Destination….Park City, Utah. And what a destination it was!! We began our journey EARLY Sunday Morning on March 15th. After packing one van FULL with luggage and ski gear, and the other with excited travelers, we were off to the airport where we met up with the rest of the group. We arrived at Salt Lake City Airport without a hitch, gathered up ALL our stuff, and loaded up onto a big bus that was waiting outside just for us. For those of us who had never been to Utah, we were overwhelmed with how breathtaking the scenery was. The mountains looked like someone had just painted them in under this amazing deep blue colored sky.
As we made our way to Park City Peaks, the excitement continued to build. We passed the old Olympic ski jump and cross-country venue, some great shopping areas, and the mountains….oh those fabulous mountains. Before we made it to the hotel we all agreed to make a stop at the local market to stock up on some important items we would need for the week….BEER, snacks, BEER, water, BEER, sun block, BEER!! With bags in hand we finally arrived at the hotel and were greeted by a very friendly staff that helped us get settled in. We checked out the hotel, took some time to explore the neighborhood and finished off the evening with a complimentary wine & cheese party, which was REALLY enjoyed by some!!
Park City Peaks had all the amenities you could ask for. There was the “Cookie Lady” who came by every day at 5 o’clock with fresh chocolate chip cookies and hot chocolate. Then there was the outdoor hot tub with enough room for 20 or so people, and the pool, which you could swim from the inside to the outside. There was also an indoor hot tub and sauna which some us liked to use early in the morning when we were still on “Jersey” time and just couldn’t sleep. We got to know our restaurant manager Chuck very well—turns out he was a huge Yankee fan. That always made for some good conversation. By the end of the week he had our breakfast preferences pretty well down to a science and breakfast ready for us at 6:30 every morning.
And then there were the mountains!! The first day we skied Park City and enjoyed the wide-open terrain, no lift lines to speak of and beautiful sunshine. It was a GREAT start to the week. As we skied the Canyons on Tuesday some of us were faced with a few challenges…Hey Chris…did you ever find your gloves?!? They were where?!? Did you really hike ALL the way down to the bottom of the lift?!? As some of the group skied the Canyons again on Thursday, they were faced with their own challenge. As they followed their guide, Carolyn, to the TOP of the mountain, they found themselves in an area called “9990″. When they saw the “scull & crossbones” they knew they were in for a wild ride. With a little encouragement from each other, and following their trusted leader, they all made it down safely to the bottom. Wednesday, we skied Deer Valley. This was my personal favorite. From the beautiful wide open trails, to the “beach” chairs for resting in the sun, the amazing lunch and yes the bright skies, it was a glorious day and really brought out the kid in all of us. Park City on Friday was a skier’s dream-”first chair” to the top, no lift lines, and beautiful weather. And for me, to mark my birthday, my first NASTAR race! With some encouragement, I followed Roy down the course and made it to the bottom…YEAH!!
It was definitely a week to remember. New friendships were made, meals were shared, birthdays were celebrated, new places were discovered (by foot, car, bus & snowmobile) and a memorable time was had by all.
Written by: Karen Hartman
