Salt Lake City, UT – Even though two of Utah’s ski resorts, Snowbird and Snowbasin, remain open for skiing and riding on weekends, the summer season is well underway in the state. Utah resorts are starting to provide an array of summer activities perfect for all ages and energy levels. Find a haven from the heat at your favorite Utah resort with the following activities:
ALTA SKI AREA
Alta Ski Area is open to the public all summer long for hiking and biking. Enjoy a brunch on weekends at the Alta Lodge. The famous Wasatch Wildflower Festival will also take place July 29-31, 2011.
BEAVER MOUNTAIN
Beaver Mountain, located in Logan Canyon en route to the stunning azure waters of nearby Bear Lake, rents their ski lodge, yurt and four 10-person tents for visitors, youth groups and family reunions all summer long. In addition, Beaver Mountain has a campground with tent sites and RV hook-ups for rent all summer.
BRIAN HEAD RESORT
Brian Head Resort, located 15 miles off I-15 at Utah exit 75 or 78 is a great place to beat the heat this summer. With average summer temperatures in the 70s, Brian Head Resort offers many on-mountain activities including scenic lift rides, mountain biking, hiking, disc golf and the new self-guided “Brian Head Family Adventure,” earth-science and natural-history focused activities ranging from orienteering to learning about petroglyphs. Brian Head also boasts extensive ATV trails, dining daily throughout the summer and various special events.
BRIGHTON RESORT
New this year, Brighton will operate a store/café at the base of the resort from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. serving grab and go items as well as a lunch menu. The store will also sell small items such as sunscreen and bug spray to make visitors’ days more comfortable.
CANYONS RESORT
Beginning June 17, Canyons will be open seven days a week. New this summer, Canyons‘ guests can explore phase one of a mountain bike park, a zip line circuit, a guided hiking program leading day and overnight hikes, paddle boating on the reservoir, and 18-hole miniature golf in the Resort Village. In addition to these new activities, the Resort will continue to offer gondola rides, lunch at Red Pine Café, mountain biking, disc golf, hiking, events and free concerts throughout the summer.
The Farm, Red Tail Grill, and Red Pine Café will also be open for dining and the Park City Farmer’s Market will remain Wednesdays from noon to 6 p.m. in the Cabriolet parking lot. Canyons will also host a July 3 celebration with a free concert and firework show, and starting July 16 through Sept. 3 free Saturday evening concerts.
DEER VALLEY RESORT
Deer Valley Resort will open daily for the 2011 summer season on June 17, and continue through Labor Day before reopening for an additional weekend on Sept. 10 and 11, conditions permitting.
Those visiting Deer Valley this summer will enjoy over 60 miles of lift-served mountain biking and hiking as well as scenic rides on three chairlifts this summer, with the addition of Ruby Express chairlift and an expanded trail system. Ride the Silver Lake Express chairlift or drive to the Royal Street Café for a mid-mountain meal on the deck. Royal Street Café will be open June 17 through Labor Day, serving lunch daily from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The menu features appetizers, salads, paninis, Deer Valley’s famous Turkey Chili, specialty entrées and creative cocktails.
New this year, Deer Valley Grocery~Café serves on-site and to-go fresh baked pastries, specialty coffee drinks, soups, chilies, stews, salads, paninis, homemade breads and other bakery items. Enjoy the view and mountain air while dining lakeside on the outdoor deck. A limited variety of gourmet grocery items, specially prepared take-away entrees and desserts as well as wine, beer and liquor are available. Deer Valley Grocery~Café is open daily and located in the Deer Valley Plaza building in the Snow Park area.
Located at Deer Valley’s Empire Canyon, the new Montage Deer Valley resort offers countless ways to enjoy the alpine terrain. Adults can enjoy Compass Sports, Montage Deer Valley’s year-round outdoor outfitter that offers activities including rock climbing, mountain biking, hiking, river rafting, horseback riding and championship golf. Younger guests can participate in a variety of activities in the hotels’ Paintbox (ages 5-12) program, which offers an inventive schedule with daily themes such Mighty Mountaineer Monday, in which children decorate souvenir backpacks and learn about mountain safety, navigation and animal facts. The children are then led throughout the resort’s wooded terrain as they go backpacking or animal tracking.
Back on property, Montage Deer Valley offers over 30 complimentary outdoor activities ranging from badminton, disc golf, tetherball archery, bocce and croquet. Guests are also welcome to decompress at the luxurious Spa Montage with the relaxing Après Ease treatment ($170). The 60-minute treatment utilizes the penetrating warmth of nutrient-rich healing mud to ease physical discomfort and encourage the removal of cellular wastes. Relaxed and renewed, you can then surrender your body and mind to an “intentional” point-specific massage designed to revitalize stressed muscles and restore flexibility.
EAGLE POINT RESORT
Eagle Point Resort operates Friday through Sunday from June 3 until Labor Day offering guests its “Adventure: As You Wish” program. Stay at the condos at Eagle Point or visit for the day while enjoying hiking, biking, fishing, paintball, mountain disc golf and fine dining at The Outpost Grill. Eagle Point will host live entertainment and special events on Saturdays at The Outpost Grill throughout the summer and is available to host private events, weddings or group outing at The Canyonside Lodge.
PARK CITY MOUNTAIN RESORT
Park City Mountain Resort’s family adventures include one of the country’s longest Alpine Slides, Utah’s only Alpine Coaster, the ZipRider soaring 110 feet above the ground, and lift-served mountain biking, hiking and scenic chairlift rides via both PayDay and the Town Lifts. The Resort Base area offers adventures for all ages including a climbing wall, miniature golf, Legacy Launcher trampoline and Little Miners Park. This summer, Park City Mountain Resort will introduce two new adventures. The Flying Eagle Zip Line and Adventure Zone are slated to open later this summer.
POWDER MOUNTAIN
Powder Mountain Resort is transforming its 8,000-foot elevation ski runs into motocross mania for the Third Annual Monster Energy Powder Mountain Motocross. The resort, along with event partner Monster Energy and title sponsors; Scott Sports, BTO Sports, and 5050 BMX, will host the high-elevation race Aug. 18-21, 2011.
Powder Mountain will offer Summer Safari 4 X 4 Adventure Tours as soon as the 2010-2011record-breaking snowfall melts off the ski slopes and allows the tours to begin. Guided tours in an oversized four-wheel drive vehicle will take guests to spectacular sites over the 10,000 acres within the resort that would otherwise be inaccessible to the public by vehicle.
The Third Annual Powder Mountain Hill Climb will be held June 11th. The bicycle race starts at Wolf Creek Resort and climbs 3,300 vertical feet in six miles. Visit Team Excelerator for more info.
SNOWBASIN RESORT
Winter returned to Snowbasin this week with the announcement that the resort will resume skiing and snowboarding operations on Saturdays and Sundays beginning this weekend as long as conditions allow. Uplift and download service will be provided by the Needles Gondola, with primarily intermediate skiing and riding served by the Middle Bowl triple chairlift from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Snowbasin will open for summer adventure on June 25. The resort’s Needles Gondola will be in operation on Saturday and Sunday through September 5 for scenic gondola rides and access to hiking, mountain biking and award-winning cuisine. Dine mountain-top at the Needles Lodge on Saturday and Sunday, or have lunch at Earl’s Lodge on Saturday. Don’t miss the BBQ with live music and cool mountain air on Earl’s Patio every Sunday afternoon.
Snowbasin’s single-track trails are well maintained and wind through scenic aspen groves and gladed pines. All levels of riding are available from the base with more than 26 miles of trails that connect to additional Forest Service trails for nearly 50 miles of adventure! Enjoy lower trails with shuttle service back to the base on the weekends.
Snowbasin also offers a 9-hole disc golf course utilizing natural terrain features. There are no greens fees. Disc golf equipment and high performance bike rentals are also available in the Grizzly Center.
Snowbasin will host an endurance mountain bike race, the Mt. Ogden 50/100k, on August 27. Also returning this summer is the XTERRA USA Championships September 24 and 25.
SNOWBIRD SKI AND SUMMMER RESORT
Snowbird summer activities will kick off June 18 with the resort’s third annual Brewfest, and run through fall, including a new ropes course, Wasatch Mining Company Gemstone Mine, climbing wall, ZipRider, bungy trampoline, mechanical bull, air jumper and inflatables. The resort will also continue running the Aerial Tram and Peruvian Express chairlift and tunnel to provide access to Hidden Peak, where the resort offers mountain biking, hiking, horse-back riding and ATV tours. The resort is currently open for skiing weekends Fridays through Sundays and hopes to remain open through Fourth of July weekend, conditions pending.
SOLITUDE
This summer, Solitude Mountain Resort will offer lift served biking, hiking and disc golf Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays beginning in early July.
Scenic chairlift rides and uplift for hiking and mountain biking takes place on Solitude’s Sunrise triple chair. From there, visitors may explore miles of single track on Diggler Scooters or mountain bikes, or explore some of the most geologically diverse terrain in the state by foot. Solitude’s high alpine course also offers 18 holes of disc golf.
On Saturdays and Sundays, brunch and dinner will be served throughout the summer at Kimi’s Mountainside Bistro, or follow a guide on a short alpine hike to the Yurt at Solitude where a chef prepares a four-course meal while guests watch the sun set on the Wasatch. For lighter fare, the Stone Haus Pizzeria & Creamery is open Wednesdays through Sundays for lunch or dinner, serving hand crafted pizzas, barbeque, Starbucks Coffee, gourmet ice cream, salads, snacks and more.
SUNDANCE
Nestled within thousands of acres of Rocky Mountain wilderness, Sundance offers some of the most spectacular hiking terrain in the West. From the rugged peaks of Mt. Timpanogos to lush waterfalls and deep canyon valleys, the terrain is sure to please all types of hikers. And with an incredible array of wildflowers and wildlife, explorers of all ages will find adventure at every turn. Visitors are free to explore on their own or join a guided hike.
Sundance Mountain Outfitters takes visitors to some of Sundance’s most stunning terrain. Whether guests want to hike from the summit or explore new ground on the back mountain, these hikes are sure to please avid hikers.
Bikers will enjoy the same terrain that makes skiing and snowboarding at Sundance so amazing in winter. Ride the lift up, along with your bike and then experience some remarkable trails. Day passes, twilight passes and season passes are available.
Sundance also offers scenic lift rides, including full moon lift rides, horse backing riding and fly fishing.
UTAH OLYMPIC PARK
Utah Olympic Park’s Freestyle Training Pool in Park City is home to several multi-day Freestyle and Freeride Camps throughout the summer season. These camps and programs offered by FLY, AXIS and others provide progressive instruction for those interested in pursuing freestyle or freeride.
Youth Development programs are also offered at Utah Olympic Park this summer in bobsled, skeleton, luge and ski jumping.