Winter Comes Early to Utah: Park City Opens to Snowboarders
by Todd Harris
(October 25, 1996)

Good karma has paid off in a big way. Utah's newest entrant to the envogue "snowboard friendly" scene, Park City, will open for business Saturday October 27th at 9:00 am.

A fresh dump of some 20 plus inches hit the Wasatch Friday morning allowing Park City to make the move. "We were initially shooting for November 15th, but with this latest storm and our all out snow making schedule we are set to go with anywhere from 2 feet at the bottom to 6 feet of snow in some spots," said Charlie Lansche, Director of Communications for the Park City Ski Resort.

"This is the 2nd earliest opening in the resorts history," Lansche says. Back in the 60's we were able to open on October 22nd but nothing has come close to this since then."

What makes this opening even more closely watched is the fact that Park City will allow snowboarders to legally cruise its slopes for the first time. "We expect a good showing by both skiers and snowboarders alike, and some lucky snowboarder is going to make Park City history Saturday morning," says Lansche.

There is a catch, however. Charlie Lansche says the mountain is only opening one lift and one trail for Saturday. "We will open the Payday lift and run for visitors Saturday and that will stay open permanently. With more snow on the way we will gradually open up the rest of the resort." With Thanksgiving still more than three weeks away Park City is in a win-win situation, but they are not alone.

Powder Mountain Resort 45 miles north of Salt Lake City, and very boarder-friendly, will open up its Sundown run Tuesday for night boarding and skiing. "We have already begun track packing the hill and all weeds and rocks have been removed from the trails, so come Tuesday night we will be ready," says Rick Berry, Powder Mountain's Assistant Ski School Director.

Powder Mountain was not planning to open until closer to Thanksgiving but this latest deposit of snow makes opening very do-able according to Berry. "Everything is in place, the ski shop will be open as will the rental shop and with more than enough snow we will be in good shape come Tuesday," Berry says, however, he adds that Powder Mountains decision to stay open permanently will be evaluated on an ongoing basis.

Park City is not the first resort in the continuous US to open this season. Resorts in Colorado and Oregon have already made the move and Killington in Vermont has already opened for business this season as well. But Lansche says this is not a one day publicity stunt. "Our philosophy is to make a good solid base early and let mother nature fill in the rest, so once we have enough for the initial opening there is no turning back and closing down for the next storm."

So the word is out, for $12.50 you can hit the slopes Tuesday the 29th of October for some night riding at Powder Mountain. But if you can't wait that long, make the drive up to Park City Saturday the 26th of October, drop $21 and you might make Park City history.