Park City Mountain

Park City Celebrates: May is National Bike Month

May 10, 2018 by Molly Miller, Colony PR

With more than 400 miles of single-track trail in Park City, mountain biking here is among the best in the world, for any level of rider. And, if you’re not a mountain biker – or are simply looking to ratchet up your rotation opportunities – you can also enjoy mile after mile of multi-use track on a road bike – or an e-bike!

And, because May is national bike month, there are a number of unique opportunities for you to pedal the Park City paths over the next few weeks. (Photo courtesy: Park City Mountain)

National Bike to Work Week is May 14 – 18

Biking gets you out into our fresh mountain air, and – bonus! – The League of American Bicyclists says commuting on your bike burns an average of 540 calories an hour. And, if you were to switch to biking to get to work on the regular, you’d save about 66 gallons of fuel per year.

Park City’s Bike to School Day is May 18

On Friday, May 18, our entire community comes together for Bike to Work, School and Play Day. The main morning gathering happens at Park City High School, where there will be breakfast, a bike wash, bike safety information and even bike tune-ups.

Students riding bikes to school get police escorts, and all kids and the community are invited to enjoy activities like helmet fittings, bike safety demos, and BBQs – held throughout the day at McPolin, Parley’s Park, Jeremy Ranch, and Trailside elementary schools.

The entire Park City community is invited to bike to school, work, and play on May 18.

E-Biking | Summit Bike Share

The Summit Bike Share is also inviting you to hit Park City’s trails for bike month (e-bikes are permitted on all paved multi-use paths and soft-surface trails wider than 5 feet). The goal of the Bike Share, which is a joint effort between Summit County and Park City, is to offer a great 24/7 transit option for residents and visitors to explore the city. And the best news – all bikes are e-bikes. This means you still get to pedal, but electric-assist will automatically kick in on the hills. Since its inception last year, more than 35,000 miles have been biked!

There are tons of ways to celebrate National Bike Month in Park City.

To celebrate Bike Month, you’re welcome to give Bike Share a 45-minute whirl for FREE on May 15 and 16, thanks to Bewegen, Summit County, Park City, and the Park City Chamber of Commerce.

To participate, download the Summit Bike Share app.

Mountain Biking in Park City

While Park City’s hundreds of miles of single-track are extremely popular, it’s rare for a trail to ever be crowded (there are some exceptions, of course, but there are plenty of options for solitude). Mountain bikers of all levels can enjoy more than 20 miles of cross-country trails through Park City Mountain (including our favorite, the Mid Mountain Trail, which runs right here through The Colony at White Pine Canyon!), with some support to make logistics as easy as possible. You can buy Gondola and bike haul tickets at the Activities Center in Canyons Village, and bike rentals are available in both villages.

Park City has been named a gold-level Ride Center by the International Mountain Biking Association. According to the website, this is “IMBA’s recognition of large-scale mountain bike facilities that offer something for every rider… From expert-only to family-friendly, you’ll be able to ride for days and encounter the best mountain biking has to offer.”

We think that description is right on the money – and you hit one of our Park City trails, we bet you’ll agree!

Road Biking in Park City

Park City, where the Tour of Utah starts and finishes, is full of options for road bikers.

Road biking in Park City isn’t limited to professional cyclists (though we can understand why it seems intimidating – the Tour of Utah does begin and end here, after all). Our town is an incredibly fun place for experts and novices alike to enjoy some road bike loops. If you need a bit of assistance getting started, White Pine Touring has you covered with rentals and guided tours.

Enjoy the Ride

Whether you prefer gliding past the white barn or white-knuckling through the Wasatch Back, there is an option that suits your needs for riding a bike in Park City. During national bike month, we sure hope you take some time to enjoy it! Be sure to share your biking pics on Instagram and Facebook using the #ParkCity and #BikeMonth hashtags.

Park City Dinner Dining Guide

April 3, 2018 by Colony PR

New York. Paris. Tokyo. Park City. Those are the first four cities that come to our mind for food, and it should be yours too. With Zagat rated restaurants and award-winning chefs, Park City, is dining destination unto itself.

Chefs like Zane Holmquist at Stein Eriksen Lodge, Seth Adams at Riverhorse on Main and Bill White helped put Park City on the foodie map a few decades ago. The local gourmet scene took off from there and has not slowed down since. New restaurants open regularly, events such as ChefDance (held during Sundance) and a slew of summer dining events keeps diners on their toes year-round.

Need more convincing? Here are our favorite dinner spots.

Firewood on Main

Reclaimed bricks and timber bring the alpine feel of this relatively new Main Street eatery to life, along with the sight of an open flame through a wall of windows peering into the kitchen. Cooking over a custom-made grill—one of only four of its kind—Chef John Murcko rotates fresh, local ingredients to create a “multi-sensory culinary experience.” Chef’s menu includes wild game, such as elk, as well as more familiar cuts such as lamb chops and New York Strip, and several seafood options.

Private dining options are available as well, with the option of using multiple bar areas including the building’s original 1906-era Nickel Bar. The restaurant can even arrange private entrance via Swede Alley.

Reservations Recommended

Handle

Chef Briar Handly is a relative newcomer to the Park City dining scene, quickly earning accolades from food critics, locals and visitors alike. Seasonal ingredients inspire Handle’s locally driven menu of small plates that run the gamut on influences.

Set in a dimly lit dining room with rustic accents and a statement wall of quirky, nature-influenced artwork provides a perfect backdrop for standout dishes like the buffalo cauliflower or Scallops smothered in lobster and crawfish etouffee. Inventive cocktails accompany the menu to round out a memorable meal.

Handle has already expanded to a second location, HSL, in downtown Salt Lake City.

Tupelo

Tupelo is a restaurant where the meal is truly a journey. That journey is the exact intention of Chef Matt Harris. Inspired by global travel through food, Harris and his team have put together a menu that includes everything from local Utah mushrooms to Maine mussels and Sonoma duck breast and everything in between.

Adventurous diners can opt for inventive dishes such as the “Utah Chicken Fried Rabbit” or, for those with more traditional taste buds buttermilk biscuits, kale caesar and local trout are presented with fresh and exciting twists.

Grappa

Bill White’s flagship Italian restaurant blends an alpine villa feel with hearty Italian dishes. While the cascading patio is brilliant in summer months, the warmth of the interior is a cozy place for a winter meal. Let’s be honest – does anything smell better than marinara sauce on a winter evening? Of course not – and Grappa smells, looks and feels like you are in the Italian Alps and you found the local go-to spot for a big meal.

Last Friday Gallery Stroll

March 30, 2018 by Colony PR

The Park City Gallery Association hosts a gallery stroll on the last Friday of each month, falling on March 30th this month. Running from 6 – 9 PM, light refreshments are served to art patrons as they discover some of the incredible local artists who call Park City home.

Most of the twenty or so galleries are on, or within a couple blocks, of Main Street, making for an enjoyable walk – especially if you start at the top of Main and wind your way downhill. Printing out this handy gallery map before heading to town makes finding your preferred stops a breeze.

Some of our favorites are Gallery MAR, and J GO – both between 4th and 5th Streets on Main. The next block uphill is home to seven galleries, including Mangelsen – Images of Nature Gallery, featuring the work or famous nature photographer Thomas Mangelsen. His limited edition prints of wild places and animals would be a perfect complement to a mountain home at The Colony.

Don’t miss galleries on Lower Main as well – each are worth the walk to the other side of town. Julie Nester Gallery is a must stop to take in the ever-rotating collection of contemporary art pieces.

Find up to date information on the Gallery Association facebook page and website.

Park City Events: Weekend of March 2 – 4

March 2, 2018 by Colony PR

Do:

Sage Advice: Greater Sage-Grouse Ecology and Conservation at Swaner Eco Center

“A 2015 decision by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service kept the Greater Sage-Grouse off the Endangered Species list – but what does this mean for their populations, and for the people that live and work in their habitat?”

Join a talk hosted by Allison Jones of The Wild Utah Project and Dr. Terry Messmer, USU Professor of Wildlife Conflict Management to learn about these fascinating creatures, as well as conservation efforts to sustain their populations.

March 1 @ 6:30 PM

Listen:

Mavis Staples at Eccles Center

Mavis Staples’ singing career dates back to 1948, as both a solo artist and founding member of The Staple Singers. The ever-present themes of struggle, hope, and compassion, have been a hallmark of her records. Expect a performance that runs the gamut of her back catalog, as well as including new numbers from her latest release, If All I Was Was Black, a collaboration with Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy.

March 3 at 7:30 PM

Watch:

US Revolution Tour at Park City Mountain Resort

If you’re missing the competitive spirit of the Olympics, don’t miss this competitive stage in halfpipe and slopestyle at Park City Mountain’s 3 Kings Terrain Park! Top junior riders will compete to earn an invite to be part of the Toyota U.S Grand Prix, Junior Worlds, USASA Nationals, and participate in Project Gold camps.

Feb 27 – March 2
Park City Mountain Resort

See:

Curtis Olson, New Work at J Go Gallery

Olson unveiled new work last week at J Go (480 Main St) that will be on display through the end of March.

Drawing on his background as a contemporary architect, Olson’s work is intricate, relying on powerful design, deep colors and texture. The gallery recommends studying every square inch of his work, as in-depth study lends itself to revealing additional layers in each piece.

J Go Gallery
480 Main Street

Eat:

Firewood on Main

Reclaimed bricks and timber bring the alpine feel of this relatively new Main Street eatery to life, along with the sight of an open flame through a wall of windows peering into the kitchen. Cooking over a custom-made grill—one of only four of its kind—Chef John Murcko rotates fresh, local ingredients to create a “multi-sensory culinary experience” for a menu that changes nightly. The menu included wild game, such as elk, as well as more familiar cuts such as lamb chops and New York Strip, plus several seafood options the night we dined there.

Reservations Recommended

Park City: The Home of Past, Present and Future Olympic Athletes

February 20, 2018 by Colony PR

The 2002 Olympic Winter Games were officially held in Salt Lake City. Ask any fellow local where the Games were held and they will respond with “Park City!” Which makes sense, since most alpine skiing events were held at our two resorts, as well as bobsled, luge, and skeleton, along with Nordic jumping over the Olympic Park. Plus, all the cross-country events took place just around the corner at Soldier Hollow in Midway.

Our local newspaper, The Park Record, published an excellent article highlighting the legacy of the Games: a tradition our town carries on today.

The venues that began opening in the early nineties ushered in an era where athletes from across the world would relocate to Park City to train, Take for example gold medalists Nikki Stone and Eric Bergous, who both won gold in 1998 after relocating from Boston and Montana, respectively.

This makes complete sense since Park City was one of two American towns with bobsled, luge and skeleton tracks, but we also had alpine skiing and Nordic facilities, including a pool, for athletes to train.

Fast forward to 2002 where Park City locals had a front row seat to the Games, which included medaling performances by Shannon Barhke, Jonny Moseley, and Travis Mayer. Local children left the Game inspired to try the same sports, launching a new crop of Olympic athletes.

Do you recognize the names Ted Ligety, Joss Christensen, and Sage Kotsenburg? Yes, they all have gold medals in common. But they are also each a product of our Park City community. We’re proud to call this gold medal town our home.

The Park Record does a great job of chronicling the newest crop of Park City athletes, such as Madison Olsen, who will compete in PyeongChang. The legacy of 2002 lives on through the dreams and accomplishments of our local athletes like Madison. And keep an eye out for familiar faces on the podium – there is a good chance they are one of our neighbors!

Park City Events: Weekend of Feb 16-19

February 16, 2018 by Colony PR

Listen:

Chubby Checker, yes THAT Chubby Checker brings his #1 hit “The Twist” to The Egyptian Theatre on Main Street for four nights (Thurs – Sun). Don’t miss seeing a legend live, including an opportunity to show off your twisting skills on stage with Chubby himself.

Do:

If you’ve ever wanted to try your hand at ceramics, Kimball Art Center offers an open clay studio event each Friday. Perfect for first-timers, you’ll begin with a wheel throwing demonstration (don’t worry, it’s much easier than it sounds), and can then create anything you wish. Space is limited, so it may be a worth a call before heading over.
435.649.8882

Watch:

I, Tonya, the life story of figure skater Tonya Harding, plays for three nights (Fri-Sun) at the Jim Sandy Auditorium. The film, directed by Craig Gillespie, covers everything from Harding’s Olympic career to her life following the attack on fellow skater Nancy Kerrigan.

Play:

President’s Day is roughly the mid-point of the ski season. So, if you haven’t done it yet, book a day of heli-skiing with Wasatch Powderbird Guides. With locations at Snowbird Resort and in Park City, Powderbird’s gets you to the goods – fast!

Olympics:

We called around town to find a few places to catch up on the Games. Here are our picks:

No Name Saloon, Butcher’s Chop House & Bar, and Boneyard & Wine Dive will be airing the games at all three locations. Butcher’s does have a 166″ projector screen as well.

The Eating Establishment will be airing the Olympics on all three of their TVs, from opening to closing ceremonies.

Fletchers will have the Olympics on as well, with the lounge being a great place to watch the Games.

Deer Valley Resort will have TV’s set up in the EBS lounge, and also the clock room for viewing anytime.

Versante at Park City Peaks Hotel will offer food and drink specials during the Games, with live action on several TV’s.

Billy Blanco’s (at the Jeremy Ranch exit) will be showing all the Olympic action on their 8+ large HDTVs.