Desitinations

DESTINATIONS

LUXURY TRAVEL

In the era of Covid-19, traveling is not what it used to be. One of the biggest challenges is to book a vacation that is both safe and interesting to take. In the wintertime, one of the best enjoyed activities is skiing. Now even more, skiing is a great activity to enjoy while social distancing. In this issue, we head to Park City, Utah to explore…

PARK CITY | UTAH

“Skiing is a dance, and the mountain always leads” — Unknown

In Park City, Utah, the dramatic Wasatch Mountain terrain teams up with the powder-light snow to create a fantastic winter vacation destination. It’s a treasure of the American West and one that’s fun to explore.

Skiing becomes a simple pleasure with true ski-in/ski-out access to more than 200 acres of peaks and terrain. Scores of alternative skiing activities are there to be enjoyed as well. Cross-county skiing, snowcat and helicopter skiing are enjoyed by enthusiasts who arrive from the world over to this little enclave in Utah.

Some resorts in the Wasatch Mountains have been prepping procedures for the coming season that they hope will keep skiers on the hills and employees healthy. Vail Resorts, which owns ski and snowboard areas across the U.S., including Park City Mountain Resort, recently announced its winter operating plan.

Among the changes outlined are a requirement for guests to wear face coverings to access the mountain and while visiting all parts of resort operations, including in lift lines and when riding in lifts and gondolas. Guests must also adhere to physical distancing guidelines on chairlifts and gondolas. Lift operators will only seat related individuals who are together or place two singles on opposite sides of a four-person lift, two singles or two doubles on opposite sides of a six-person lift or two singles on opposite sides of larger gondola cabins.

Ski school will be offered as well as on-mountain dining, with adjustments made to help maintain safety. Access to the mountain will be closely managed to ensure social distancing. One of the biggest impacts: the company is implementing a reservation system for the slopes and limits on lift tickets to give pass holders priority.

Montage Deer Valley has taken extensive precautionary measures to ensure the safest environment possible for their associates, guests and residents. This includes increasing already-stringent policies regarding overall cleanliness, frequency of cleaning, food safety, and associate well-being and support.

For those who need a break from the powder, this resort also has hundreds of original pieces of art by artists that are native to Utah as well as many others, all of whose works are truly representative of the culture and heritage of the American West. These paintings, sculptures and more fill the resort’s public spaces, guestrooms and residences. The property has developed a resort “art guide” which is a 150-page, hardcover book containing artist biographies as well as information about all the works that are housed in the public spaces of the resort. This guide gives guests, as well as any visiting art lovers, the opportunity to take a self-guided art tour and to learn more about the fascinating collection of art at Montage Deer Valley.

Caring for guests goes hand-in-hand with the resort’s commitment to caring for the environment. Their company-wide focus on sustainability impacts everything they do, from the use of natural lighting and indigenous materials to participation in the Environmental Protection Agency’s pilot ER3 initiative. Montage Hotels & Resorts continues to win accolades in this arena, with Montage Deer Valley earning Silver LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Certification under the U.S. Green Building Council’s New Construction rating system. It is the first resort property in Utah to earn this distinction. Starting on January 1, 2015, the Montage Deer Valley’s power consumption is now 100% generated by renewable wind power.

If you are looking for a special place to travel in our current environment – Park City suits well.