On Christmas day in Florida, it was 85 degrees and muggy. I had to crank up my AC to sub zero temperatures just to burn a Duraflame log in my fireplace. But a week later, I finally had my romantic, snowy winter holiday sampling two of Utah’s top ski resorts, and it was filled with rustic log cabins, wood burning fires, steaming hot chocolate, and stunning mountain vistas. It was my first time in this part of the country, and I discovered that Utah has great seafood (who knew?), beers with a sense of humor (Polygamy Porter…Why have just one?), and weird drinking laws that require adults to become “members” of each bar (yes, of course I was a card-carrying visitor). Most of all, I discovered that skiers are die-hard souls who clomp around all day in boots that weigh about 20 pounds each, skip lunch for one more run, ski in blinding snow hoping they don’t run into a tree, and have a passion for fresh powder.

A Day in Deer Valley
Hangin’ Out with Olympian Heidi Voelker

Ranked the #1 ski resort in North America by readers of SKI Magazine in 2005, Deer Valley (www.deervalley.com) is the most upscale of the three resorts in Park City. The site of the area’s first silver mining claims was also the site of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games, and was gearing up to host an FIS Freestyle World Cup event when I was there.

This resort in Park City has long been a favorite vacation home choice for the rich and famous, and if the rumors are true, will soon be a retreat for the infamous as well, since Paris Hilton just bought a party pad here. I stayed in Silver Lake Village, next door to the ski lift area, and just beneath the ridge where Good Morning America’s Charlie Gibson has his circular glass and copper piéd-a-terre.

My pick for accommodations in Silver Lake is the Goldener Hirsch Inn (www.GoldenerHirschInn.com). Formerly a Relais & Chateaux affiliate, this boutique hotel is a slice of alpine Austria in the middle of the American west. Each of its 20 rooms has unique furnishings like four-poster beds and carved, hand-painted chests, and most have wood burning fireplaces and balconies. It’s Kevin Bacon’s choice for accommodation during the Sundance Festival (Jan. 18-28 www.festival.sundance.com), and stars like Candice Bergen and Dennis Quaid have also enjoyed the Hirsch’s feather beds, fine cuisine, and European hospitality over the years.

Resorts West, (www.resortswest.com) gave me a sneak peek at some of the most exclusive gated communities in the area, including Bellevue and Deer Crest. In ski-bum lingo, these are “ski in, ski out” neighborhoods, meaning you can put your skis on at your back door and zip off down a trail or ski home and end up at your outdoor hot tub. Deer Crest is the newest of these developments and home-away-from-home to Tiger Woods and Montel Williams, as well as the site of the $16.8 million “Ski Dream Home” (see the live web cam at www.skinet.com) that’s being built by Ski Magazine, Deer Valley Resorts, and Resorts West. The 12,000 square-foot home has 360 degree panoramic views, 16 fireplaces, and every other amenity you can imagine.

I also got a guided chair lift tour of the championship runs from the fastest skier in the Valley, Heidi Voelker. A 12-year veteran of the U.S. Ski Team and three-time Olympian in slalom and giant-slalom, Voelker is Deer Valley’s official ski ambassador. After pointing out the huge jumps under construction for the aerialists, and the mogul and slalom runs from the Olympics, Heidi graciously agreed to a “ski exhibition” on the Medalist Challenge run. One of the most popular features at the resort, skiers compete for Deer Valley gold, bronze, and silver medals on a race course with a time clock and live announcer. Heidi’s time is the one to beat, and nobody came close that day, as she sailed through the run in just over 18 seconds. “When I was at my peak, I could do that in 16 or less,” she said laughing. “The day I get beat on that run, I’m in trouble.” So if anyone in Deer Valley ever tells you “you ski like a girl”, you can take it as a compliment since it refers to their resident champ. Over lunch at the Royal Street Café , Voelker reminisced about her Olympic years, and her menu recommendations of the Lobster Margarita and Crawfish Bisque were as trustworthy as her ski advice.

That evening, we headed for a mountain of the edible variety, aptly named The Seafood Buffet. Sushi, crab legs, shrimp, mussels, clams and every sea creature imaginable are the star here, with a hot line that also features duck and prime rib for carnivores, and a to-die-for dessert spread.($58 all you can eat).

Getting Owly at Sundance
In 1969, Robert Redford purchased the land in this canyon, on the eastern slopes of Mount Timpanagos, envisioning an arts and recreation community that respected and appreciated the beauty of nature. “Sundance is a mixture of old and new, lush and spare, sophisticated and primitive—like art itself”, Redford says. In 1981, this canyon became the birthplace of the Sundance Institute for Filmmaking, the sponsor of one of the movie industry’s most respected events, the Sundance Film Festival.

Looking like a movie set from an old Western, the stunningly beautiful and remote location reminded me of childhood family vacations in the mountains, and Sundance is family retreat for nature lovers, as opposed to the lively Park City scene. The resort does feature exotic upscale dining in The Tree Room with a game-laden menu of buffalo, venison, and wild boar, and sophisticated on-property amenities include a spa, deli, general store, ski shop, and complimentary business center. A second more casual restaurant, The Foundry Grill, serves hearty fare like Huevos Rancheros, fish and chips, reubens, and burgers. Nightlife centers around The Owl Bar, once frequented by Butch Cassidy and his Hole-in-the-Wall Gang. Moved from Thermopolis, Wyoming to Sundance, this 19th century saloon with its roaring fire and local brews like Cutthroat Pale Ale will make you feel like a notorious outlaw. I stayed in country/pop singer Juice Newton’s family cabin and enjoyed looking at her memorabilia like the 1983 gold record award in the bedroom. I caught myself humming her early hits like Angel of the Morning and Queen of Hearts as I puttered around her kitchen, looking at her family’s vacation photos.

Nurturing artists as well as skiers, Sundance offers a variety of classes at its Arts Center from painting and pottery to jewelry making and other crafts, and throughout year the resort hosts special programs in film, theatre and music. I could easily envision myself working on my first novel, while sitting in front of the fire in my cabin, looking at the snow-covered trees and mountains.

All in all, even though I didn’t catch a glimpse of Will Smith who was reportedly hanging out in Deer Valley, and I didn’t see Robert Redford at Sundance (although how would you know with those hats and ski goggles?),I can see why thousands of film fans flock to this region to “see and be seen”, and why winter sports enthusiasts have named these resorts some of the best in the world. For me, the sheer beauty of the mountains and a taste of winter made the trip entirely worthwhile. I may not ski, but I’ll volunteer to head up the fan club.

IF YOU GO:
Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) is served by most major carriers and by Jet Blue, and is located 36 miles from Deer Valley and about an hour from Sundance. High seasons are during the Christmas holidays and the Sundance festival, followed by ski season. The “value” season runs from April through early December, excluding holiday weekends.