There is a new degree of luxurious snowboarding at Deer Valley, as a brand-new bubble elevate with heated seats simply opened at this ski-only Utah resort.
Whereas the current opening of the six-person Keetley Specific elevate and a few skiable terrain on the brand new East Village growth facet of the ski resort is a large milestone, it is all only the start of what is to return as Deer Valley more than doubles in size to grow to be one of many largest ski resorts in the U.S.
When full, the growth will add over 3,700 skiable acres, bringing Deer Valley’s complete to five,726 acres served by 37 chairlifts that present entry to 238 runs. And sure, it’s going to all stay ski-only, with no snowboarding allowed, simply because it has been for the reason that resort first opened in 1981.
Deer Valley’s East Village will even be house to 1,700 new residential models, 800 new resort rooms, 1,200 further day ski parking spots, new eating places, an ice skating rink and extra to assist all this new terrain. The brand new space will ultimately be related by a gondola to the present predominant base space of Snow Park, which can be slated for a large revitalization within the coming years.
However sufficient in regards to the future. This is what it’s essential know if you’re snowboarding at Deer Valley and seeking to take pleasure in the brand new East Village space for this 2024-25 ski season.
Some East Village lifts and runs at the moment are open, with extra to comply with shortly
On Dec. 31, 2024, the heated six-person Keetley Specific elevate opened. This formally began the method of opening Deer Valley’s East Village space.
You possibly can take this new specific elevate to the Sultan Specific elevate, which takes you to the height of Bald Mountain. From there, you possibly can ski right down to the Snow Park Lodge or proceed your trek throughout the resort to the Flagstaff, Silver Lake or Empire sections.
The brief Aurora elevate can be open within the new East Village part. Moreover, the beginner-friendly Hoodoo Specific elevate, which can connect with a brand new, brief inexperienced run named Prospect, is predicted to return on-line quickly.
A handful of inexperienced and blue runs that permit skiers to spend extra of their day within the East Village space are additionally anticipated to open “as quickly as Mom Nature permits,” in keeping with a Deer Valley mountain host who was serving to skiers decide their subsequent path after simply exiting the Keetley Specific elevate.
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Proper now, the primary notable run obtainable within the East Village is the lengthy inexperienced McHenry run that may take you from close to the center of the resort at Silver Lake Lodge down a number of miles to the bottom of the East Village.
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Nonetheless, that can doubtless change to incorporate extra choices within the close to future, so it will likely be important for this season — and the approaching seasons — to remain tuned to Deer Valley’s real-time updated trail map, record of scheduled elevate and run openings and social media pages.
You possibly can park and retailer gear on the East Village
Deer Valley is understood for its complimentary in a single day ski storage that makes ski mornings simpler.
Whereas there are not any everlasting ski buildings but on the East Village, there are short-term amenities the place you need to use indoor gear storage, print elevate tickets, hire skis and extra. Inside the brand new Grand Hyatt Deer Valley, there is a Helly Hanson Deer Valley store the place you should purchase branded Deer Valley merchandise, Helly Hanson ski gear and elevate tickets.
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Some day skier parking can be now open within the East Village space, so you possibly can drive in from Salt Lake Metropolis on U.S. Route 40 (and keep away from Park Metropolis visitors) after which take a brief complimentary open-air shuttle that runs repeatedly from there to the Grand Hyatt earlier than touring as much as the world the place the brand new Keetley elevate resides. Further parking will open within the coming years.
The brand new Grand Hyatt Deer Valley resort is open
A cornerstone of the East Village is the brand new Grand Hyatt Deer Valley resort, which opened in November 2024 and has 387 visitor rooms, a restaurant, a lounge and a speakeasy, amongst different options. The resort can simply be noticed on the East Village base, as it’s presently the one everlasting construction on this a part of the mountain.
The one lodging possibility on this a part of Deer Valley (for now) is bookable for 21,000 to 29,000 World of Hyatt factors per evening. Whereas it isn’t technically a ski-in, ski-out resort, it’s only a brief stroll or one- to two-minute trip on the open-air shuttle to the brand new base with the Keetley Specific elevate. The placement is sort of handy when you plan to take the brand new elevate, however know that when you’ve got newbie skiers who must get to ski college on the Snow Park base, they may doubtless must get there by automobile as there is no such thing as a direct shuttle at current from the Grand Hyatt to Snow Park.
A ski college is deliberate for this a part of the mountain in some unspecified time in the future sooner or later, however that will not assist if you’re heading there this season. As somebody who simply did the morning child ski college trek from the East Village space, that is the most important ache level to staying right here whereas this facet of the resort has but to be absolutely constructed.
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My favourite facilities on the new Grand Hyatt are the three out of doors scorching tubs and hearth pits; they’re excellent after a day on the mountain.
If you’re touring right here this season, know that this can be a new resort with new employees and is in what’s, for now, a comparatively remoted space with out a lot close by. Throughout the resort’s first ski season, it could be simply as necessary to pack a pair of “affected person pants” as it’s to convey your ski pants. The expertise you possibly can have now could be doubtless a really totally different actuality from the one you may doubtless have when the East Village is absolutely constructed out.
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It is a huge step ahead however nonetheless a piece in progress
Alongside these traces, being one of many first to take the brand new specific elevate and ski among the East Village terrain was thrilling. However know that when you determine to do the identical, you might be experiencing a piece in progress with some energetic building, short-term amenities and restricted facilities. Chances are you’ll face some day-to-day adjustments because the resort makes an attempt to concurrently construct for the long run and open up as a lot as potential this season.
In the event you keep on this a part of the mountain, it could be a time dedication or logistical problem, for now, to essentially do a lot outdoors the resort apart from snowboarding. For nonskiing actions, anticipate it to take at the least 20 to half-hour by car in every course you journey; throughout peak instances, weekends and holidays, it could be (a lot) longer. Whereas a resort shuttle operates roughly each two hours to Park Metropolis, it is best to convey a automobile when you prefer to journey with extra flexibility.
I do not say that to discourage you from a visit right here this season however relatively to set expectations given this growth is a multiyear challenge and solely sure items of the puzzle are in place proper now.
Backside line
2025 is a very big year for Deer Valley.
Not solely is it opening three lifts and 300 acres of latest terrain for the present 2024-25 ski season, but it surely has even greater plans for later within the 12 months when the 2025-26 season kicks off. That is when the resort plans to convey on-line 1000’s of latest acres of skiable terrain, 9 new chairlifts (together with a gondola) and 110 new ski runs.
If you wish to wait to expertise the Deer Valley of tomorrow in all its accomplished glory, then you might want to take a seat tight for a couple of extra years. However when you do not thoughts a piece in progress and are able to reap the benefits of what’s new and prepared now, wax up your skis and prepare to take pleasure in some pleasant service, a elaborate new elevate and one of many longest new ski runs within the nation.
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