50 SanDiegoMagazine.comNovember2011
❯❯ ITYFILESC | Travel
Fresh Powder What’s new at the best ski resorts in the West
Sundance Resort is
moving and expand-
ing its terrain park
and adding lights
for night skiing and
snowboarding.Thanks to a $26 million
renovation, new restau-
rants, and a high speed
quad replacing two li s—
cutting ride time from 18
minutes to under 7—start
Dec. 10.Starting a 5-year, $50 mil
renovation, Squaw Valley
has 10 new grooming
machines, 200 mountain
signs, info boards with
real-time updates, and
more. Plus: more than 300
days of sunshine a year!WHERE PARK CITY
TO GOThe cozy Owl Bar has
the original bar, bullet
holes and all, from Ther-
mopolis, Wyo., where
the infamous Hole-in-
the-Wall gang (including
Butch Cassidy and the
Sundance Kid) used to
swill. Live music and a
cast of characters can
be found here—even
Robert Redford himself.The swank Sky Hotel’s
39 Degrees Lounge is
the spot for creative cock-
tails and celeb spotting.
Goldie Hawn is a regular.The new KT Base Bar
has K-banas (ski caba-
ñas), outdoor fi re pits,
and dining on the sun-
deck. The new Rocker@
Squaw restaurant
in The Village
sports plugins for
your helmet cams
so you can edit the
day’s footage and
upload to YouTube.Ski Beach at the St.
Regis serves up pep-
permint schnapps, hot
chocolate, and Swiss
fondue, courtesy of
acclaimed chef
Jean-Georges
Vongerichten.New
this
seasonTake a class in jewelry
making, pottery, painting,
or printmaking taught
by local artisans at the
Art Shack
behind the
resort.Make any
excuse to
visit the spa at the
fi ve-star Stein Eriksen
Lodge. Get a shea
butter wrap, Great
Salt Lake salt crystal
exfoliation, and hydrat-
ing massage to combat
the dry climate.Après–ski
Take a yoga class at
02 Aspen, then hit the
myriad art galleries and
chic boutiques.Catch some
air on the
new tubing
course at
the base
area, or
practice your
mushing skills dog-
sledding at the Resort at
Squaw Creek.Travel tip
Grab sushi at Matsuhisa
then check out who’s
playing at The Belly Up.
People like Snoop Dogg
drop in.New! If you fl y into any
airport (Reno, Sacramento,
SFO) and present your
boarding pass that day, you
can ski that a ernoon for
free. Over the holidays, ski
with gold-medalist Jonny
Moseley for free. Hot!Don’t miss the famous
Deer Valley turkey chili
between runs and then hit
the High West Distillery
& Saloon for artisan rye
whiskey made on site in
Old Town.// ANN WYCOFFMAMMOTH SUNDANCE ASPEN SQUAW VALLEY
Fly direct (daily!) on Unit-
ed’s SkyWest Airlines,
from SAN to Mammoth
Yosemite Airport, Dec. 15
to April 15 (about $200
round-trip). Sayonara,
seven-hour drive!Ski right up to Gomez’s
for their fi ne selection of
more than 150 tequilas,
tasty margs, and authen-
tic Mexican food.Drive to Mono Lake
for an unforgettable
nature experience
or hit June Lake for
pristine backcountry
cross-country skiing.The
slopesOn the
injured list?It’s old-school skiing
with only a few li s
and bowls, but Sun-
dance wins points
for natural
beauty and
uncrowd-
ed slopes.You’ve got four stellar
mountains: challenging
steeps at Aspen Mountain
for advance skiers, But-
termilk for beginners,
Snowmass for families
and snowboarders, and
Highlands for locals and
backcountry types.Experts can play in
moguls and steeps
galore and huck
themselves off the
in-bound cliff s, while
beginners can cruise
tame green runs with
hypnotic views of the
deep blue lake.Intermediates should
try the Cornice off the
gondola, while experts
love the narrow Avalanche
Chutes on powder days.Dine at the Tree Room
surrounded by Redford’s
extensive Native Ameri-
can art collection, then
see a complimentary
movie, part of The Red-
ford Film Series.New: the grand reopening
of eight restaurants at
Canyons Resort. New-ish:
expanded terrain and the
fi rst heated chairli in
North America.You can’t go wrong
anywhere in Park
City, but for a luxury
destination, Deer
Valley stands out with ski
valets, perfectly groomed
tracks, Utah’s “champagne
powder,” and a superlative
ski school.