How to Plan a Trip to Sundance Mountain Resort

“Let’s participate in,” my ski teacher, Judy Fuller, shouted again at me as she hurtled down the mountain with an infectious, nearly childlike pleasure. I tore my eyes absent from the jagged, snow-included mountains and followed, permitting the wind whip about me.

I was at Sundance — but not that Sundance. As an alternative of the glitzy movie competition, I was at the Sundance Mountain Vacation resort, a a lot more than 550-skiable acre mountain with epic slopes and a quaint really feel just 45 minutes from Salt Lake Town in Utah.

The resort, where by the famous film competition got its commence and its name before primarily going to Park City, exudes a rustic stylish vibe with a little-city experience. A procedure of inter-connected lifts provides skiers and boarders up to the peak elevation of much more than 8,200 toes, although the foundation characteristics some of the most effective dining in the point out, all with a come-as-you-are perspective.

“It’s major, but it is really little,” Fuller, a ski teacher for extra than 40 decades, shared as we returned to the foundation immediately after slicing through the trees and carving our way by way of pockets of deep, fluffy powder. “I like the smaller city really feel to it.”

Sundance is undeniably lesser than some of its nearby counterparts — particularly Park Town and Alta. But what it lacks in comparative dimension, it far more than tends to make up for in the virtually complete absence of raise traces and charming quirks like the wild turkeys milling close to the roaring fire pit.

The best snowboarding can be observed on the back mountain, which has the maximum elevation and the resort’s primo pure snow. Just after using in the views from Red’s Lift — named for Robert Redford, who launched Sundance in 1969 right before selling it in 2020 — I headed down Bear Claw and slice across to Snow Stake to get edge of some fresh new powder. 

As an East Coast skier, it was the to start with time I experienced ever long gone off-piste.

“And you preferred it,” Fuller laughed.

Following a complete day of snowboarding, I visited the resort’s spa for a 90-minute gemstone aromatherapy massage that begun by sitting in front of a crackling fireplace and labored out all the stress I experienced crafted up as I carved down the slopes.

It remaining me peaceful and ready for meal at the Tree Area, the nicest restaurant on the residence, which feels like stepping into a cozy museum. The restaurant features Indigenous art from Redford’s private selection and is designed all over the trunk of an actual tree. 

Following supper, I walked again out into the crisp Utah mountain air, my hat pulled small, and built my way again to my room through the winding paths, amazed at the magnificence of the grounds and fatigued in the finest way doable. 

The adventures, even so, don’t cease at the mountain or in the spa.

Past snowboarding, tourists can head a handful of minutes away to Midway, UT, for a guided snowmobiling tour with Wasatch Excursions. Soon after donning all the appropriate equipment, people make their way into Wasatch Mountain Point out Park and through tree-lined paths to a massive clearing. There, they can let it rip, driving as speedy as they can as a result of all the contemporary snow.

For a additional reduced-important off-mountain exercise, guests can also visit the nearby Art Studio and indicator up for jewellery or perfume creating, pottery classes, and more. Each course lasts two hrs, and students depart with a customized and hand-crafted souvenir and a new feeling of regard for artists who do this for a residing. Ready to plot out your journey? This is what you have to have to know.

How to Journey

Sundance is an unbiased mountain and sells solitary-working day and multi-working day raise tickets on the resort’s website. Single-working day raise tickets start at $129 for adults.

The place to Remain

Sundance Mountain Vacation resort is a entire-company hotel with regular rooms, suites, and more substantial mountain residences that rest up to 16 people. The resort also has a routine of included actions like early early morning yoga in a yurt, guided snowshoeing, and kid’s crafts.

Wherever to Try to eat

The resort options a number of dining establishments, from wonderful eating to grab-and-go. Commence the early morning with a super flaky cinnamon early morning bun from the Sundance Deli (professional idea: have them heat it up), or seize a seat by the fireplace and feast on fluffy biscuits at the Foundry Grill. 

For dinner, handle on your own to a meal at the Tree Place, wherever you can gnocchi with home made ricotta, beech mushrooms, and Burgundy truffles.

Or head a few minutes away to The Lakehouse at Deer Creek, wherever dishes like the crispy nixtamalized squash with red pinon sauce epitomize the chef’s “Utah Heritage Cuisine.”

Exactly where to Apres-ski

Soon after a day on the slopes, head to the Owl Bar, a restored 1890s bar after frequented by Butch Cassidy that was moved from Thermopolis, WY, to Sundance. The bar, which opens at noon on weekends, provides various beers on tap and shareable bites like Filthy Fries with truffle aioli, a “perfect egg,” scallions, and everything seasoning. At evening, the bar will get livelier, and characteristics live tunes on decide on Friday and Saturday nights.