What's all the fuss about Deer Valley?

[skiNEwhere]

I'm just wondering what makes it one of the top rated resorts in the country almost every year? Is the the apres ski, or the fact that it caters to the more affluent?

Personally when I go skiing, I could care less if it's at a ski AREA or ski RESORT. All I do is go skiing as long as possible, go back to the room and change, and then go to a restaurant for dinner sometimes. Then I'm done, or else I'll spend so much money that I can't ski as much as I want to that season if I'm living up the "resort" lifestyle

 

[nelsapbm]

I was actually pretty impressed with DV when I was there. Nothing overly difficult but we found lots of powder in the woods because DV's core demographic really isn't into that . I was also equally impressed with the facilities and the food. OMG. The food. SO GOOD. Was there for a conference and they really put on a food show for us.
Anyway...I would go back again. Now that I am older I really appreciate other amenities other than the skiing when taking a ski vacation. When I was younger I could have cared less about them.

 

[rev bubba]

It's not over hyped.

My buddy and I were staying at the Alta Peruvian the first or second season DV openned so we went there for a day and really enjoyed the place. It was refreshing eating lunch on a deck with table cloths and silverware instead of paper plates & plastic utensils. The skiing was very good too and we, too, found plenty of powder to enjoy. DV is not the type of area I usually ski but it was a nice change of pace. If I get the chance, yeah, I would spend a day there again but I'm too cheap to stay.

 

[snoseek]

It ranks high because of the quality of service they provide. They get the whole idea of hospitality there, it shows.

The skiing is pretty good. Definintely plenty of good terrain to keep me satisfied. As far as the Wasatch back goes I like it better than Park City but not as much as the Canyons. The no snowboarding policy is dumb.

With that said it is probably one of the last places in Utah you'll see me. Day tags are expensive by Utah standards and the snowfall is noticably less than other places. There is much better skiing to be had in Utah IMO, I suppose DV is a great change of pace for a day. Then again thats how I feel about pretty much all of the park city areas.

 

[thetrailboss]

It ranks high because of the quality of service they provide. They get the whole idea of hospitality there, it shows.The skiing is pretty good. Definintely plenty of good terrain to keep me satisfied. As far as the Wasatch back goes I like it better than Park City but not as much as the Canyons. The no snowboarding policy is dumb.With that said it is probably one of the last places in Utah you'll see me. Day tags are expensive by Utah standards and the snowfall is noticably less than other places. There is much better skiing to be had in Utah IMO, I suppose DV is a great change of pace for a day. Then again thats how I feel about pretty much all of the park city areas.

Pretty much the same response. Well run. Snowmonster really wanted to go there on his visit, so I went and kept an open mind. The lifts are all HSQ's for the most part. The lodges are nice...though Snowbasin's are nicer (which is too absurd IMHO...they have chandaliers in a ski lodge). Best ski resort food, hands down. I left the brown bag and went into the "cafeteria". Could have had sliced prime rib, ham, turkey, or more traditional ski lodge fare (pizza, burgers, sandwiches). They had a real salad bar. I went for the shrimp pasta. Wow. Terrain: think Sunday River. Wide boulevards, nice grooming, snowmaking, and fun terrain. Nothing absurdly crazy. We skied the expert stuff on the Mayflower side and had it to ourselves. I wish we had headed to Empire sooner....that side is nice. The employees were all very nice. And, as crazy as it sounds, the skiers were all pretty nice too. So it is a nice change. Incredible houses and hotels. Really good service. I left a fan...that says something.

 

[skiNEwhere]

thanks trailboss, I had a feeling you were going to chime in!

 

[Angus]

there's some very good terrain in Mayflower Bowl, Empire and off the Lady Morgan lift. Previously written about a day at DV two years ago that was probably my best day of Utah skiing. However, last year, it was like skiing at an eastern resort - hardpack and icey. Had lunch at Stein's which was pretty cool but lunch anywhere at DV is pretty cool. never over to Daly Bowl and Chutes but from a distance, they look good. it's funny b/c Canyons is my least favorite of the three mountains in PC b/c of lift layout.

 

[snoseek]

^^^Yeah the Canyons has an impossiblr lift layout. I've only been there a few times and had an excellent tour guide. If I had a tour like that of DV or even Park City for that matter I might change my mind. I used to think Pow Mow was lame until I figured that place out, now I love it there.

Either way, its Utah, its all good.

 

[thetrailboss]

Canyons...meh. So fake. I don't think I've met any locals that like it....

 

[drjeff]

I think the simple fact that time and time again you read reports of folks who before they went to Deer Valley for the 1st time almost wanted to hate the place just based on it's reputation, but them came away from it actually liking it, says plenty!

I've got 20+ days in at Deer Valley over the years, so I've had some time to really start exploring it, and I just keep finding more and more stuff about it that I really enjoy. Plenty of legit, steep bowls, chutes, trees. Plenty of steep groomers that we're laid out with some great attention to the falline and just pure carving fun (Thank you Stein Erikson I'm sure for some of the input into that) and also plenty of more mellow cord for some relaxed cruising fun. GREAT kids programs!! Great customer service from literally the moment you arrive, and as mentioned, the food doesn't suck! (I'm pretty sure that I could eat a bowl of their Turkey Chilli and a slice of the German Chocolate Cake every day for the rest of my life and never tire of them!)

I think the best way that I can sum up Deer Valley to someone who hasn't been before, is that it pretty much shows a person what a ski area CAN be when the management doesn't except any conventional reasons why they can't do something

 

[drjeff]

Canyons...meh. So fake. I don't think I've met any locals that like it....

I can totally see how a Western local would hate the Canyons. Funky layout and generally speaking the vertical comes at you in shorter segments (usually around 1000 verts at a time). Plenty of other great options with more functional layouts and larger shots of vert available.

For an Easterner though, who's used to shorter hits of vert at a time, The Canyons has some pods of terrain that can be a blast. Just don't try and tour the place from the extreme Northern end (Super Condor) all the way over the the extreme Southern end (Dreamscape/Iron Mtn) in 1 day, or else you'll feel like you were just going sideways rather than downhill all day

 

[deadheadskier]

I have not been too Deer Valley, but have been to and worked at plenty of high end resorts, so I have a pretty good idea of what the place is about.

I'd guess Deer Valley is like a BMW 750 Sedan. A 750 Sedan isn't for everyone, but it's a REALLY NICE friggin car.

 

[BenedictGomez]

I could care less if it's at a ski AREA or ski RESORT.

When I was younger I could have cared less about them.

You've both managed to trigger one of my most anal pet peeves in the exact same thread! :smash:

 

[Smellytele]

You've both managed to trigger one of my most anal pet peeves in the exact same thread! :smash:

Yes mine also - It is "I couldn't care less"!!!! If you could care less then it wouldn't be that bad.

 

[nelsapbm]

Ok then.

Back to the subject at hand.

The Canyons was my least favorite ski area in Park City. Deer Valley took the cake IMO. Park City #2. I would not be quick to dismiss Deer Valley based on its reputation as a glitzy resort. The place seriously is awesome.

 

[Cannonball]

You've both managed to trigger one of my most anal pet peeves in the exact same thread! :smash:

+10 !!

 

[Hawkshot99]

I spent a week in Park city 2 Marches ago. We stayed at The canyons and skied 3 days there. After 2 awesome days at The Canyons we decided to go enjoy a nice day of groomers at DV (or so we thought).
I was amazed at the customer service the place provides. The food is amazing, and for what you are getting vs. a cheeseburger at another resort I will even say inexpensive.
We started out enjoying the groomers and had a great time. We kept going over to the next ridge, and kept finding more and more terrain. In the afternoon we found the Daly chutes area.

Anyone who knocks DV as just a luxury resort with great grooming is mistaken. They are a amazing resort with great groomers(some of the bet Ive ever skied) but the back part of the resort has some amazing terrain! They definitely deserve to be a top ranked resort in the country.

 

[snowmonster]

I was amazed at the customer service the place provides. The food is amazing, and for what you are getting vs. a cheeseburger at another resort I will even say inexpensive.
We started out enjoying the groomers and had a great time. We kept going over to the next ridge, and kept finding more and more terrain. In the afternoon we found the Daly chutes area.

Took the words right out of my mouth.

I had a colleague who had a Deer Valley lift ticket on his jacket and I asked him if the place was worth it. His answer was: "Look, you spend about $10 for an overcooked burger at (unnamed resort). For the same amount of money, you can get a really well-cooked burger to order at Deer Valley." The service is amazing. The food and amenities are great. For about $15, I got a Thanksgiving dinner with hand-carved turkey with all the trimmings on real plates and cutlery. Not bad. I'm hoping to return next year to try the seafood buffet, the Mariposa and the fireside dining at Empire Lodge. I figure that, if I travel half-way across the country, I might as well make the trip worth it, right?

The skiing does remind me of Sunday River -- well-groomed with some wide trails. But, like the River, there are all these glades that ski really well and remain uncrowded. There's less competition in glades and open bowls. I was skiing by myself in Mayflower Bowl. I still have some unfinished business off the Lady Morgan lift, the Daly Bowl and the X-Files. Man, I'm getting myself all excited just thinking about it!

 

[goldsbar]

Deer Valley - the one *well known* place in Utah where you'll actually get to ski powder for more than one run. Yes, the food is also really good. I was only there once but my experience was similar to what many have already said. I sort of laughed at the concept but figured I'd give it a try. I'd go back.

As for the Canyons - not bad if you're willing to spend 3 days learning the lift system and where not to get stuck. As with DV, if you know where to go, you can get some good powder since all the "hard core" head to Alta/SB and ski it out in 30 minutes.

Of ~10 years of ski trips to the West (several to JH, a couple Alta/Bird, one to Whistler, Steamboat and Park City area, the Park City (Canyons, DV) trip had the most skiable powder. Some was due to pure luck, but much was due to the fact that the main clientele isn't powder crazy so if you hike 2 minutes you can do laps.

 

[thetrailboss]

I still have some unfinished business off the Lady Morgan lift, the Daly Bowl and the X-Files. Man, I'm getting myself all excited just thinking about it!

Yep, kicking myself for not getting over there sooner. I've been hiking around there this summer and there is some nice stuff to be had. I'm also seriously contemplating getting a 5 or 10 pack local's pass to DV.