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Yes, you get 7 days free skiing at The Canyons ski resort in Park City, Utah…..see details below:

How do I get my 7 days free skiing at The Canyons in Utah?
1.  Book 8 nights at The Canyons ski resort in the Silverado, Sundial or Grand Summit condos with Ski Traveller (+ you will get your 9th & 10th nights free) 
2.  7 days free skiing valid 2009 - 2010 ski season (except: 25 Dec 09 - 2 Jan 10). 
3.  Email a copy of your New Zealand or Australian Passport to Ski Traveller.

Email: liannes@skitraveller.co.nz
See Ski Traveller website for NZD & AUD land packages for The Canyons: http://skitraveller.co.nz/best_deals#15

Ski Traveller has negotiated with The Canyons ski resort in Utah for 5 days free skiing for all Kiwis….email Lianne at Ski Traveller for more information, full details to be posted soon.  You must stay on-mountain at The Canyons and book your ski holiday with Ski Traveller.

liannes@skitraveller.co.nz
 

What the skiing world needs are billioneers who like to ski and therefore develop complete ski resorts from scratch. About an hours ride from Park City/Deer Valley by rental car lies Snow Basin. It is uncrowded and luxurious. The field itself is serviced by two highspeed gondollas and boasts the sight of the “Downhill” at the Utah Winter Olympics. There are usually very few people there and the reataurants have Venetion glass chandeliers and huge open fires. But it is the plethora of great intermediate runs and the lack of competition for them that makes the resort so satisfying. Get Sarah or Lianne to sort you a rental car so you can do a day [From Park City or Salt Lake] trip to Snow Basin or Sundance.

Utah’s first distillery since Prohibition will open its doors in Park City in July 2009 and will be located in a renovated 100-year-old livery stable near the base of Town Lift on Park Avenue. The High West Distillery is a ski-in/ski-out restaurant and saloon that will feature craft vodkas, whiskeys and a small-plate menu. With liquor already in production, High West Distillery has garnered numerous prestigious awards, including the Double Gold for its Rendezvous Rye Whiskey at the 2008 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

CHANGES TO UTAH LIQUOR LAWS A’BREWIN…Park City Raises a Glass to a Libation Nation
PARK CITY, UTAH (May 28, 2009) – Long known for its conservative and quirky drinking regulations, Utah Legislators recently made progressive changes to the State’s liquor laws, notably the elimination of Utah’s private club system. Beginning July 1, 2009, this move by the Utah Legislature no longer requires clubs and bars to charge patrons a “membership” fee upon entering a drinking establishment. While Park City has long been home to brew pubs, watering holes and master mixologists, 2009 signifies an evolutionary change for locals and visitors alike, and there’s never been a better reason to celebrate.

Have you skied in Utah?  Would you like to?

I was lucky enough to ski at 6 of the resorts in Utah in April this year and I can report the snow was fantastic even in mid-late April.

The Canyons ski resort are offering some really good early booking specials…..take advantage of these and check out Utah for yourself.  This resort is ski in/out or very close to ski in/out from nearly all the on-mountain accommodaiton, it has nearly 4000 skiable acres and is 10 minutes on the free bus to Park City township & mountain and from there you are 5 minutes on the free bus to Deer Valley…..all the ski resorts around Park City are very close together.   Stay at The Canyons and it is very easy to ski all three mountains: The Canyons, Park City and Deer Valley. 

2009 – 2010
EARLY BOOKING PROMOTION at THE CANYONS SKI & SNOWBOARD RESORT
Park City, Utah
Purchase 8 nights, get the 9th and 10th nights free on 1-Bedroom units and larger.
Book by 1 Nov 09
Valid on bookings 4 Dec 09 - 11 Apr 2010 
Blackout dates: 25 Dec 09 - 2 Jan 2010. 
Includes ticket promotion of either:· 
Buy a two day lift ticket at The Canyons, get 1 day free· 
Buy a five day lift ticket at The Canyons, get 2 days free

Includes 2 breakfast vouchers per room per day

I recently returned from a late season visit to the ski resorts in Utah.  I have just heard that Snowbird will be open until June as it has recieved over 600inches (15 metres) of snowfall this season.  If you thought the USA did not offer good skiing in April then think again and think Utah. 

I took this picture at Snowbird on the 15th of April….over 30cms of snow fell that day!

Lianne Stott - Ski Traveller
Email me if you would like more information on skiing in Utah: liannes@skitraveller.co.nz

Hi Lianne,

I have been going to the Canyons Resort for the last 4 years to visit my son James who has been working at the Canyons for the last 5 seasons as a NZSIA 1, PSIA Level 111 Certified Ski Instructor. Not only do I have quality  time with James, but get the best skiing vacation one could have, with consistently good skiing conditions, and experiencing what we all go there for “ POWDER’’.

Utah logo is, ‘’The Greatest Snow On Earth’’, it certainly lives up to its name and gets a average snow fall of 355 inch (889 cm).Last year I was skiing powder up to my waist, infact Utah had a astounding snowfall average during the 07/08 season, and snowed at an almost unheard of 700inch for the year. This year during mid January when I arrived it hadn’t snowed for 3 weeks, the locals were saying the skiing was average. Despite the lack of snow there was still really good cover and the conditions were good, hard pack dry snow and no ice to be found. The snow came and in 2 days we had 18 inch (46cm) of awesome Utah light dry fluffy snow.

 The Canyons is so large that you will find a bewildering amount of varied terrain to explore, having James as my guide on a powder day is an awesome experience, as he just knows where to find fresh untracks. From my trusty Volkl P60, I was given a pair of Blizzard Magnum 87 side cut, 176cm to try in the powder. Well what fun, I was floating effortlessly through trees and open bowls.

It fascinates me that I have never lost a day skiing due to bad weather, its almost unheard of for the mountain to close, even when it snows the light and visibility is fine to ski with out being a white out and windy. Even when it’s minus 10 C it not freezing to ski, it’s a dry cold, if you are well geared up with warm woolen Icebreaker Thermals/jerseys you don’t feel the cold.Infact buy the hand and feet warmers that adds a lot of comfort.

I am still discovering new terrain , after 4 years it’s a field that caters to people  of all standards that love to ski and snowboard, with 3700 acres (1500 hectares) of widely –varied terrain,163 trails, 17 lifts, 8 mountains, 6 natural half pipes, 5 bowls, and 2 cutting-edge terrain parks. It blew me away when I first went there, no wonder its Utah’s largest single ski/snowboard resort and one of the 5^th largest in the U.S.

With recent takeover from Talisker private real-estate development and investment company, the Canyons Resort has exciting times ahead with major project. Already it has 6 World-Class condo-Hotel ski in/ski out accommodation all with in the Canyon Resort Village and more to come even with the possibility of having an 18 whole golf coarse to be added to the resort village. The trail map shows in the near future an extra 250 acres of new terrain that will be opened and will give you some great intermiadiate and advance runs.

I was there for the 2 weeks during the Sundance Film Festival,if you are a film buff great time to go to see a variety of interesting films and see film stars, but a great time also to be on the mountain skiing as its relatively quite. .

When I get a Groomed trail map each day, I study it while I go up on The Flight of the Canyons Condola, which take you to the mid mountain area, the hub of the Canyons where the ski school is, beginners and intermediate ski runs, the start of taking you to other lifts and the Red Pine Lodge a great place to meet and have lunch. James goes to work and I hit the slopes away from the mid-mountain area and find those nice open pristine groomed corduroy runs. It’s like first tracks all morning and my favourite runs are Cloud 9, Sidewinder, Chicane off the Tombstone Express. I literally have these runs to myself and after a few repeats I would have skied over 10,400 vertical feet (3170 m). A quick Starbucks coffee at the Sun Lodge over towards Super Condor and again ski the groomed trails like Upper Boa, Aplande and Kestrel all really nice chutes long and wide with grippy dry snow.

 At mid-day I meet up with James at the Red Pine Lodge which offers a selection of excellent food, from soups, gourmet Pizza, Angus Beef burgers, sandwiches and salads. Love how all your chutneys, sauces, mustards, mayonnaise, are free. On my Last day James treated his father at the Lookout Cabin, great location and incredible views of the Wasatch Range, with equally nice sit down table served award winning menu. It’s affordably priced and has an impressive wine list. A glass of Oregon Pinot Noir went down nicely with my Prime Cut tender fillet of Angus meat.

Some great runs can be had over at Dreamscape,  Dreamcatcher and around here is The Colony, an award winning, private, gated community that is home to the largest ski-in/ski-out home sites in North America. These million dollar log cabin houses are amazing nestled amongst the magnificent forest of aspen and fir and is in the Canyon Ski Resort area. Going back to home base the Harmony trail lives unto its name it’s long, cruzy, wide easy run, skiing past all those lovely Colony Houses, only hoping that you might get an invitation!!

After a full day on the mountain you can ski right along side the local hangout, Smokies Bar and Grill. Has a great atmosphere, friendly staff, good music and a menu that wets your appetite. Try the spicy chicken wings with a pitcher (jug) of local Cutthroat Ale, gets the taste bud going and thirst!!

This sets you up for a great après night out,  Park City historic old mining town, has upto 100 bars, nightclubs and Restaurant along the Main Street. There is something for everyone, endless choice. The Restaurant I always enjoy for value and a fantastic wine list is Bangkok Thai on Main. Lots of good Sushi Bar and Grill, and fun bars to go to is Wasatch Brew Pub or Bistro 412 upstairs. Later kick your heals up at Cisero’s Club, great atmosphere. Free transport runs to 12, otherwise plenty of taxi around later to get home.

I left on Waitangi Day, James had a Kiwi Party and it was snowing. It snowed for 3 days, had over 50 inch, typical when you are leaving.

To summaries my time at The Canyons, it is a ski destination made easy, closer than you think, and has all the makings of a perfect hassle free vacation that lies within a mere 30-minutes drive from Salt Lake City International Airport. The hardest thing about the experience is LEAVING.

Regards, Willie K.

As of a few days ago Park City, Utah opened a couple of lifts to get the season under way. As Ski traveller’s man in Utah during February, I will be sending a few reports from Utah, home of the world’s driest snow. Park City has a special product called “Signature runs” which are steep black diamond runs that they groom by winching the groomers up the slope. These runs are great for people who like steep & long - but groomed.

Mark S - Ski Traveller

Air New Zealand has released some FAB Ski Airfares to help you get to the slopes in North America!  Give us a call today so we can get you on the flights, you must book early to get the BEST Value Airfares.

An ADDED Feature for this year is you can choose to UPGRADE to Premium Economy Class or even to Premier Business Class on your long-haul flights.

The flights at Christmas are filling fast, give us a call to book your flights as soon as you know your dates…..you have 28 days once we book the flights to decide these are right and get the e-tickets issued, but you do need to get these booked now for travel at Christmas and Early January.

Direct flights to Vancover 4 times per week: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday & Sunday….same days returning.
Direct flights to Los Angeles and San Francisco: daily or twice daily.