

 

[jamesdeluxe]

I've done it at least five times and am always on the lifts by noon at the latest. Works out as a good warm-up afternoon.

Never argue with free.

 

[Geoff]

I'd rather rest and drink then hit Park City... Place is like Killington with a bowl... To me that is...

I've done Deer Valet a few times. It's nice because they keep the riff-raff out.

 

[dmc]

I've done it at least five times and am always on the lifts by noon at the latest. Works out as a good warm-up afternoon.

Never argue with free.

i've walked away from free... I have no problems doing that...

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

I'd rather rest and drink then hit Park City... Place is like Killington with a bowl... To me that is...

+1 - Jupiter Bowl is great, but the rest of the place ain't my cup of tea for Western skiing.

 

[Razor]

We did it a few years ago from Boston. Yeah, you have to get up early and take the 6 AM flight. We went to Deer Valley since we weren't planning to ski there otherwise and wanted to check it out. On the slopes by 1:00 PM and got a full afternoon. No problem at all.

 

[abc]

Thanks for sharing the real life experience!

Yeah, if I were to do it, DV would be a better choice. The only reason I consider PC is the "night" skiing, which I probably won't do once it actually gets dark. Still, I could ski till 5:30-6 with daylight. Although I suspect the terrain will be pretty limited after 4 when only the Payday lift is left operating.

Right now, I'm leaning NOT doing it. I have a whole week of skiing ahead of me. Adding a half day on the front, but with the stress of having to get up at 4 to make the first flight of the day, doesn't seem all that wise. If I were squeezing a 3 day weekend out of trip, it might make more sense.

 

[wa-loaf]

Did it about 10 years ago, but just went straight to Alta and bought an afternoon ticket. 5 am flight, got on the hill around noon.

 

[drjeff]

Thanks for sharing the real life experience!

Yeah, if I were to do it, DV would be a better choice. The only reason I consider PC is the "night" skiing, which I probably won't do once it actually gets dark. Still, I could ski till 5:30-6 with daylight. Although I suspect the terrain will be pretty limited after 4 when only the Payday lift is left operating.

Right now, I'm leaning NOT doing it. I have a whole week of skiing ahead of me. Adding a half day on the front, but with the stress of having to get up at 4 to make the first flight of the day, doesn't seem all that wise. If I were squeezing a 3 day weekend out of trip, it might make more sense.

Here's the basic run down of what you'd get to ski under the lights at Park City off the Payday 6 pack. If you're a park person, you might like this, since they have a good sized, well rated, long park under the lights off Payday. Then they also have you're typical standard, run of the mill low intermediate groomer lit up too. Nothing special. You'd probably want to hop on one of their zip-lines or their mountain coaster after a couple of runs (if they run those at night). The novelty wears off quick, and many a person would find it more appealing to check out Main Street in Park City and have a drink or two.

 

[abc]

You're exactly right. I'm not really a nigiht skiing person anyway. Tried it once and hated it. If I had nothing else to get my skiing fix, I might be tempted again. But not for the first day of a week long ski vacation.

Even if I do attempt the Quick Start at PC, I would quit at sun down. Though them being on the left side of their time zone, day light actually last till 5:30 according to weather.com. Bit of a shame they shut the majority of their lifts at 4.

 

[JerseyJoey]

I'd rather rest and drink then hit Park City... Place is like Killington with a bowl... To me that is...

Not a big fan of The Canyons or PC, but I flat out love Deer Valley. There is awesome terrain there and lots of it. Ya just gotta poke around and know where to look. Even better for free on the quick start ticket. Gonna be doing the Deer Valley quickstart next Thurs. Getting inot SLC around 10:30. Be on the lift by noon no problem.

You doing any further shows? Radio City?