Park City, Utah
A Record Snow Season for the Historical Town
On The Road Less Traveled found us knee-deep, literally, in snow in beautiful Park City, Utah. This quaint former mining town sits at an elevation of 7,000 feet which tends to make the white stuff quite prolific. This year was no exception, making history with an unprecedented 594” in eighty-nine days!
Park City was the site of the 2002 Winter Olympic games and a favorite of skiers worldwide. When the silver mines died out the new “gold” became snow. Joe Quinney is referred to as the Father of the Utah Ski industry. He is the founder of Alta Ski Resort, and was president of the ski club from 1935-38. He was instrumental in helping to install the first chairlift. He was a state representative starting in 1921, enacted important safety laws and was inducted into the Ski Hall of Fame in 1975.
One of the first ski lifts in Park City was a converted mining building which provided the means to design a lift. Skiers first enjoyed lift-serviced access on Flagstaff Mountain in 1947 thanks to the backbreaking labor of Park City residents and skiing enthusiasts, Bob Burns and Otto Carpenter. The two scavenged abandoned mines and built mechanized lift towers from discarded mining equipment, hewn aspen wood and nearby lodgepole pines.
For more information on the sights and sounds of Park City and its surrounding areas, go to https://www.visitparkcity.com/
One of the first lifts in the area.
The ingenuity of Bob Burns and Otto Carpenter opened up a new world from decaying mining equipment to burgeoning industry.
Park City is of course home to the Utah Olympic Park where the 2002 games took place. The Joe Quinney Sports Center is home to the Alf Engen Ski Museum. Alf Engen was a national ski jumping champion, national ski champion, coach of the 1948 Olympic ski team and Utah’s Athlete of the Twentieth Century. Step into the hall and see the ski fashions of yesteryear, the team mascots, history placards and various movies on the outstanding athletes who competed in the games. You can also experience a chairlift ride and try your luck at the competition ski jump. I landed all mine for a ninth place, however, Mark rolled off the jump and down the mountain.
Upstairs is olympic sports equipment museum with everything from skis to hockey sticks to the competitive curling stones. Competition stones cannot be greater than 44 pounds or less than 38 pounds.
https://utaholympiclegacy.org/
Just a short distance from the Utah Olympic Park is Summit Park, home to Woodward Park City, a year-round sports facility offering skiing, snowboarding, skateboarding and tubing plus a full scope of indoor training equipment. We were fortunate to catch quite a few young competitors training and practicing on the slopes. Inside, Woodward Peace Park offers food, beverages, trampolines, and skate runs for the development of the athletes whether in the snow or on the halfpipe. A friendly and encouraging atmosphere helps these hopefuls make the most of their abilities.
www.woodwardparkcity.com
There are many places to go on the quaint Main Street of Park City. You can shop, see beautiful works of art and photography, see shows, live music, buy skis and ski togs, and dine from the best steak to appetizing bar food. One of our favorite places is the No Name Saloon. After the great fire of 1898, the No Name Saloon started out as The Independent Telephone Company organized in 1903 and established to begin providing service in 1904. In 1920 the No Name was the Utah Power and Light Company. The saloon features a downstairs quirkily decorated with antique sleds, pictures, bikes and other memorabilia fitting in the bar and tables where they can. The upstairs features a room length bar leading out to a small patio where you can overlook the shops and people meandering down Main Street.
Next door to the No Name is the Annex Burger for those who are looking for a more family geared establishment. The No Name Saloon features a varied menu and boasts a full bar. Make sure to visit Carrie in the Swag Shop and pick up a slicker, jewelry, t-shirts and pint or shot glasses.
Have a good time, and pay attention to rule number three: beer makes you smart, you better have a couple.
www.nonamesaloon.com
Park City in the winter and spring is a marvel of snow, skiing, and shopping. Don’t forget the summer activities while you’re planning. Hiking, biking, swimming and yes, there’s still shopping. As we left town, the spring and summer lines were already hitting the shops!
Join us again On The Road Less Traveled when our next stop is…
