Canyons Resort is one of three alpine

Alpine skiing

Alpine skiing is the sport of sliding down snow-covered hills on skis with fixed-heel bindings. Alpine skiing can be contrasted with skiing using free-heel bindings: Ski mountaineering and nordic skiing – such as cross-country; ski jumping; and Telemark. In competitive alpine skiing races four...

 ski resort

Ski resort

A ski resort is a resort developed for skiing and other winter sports. In Europe a ski resort is a town or village in a ski area - a mountainous area, where there are ski trails and supporting services such as hotels and other accommodation, restaurants, equipment rental and a ski lift system...

s located in Park City

Park City, Utah

Park City is a town in Summit and Wasatch counties in the U.S. state of Utah. It is considered to be part of the Wasatch Back. The city is southeast of downtown Salt Lake City and from Salt Lake City's east edge of Sugar House along Interstate 80. The population was 7,558 at the 2010 census...

, Utah

Utah

Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...

. With 19 chairlifts and over 4000 acres (14 km²) of skiable terrain, Canyons is the largest ski resort in Utah

Utah

Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...

. The base area is located 32 miles (51 km) from the Salt Lake City International Airport

Salt Lake City International Airport

Salt Lake City International Airport is a major public airport in Utah. A joint civil-military facility, it is located in western Salt Lake City, approximately four miles from the central business district...

, accessed via Interstate 80, and is four miles (7 km) from Main Street in Park City, along State Route 224

Utah State Route 224

State Route 224 is a north–south state highway in the U.S. state of Utah. The route connects Interstate 80 and Kimball Junction in the north to Park City in the south. Ski resorts line the mostly four-lane highway, including Park City Resort and Deer Valley...

.

The ski area opened as Park City West in 1968, a sister resort to the nearby Park City Mountain Resort

Park City Mountain Resort

Park City Mountain Resort is a ski resort in Park City, Utah, located east of Salt Lake City. The resort has been a major tourist attraction for skiers from all over the United States, as well as a main employer for many of Park City's citizens. Park City, as the resort is often called by locals,...

, opened five years earlier. It was renamed ParkWest in 1975 after a change in ownership, and the name was changed again in 1995 to Wolf Mountain for two seasons, then became "The Canyons" in 1997, after the acquisition by American Skiing Co. (The small ski area currently known as Wolf Mountain

Wolf Mountain

Wolf Mountain is a small local ski area in the Ogden Valley near Eden, Utah. The area was known as Nordic Valley until June 29, 2005, when it was acquired by the nearby Wolf Creek Golf Resort....

 (since June 2005) is the former Nordic Valley near Ogden

Ogden, Utah

Ogden is a city in Weber County, Utah, United States. Ogden serves as the county seat of Weber County. The population was 82,825 according to the 2010 Census. The city served as a major railway hub through much of its history, and still handles a great deal of freight rail traffic which makes it a...

.) In 2007, American Skiing Company sold all of its assets and dissolved as an active corporation; however the sale of The Canyons to the Talisker Corporation went on hold due to litigation. The sale to Talisker Corp. was finalized in 2008.

In the summer of 2010, the new owners made a number of upgrades designed to 'transform' the resort. A 20 million USgals (75,708.2 m³) snowmaking

Snowmaking

Snowmaking is the production of snow by forcing water and pressurized air through a "snow gun" or "snow cannon", on ski slopes. Snowmaking is mainly used at ski resorts to supplement natural snow. This allows ski resorts to improve the reliability of their snow cover and to extend their ski...

 pond was installed, and the base terminal of the gondola

Gondola

The gondola is a traditional, flat-bottomed Venetian rowing boat, well suited to the conditions of the Venetian Lagoon. For centuries gondolas were the chief means of transportation and most common watercraft within Venice. In modern times the iconic boats still have a role in public transport in...

 was relocated. Two new high speed quads

Detachable chairlift

A detachable chairlift or high-speed chairlift is a type of passenger aerial lift, which, like a fixed-grip chairlift, consists of numerous chairs attached to a constantly moving wire rope that is strung between two terminals over intermediate towers. They are now commonplace at all but the...

were installed, one of which replaced the Golden Eagle double. The other opened 300 acres of new terrain on Iron Mountain.

In addition to the addition of lifts and snowmaking upgrades, the resort also changed its name from "The Canyons Resort," to "Canyons Resort." Also, the resort changed its logo.

Facts and figures

• Base elevation: 6800 ft (2073 m)
• Summit elevation: 9990 ft (3045 m)
• Vertical rise: 3190 ft (972 m)
• Total mountain peaks: 9
• Total skiable area: 4000 acres (14 km²)
• Lifts: 23 total:
  • Red Pine Gondola (formerly known as "Flight of the Canyons" prior to summer 2010 base relocation)
  • Cabriolet (open air gondola - parking lot to resort village transport)
  • Frostwood Gondola (access lift for the Waldorf Astoria and Miners Club hotels)
  • Saddleback Express
  • Tombstone Express
    
  • Ninety-Nine 90 Express
  • Sun Peak Express
  • Super Condor Express
  • Orange Bubble Express (new for 2010-11, replaced Golden Eagle double)
  • Iron Mountain Express (new for 2010-11)
  • Dreamscape Quad
  • Dreamcatcher Quad
  • High Meadow Quad
  • Timberline Quad (two-way access lift between Tombstone and Iron Mountain lifts)
  • Peak 5 Quad
  • Short Cut Triple
  • Day Break Triple
  • Sunrise Double
  • Flat Iron Double
  • Sweet Pea Handle Tow
  • Rip Cord Handle Tow (previously known as 'Towin'; relocated for access to Orange Bubble Express)
  • Rip-a-roo Handle Tow (ski/snowboard school only)
  • Magic Carpet (ski/snowboard school only)
• Largest single ski and snowboard resort in Utah.
• Terrain:
  • Beginner: 10% (Green Circle and Double Green Circle)
  • Intermediate: 44% (Blue Square and Double Blue Square)
  • Expert: 46% (Black Diamond and Double Black Diamond)

Lodging

• Grand Summit hotel
• Sundial Lodge
• Vintage On The Strand
• Hyatt Escala Lodges (Wasatch, Uinta, White Pine)
• Waldorf Astoria
• The Silverado

Dining

• Alpine House
• The Farm
• Umbrella Bar
• Red Tail Grill
• First Tracks Cafe
• Red Pine Lodge
• Lookout Cabin
• Sun Lodge
• Tombstone Grill
• Cloud Dine
• Dreamscapes Grill

New for 2011/2012

• Red Pine Gondola; (relocation of the base of Flight of the Canyons Gondola; replaced cabins; installation of angle station)
• Orange Bubble Express (a high speed quad with a mid-station at the top of Short Cut Chair; heated seats, orange plexiglass weatherproof bubble)
• Iron Mountain Express (high speed quad/ access to the newly skiable terrain on Iron Mountain, which is now officially part of The Canyons)

Summer Programming

• Mountain Biking; (The Summer of 2011 marked the first phase of a new mountain bike park. Accessed off the High Meadow chair lift located at the Red Pine Mid-Mountain Adventure Area, the new park will offer three wide trails with smooth, gravity-focused riding for all abilities that complement the existing network of cross-country trails throughout the resort.)
• Zip Line Circuit; (Another high-speed adventure new to Canyons is the unique zip line circuit. This one-of-a-kind family experience features two thrilling zip lines, gondola and chair lift rides, and short hikes for a wide-ranging mountain adventure. With two zip lines that stretch more than 2,100 feet with a 10 percent grade and 800 feet with an 8 percent grade, the first phase of development for the new zip line circuit is an exciting addition to Canyons’ summer programming)
• Boating; (Also located a brief walk from the Red Pine Adventure Area is the 20 million-gallon reservoir that is transformed into a high alpine gathering area. Guests will be able to rent paddle boats or simply relax with a picnic lunch in a stunning mountain setting)
• Miniature Golf; (The Resort Village area will be transformed into a fun-filled miniature golf course. This 18-hole mountain-themed course will extend throughout the Resort Village where parents can join the action or watch the game while dining alfresco at nearby world-class restaurants)

Backcountry Access

The Canyons Resort offers its guests access to the backcountry from the top of the Ninety-Nine 90 and Peak 5 lifts. Posted signs advise backcountry travelers to carry proper equipment including a beacon, a probe and a shovel. Once travelers go through the designated gates heading into the backcountry The Canyons Resort is no longer responsible for their safety. It is also advised to check the current avalanche conditions for the area: Utah Avalanche Center Accessing the backcountry by ducking ropes, or any way other than through the designated gates, will result in loss of ride privileges at The Canyons Resort.

External links

• Canyons Resort - official site
• Snowboarding at the Canyons - Photo
• U.S. Ski & Snowboard Association - official site
• Deseret News.com - The Canyons - 03-Feb-2005
• Canyons Ski Resort - snow report, lift ticket info, webcam, trail map
• Utah Avalanche Center - Avalanche Awareness and Information for backcountry travelers