Snowlist.com Mountain Blog

Park City Musings

Wed, 09 May 2012 09:09:22

Spring is in full swing–actually it feels like early summer–as there is no snow in town and not that much up high. Grass is green, flowers are in full bloom and golf courses are packed. This coming weekend is closing weekend for Snowbird which will be the earliest I can ever remember. I don’t think I can ever remember Snowbird not staying open through the end of May. But that’s this year.

I saw an article in the paper that the Colorado snow total this year tied for the least amount ever. It will be interesting to see how the summer plays out but it sure seems like it’s going to be a warm one.

The past two weekends we had our annual rite of passage in Park City called the Park City Follies. This is a production put on by locals who, for the most part, are not trained actors and have little talent in that field. But it is a hilarious spoof on the past year of living in Park City. One of the great things about living in a small town is their willingness to make fun of themselves and this we seem to do with great pleasure.

Some interesting real estate news this week. If you’ve been following my column you have read my thoughts on Canyons Resort and that I think it is an up-and-coming resort and real estate there for the most part is undervalued. This point was driven again by news that a company purchased a condo project, Sunrise at Escala, and is going to be offering them as timeshare. While that, alone, is not particularly interesting, what is interesting to me is that it is going to take about 85 units off the whole-ownership retail market. Thus making what is available that much more scarce and valuable. Another item of interest is that vacant lot sales have increased both in number of sales and sales price, as builders are picking up the few vacant lots in town, getting ready to build spec houses on them. We haven’t seen this now for about five years and it is just another sign of a rebounding housing market here in Park City. All the agents that I talk to are saying that they are extremely busy right now, showing property, writing offers, and closing on properties. This is even more remarkable considering that mid-April to mid-June is typically the slowest time of the year when everyone just leaves for vacation. Not so this year. Agents are sticking around as we need to take advantage of this unique situation. We’re seeing homes and condos in the $400,000 and under range selling very fast and frequently with multiple offers. We have so little available property in this price range that when something good comes up agents are jumping on them very very quickly.

Summer is close upon us and the summer concert lineup is getting set. Some notable concerts are going to be John Fogarty in June, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young in July, and Earth, Wind and Fire in August. So make your plans to come out and visit Park City and the mountains as it is shaping up to be a fabulous summer. And as always, don’t hesitate to call me for the latest on happenings around town and the best in real estate opportunities.

Dennis Hanlon : Associate Broker at Summit Sothebys International Realty

Park City, Utah | www.DennisHanlon.com | 435.640.5851

Follow me on Twitter and Facebook

Park City?s Al Dente offers a fresh take on Italian

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 15:00:21

It’s officially mud season in Park City which means many restaurants shut their doors for a few days or weeks to get ready for the summer season. However, for those Park City diners who still wish to enjoy a fine meal, now is a great time to get out and visit (or revisit) one of Park City’s newest restaurants—Al Dente.

Al Dente opened last December in the space previously hosting Jean-Louis and offers Italian cuisine is a casual and welcoming atmosphere. A beautiful bar with an interesting drink list draws diners in immediately and adds to the cool vibe of the restaurant.

Start with a few of my favorite appetizers, either the amazing Fresh Burrata ($16) with prosciutto and grilled foccacia or the Tuna Carpaccio ($16) made with sushi-grade Bluefin tuna supplied by Yuki Arashi in a tangy gribiche vinaigrette.

Traditional pasta dishes such as the Spaghetti con Meatballs ($19) made with a blend of veal, beef and pork in a rustic tomato sauce or more modern representations like Duck Confit Ravioli ($30) with mushrooms and black truffles are filling and flavorful.

But the meat and seafood courses really shine at Al Dente. The Sea Bass Livornese ($36) with red and yellow tomatoes, roasted artichoke hearts and new potatoes was so perfectly seasoned and prepared that my husband is still talking about it weeks later. I was extremely impressed with the Veal Piccata ($30). It’s so easy to over-bread and then overcook veal piccata but this version literally melted in my mouth and the potato puree added to the spot-on preparation of this entire dish.

If you still have room for dessert, a creamy version of tiramisu—the staple of any Italian restaurant in America—is available as well as a super chocolately chocolate cake and other regularly changing selections. Gelato offerings in a variety of flavors are rich and wonderful.

Open daily from 5:30 to 10 pm

136 Heber Avenue, Park City, UT

435-200-0260

Summer Has Sprung

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 22:18:14

Well summer arrived over the weekend with temperatures in the mid-70s and crystal blue skies. It was a weekend for yardwork, golf, and barbeques on the deck. I was looking on the avalanche centers’ website and they had a graph of snow totals for the last several years. what was interesting to me–and that’s probably only because I’m a weather nut–is that last year, as we all recall was an epic year, the snow pack was increasing through the first week of May and peaked somewhere around May 5th or 6th with a base depth of about 160″. This year the snowpack peaked around March 20th with a base depth of only 65″ and has been decreasing ever since. As of today there’s very little snow in the mountains especially below about 8,000 feet and everybody is in full summer mood. Mountain bikes and road bikes were in abundance over the weekend and the golf course was packed.

This is definitely the slowest time of the year for all of the mountain resorts. Restaurants are closed, locals are on vacation somewhere tropical and the rest of us just take a deep breath and relax, recovering from the hectic winter months. And that is exactly what I intend to do this week: take some time off to enjoy the sunshine while it lasts–though it is supposed to snow Thursday or Friday–get my yard in shape for summer and get my golf swing going. So, see you next week!

Dennis Hanlon : Associate Broker at Summit Sothebys International Realty

Park City, Utah | www.DennisHanlon.com | 435.640.5851

Follow me on Twitter and Facebook

Park City Welcomes Off Season with Deals

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 08:35:22

The deals abound in every ski town come April…if you can get them before the doors close. Park City is not immune. Already all three ski areas are shuttered. Most of the retail stores have been picked over but you can still find that needle in the proverbial haystack. Including deals on next year’s season passes. Buying now nets the best savings.

But what about that lawsuit between PCMR and Talisker? you question. PCMR is making assurances: “in the unlikely event the pending lawsuit against Talisker Land Holdings results in the Resort closing for the season, the Resort will refund the full season pass price paid by holders of 2012-2013 season passes” to assuage potential fears. In addition, if the Resort is required in the lawsuit to close for a portion of the 2012-2013 season, the Resort will prorate the refund based on the period the Resort is closed. So shop away.

Buy before May 15 and your PCMR pass is 10 percent off the current season’s rates. $650 is a pretty awesome deal.

Youth (ages 7-12) passes start at just $125. You can purchase additional options like underground parking and ‘Fast Pass’ at a discount too.

New this year - a summer activities season pass. For $210, spend the whole summer enjoying unlimited rides on the Alpine Coaster, Alpine Slide, chairlift rides and all other activities in the base area. The ZipRider is $8 additional per ride and the Flying Eagle Zip Line is $5 additional per ride. Those shorter than 54” pay $105 for their summer pass.

All you have to do to lock in your pass price at Canyons is put down $100 before June 1. The full pass price this year was $1449 but take 6 college credits somewhere and bring the cost down to $699.

Deer Valley hasn’t announced anything yet but their summer ops start June 15.

Don’t forget to pick up a Park Record when you’re in town. Those two-for-one coupons are on every page. Now’s your chance to dine at a five-star restaurant like Wahso or Prime Steakhouse for a third of the price. Just make sure the spot you plan to visit is open. Many Park City restaurants take a break in May.

The Park City Restaurant Association just issued this list of temporary closures in case you’re wondering:

350 Main: April 15 – June 19

Buona Vita: April 22 – May 20

Easy Street: April 16 – June 10

Grub Steak: April 22 – April 27

High West: April 30 – May 2

Mustang: April 29 – May 17

Silver: April 28 – May 3

Silver Star Café: April 16 – May 7

Wahso: April 15 – June 7

Wasatch Pub: April 30 – May 3

Park City and Deer Valley Real Estate Statistics

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 14:58:48

Thanks to a couple of good snowstorms in early April, this year did not turn out to be the driest winter on record but darned close. Going into April we needed to receive over 30 inches of snow to keep us from breaking the record and we did that in the first couple of weeks. However, if this was not the driest winter, I really don’t want to experience a record-setting year as this was pretty miserable for snow. The good news is that going into the closing weekend we received about a foot of new snow and cold temperatures which made skiing truly excellent and Closing Day was warm and sunny, as you will see in the photos. So now it’s officially on to summer, golf, barbecues and pools. Except that today, it’s snowing. Oh well. Welcome to spring in the Rockies!

: Apres ski at Deer Valley is hard to beat on a day like this!

Now that the ski season is officially over here in Park City I want to do a wrap-up of the real estate market from January 1 through March 30.

In looking at the comparable numbers I find it pretty interesting in that what the market is doing really depends upon where you are. For instance, in Old Town (which is the main Town of Park City and around the Park City resort), last year we sold 10 homes in the first 3 months and 9 homes this year. However the average sales price jumped from $800,400 in 2011 to $1,324,400 in 2012 for a 65.5% increase. At the same time the number of new listings taken decreased from 24 in 2011 to 16 in 2012, for a 33% decrease. Let’s take Lower Deer Valley (around the base area of Deer Valley Resort) last year there were 3 homes sold and this year there were 3 homes sold but the average sales price dropped from $2,680,000 in 2011 to $1,646,000 in 2012 for a 38.6% decrease. At the same time new listings taken were 9 in 2011 and only 3 in 2012. Upper Deer Valley (the Silver Lake area) last year saw 8 homes sold compared to 3 in 2012 for a 62% decrease but the average sales price increased from $3,400,000 to $5,500,000 for a 61% increase. Going to the residential area of Park Meadows in 2011 10 homes sold compared to 15 in 2012, new listings decreased from 26 to 16, and average sales price was up slightly from $1,003,000 to $1,930,000 for about a 9% increase.

Condominium sales were pretty similar. In Old Town (around the Park City Resort) last year 27 condos sold compared to 12 this year and the average sales price jumped from $474,000 to $720,000 for a 52% increase. In lower Deer Valley 11 condos sold last year compared to 15 this year and again the average sales price increased from $683,000 to $733,000, so about a 7% increase. Upper Deer Valley followed with 7 sales last year compared to 10 this year and average sales price increased from $1,058,000 to $1,498,000 for about a 41% increase. Jumping outside of town, things were very different. At the Canyons Resort, 15 condos sold last year compared to 22 this year but the average sales price decreased from $482,000 to $387,000 for about a 19% drop. And in the residential community of Park Meadows inside town we saw 6 condos sell last year compared to 5 this year and the average sales price jumped from $768,000 to $824,000 for about a 7% increase.

So, in all real estate markets what is happening is locally-specific but the general trend is that the number of new listings taken are down significantly, number of sales are generally up, and the average sales price is generally up. This does NOT mean that a home or condo is worth 10-60% more this year than last, but that buyers are once again purchasing more expensive properties and the number of distressed sales has declined significantly. While this is great news for sellers the overwhelming message to buyers is, barring another economic collapse of which we have no control, we have most likely hit the bottom of the market. With the upcoming election in November it’s very unlikely that interest rates will increase much before then. So what I believe we’re seeing is that the savvy buyers also believe we have hit the bottom of the market and are taking advantage of the low interest rates and low prices before it is too late..

Springtime is a great time to look at real estate as condos are empty and easy to get into. The weather can be iffy–one day snowing the next day warm and sunny–but that’s just spring in the mountains. So start planning your summer vacation, we have lots of activities this summer, from art festivals to a wide variety of musical events and sporting activities.

Dennis Hanlon : Associate Broker at Summit Sothebys International Realty

Park City, Utah | www.DennisHanlon.com | 435.640.5851

Follow me on Twitter and Facebook

Snowbird to Install New High Speed Lifts

Sat, 14 Apr 2012 23:42:37

Snowbird has exciting news for next year's ski season as they will be replacing the Little Cloud and Gad 2 chairlifts with detachable high-speed quads. Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort officially made the announcement on Friday, April 13, along with the news that a new water pump will be installed that will increase their snowmaking capabilities.

This news doesn't come a day too soon as many skiers at "The Bird" as everyone who skis there has endured the painful, cold ride on Little Cloud, one of the most exposed chairlifts in Utah. The double chair, which was installed in 1980, is notorious for being hammered by high winds as it crawls up the higher reaches of the Gad Valley. The chair was also extremely uncomfortable, with a hard seat that dug into the backs of skier's legs. General Manager Bob Bonar seems to have heard the complaints, saying, "Our guests have told us replacing Little Cloud is a top priority and they welcome the faster ride to Little Cloud Bowl and Mineral Basin."

The new lift will wisk skiers and snowboarders to the top of Snowbird with a high speed, detachable quad that is being built by Doppelmayr, a European company with its North American headquarters here in Salt Lake City. The new chairlift will be located on the footprint of the existing Little Cloud chairlift and be operational for the winter of 2012/13.

Gad 2 will also be eventually replaced, pending an environmental assessment. Gad 2 is one of the original double chairlifts at Snowbird, and it will also be replaced with a detachable high-speed quad chair. However, Snowbird says the new lift will be lower-capacity than the new Little Cloud chair to minimize overcrowding on the terrain. This issue is big for many people as Gad 2 has historically been a powder haven for skiers who avoid the feeding frenzy that occurs around the Tram on snow days. Snowbird also plans several run modifications in the Gad 2 area during installation, scheduled for summer 2013. The new Gad 2 lift will be operational for winter 2013-14.

Snowbird will be selling its old, original chairs, and proceeds will benefit Wasatch Adaptive Sports (WAS). WAS offers year-round therapeutic recreational activities to people of all ages with special needs, with a special program for wounded veterans. WAS operates year-round and provides many rewarding activities including skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing and adaptive hockey in the winter; hiking, fishing, orienteering, bicycling and tram rides during the summer. Stay tuned to find out how you can score your own and build a killer ski chair swing in your backyard.

So the question is this: are Snowbird's loyal skiers for or against replacing Little Cloud and Gad 2 with high speed quads? Is this a much needed improvement, or will it take away the slower-paced personality the Gad Valley is known for?

Of course for more information, visit www.snowbird.com

Common Real Estate Scams

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 12:13:24

Even though this week is the final week of the ski season for all three Park City resorts, last weekend sure felt like it was the end. It was beautifully warm and sunny, with temperatures over 70 degrees in town and very quiet on the mountain. It really felt like the closing weekend. So while we are still operating and it is warm again today, naturally we have a series of storms coming in tomorrow with snow forecast Wednesday through Sunday. Hopefully it’s heavy enough to make a difference and not just dribbling a few inches here and there to make it miserable. But no matter what happens, this Sunday is the end of the ski season, such as it was,for all three ski resorts. Alta will stay open through the end of April and Snowbird well into May. Note: last year Snowbird stayed open till July 4, which they will not make this year.

This week I would like to diverge form my normal topics of the real estate market and sales activity to talk about cases of fraud that buyers, renters, and real estate agents are being subjected to. To start with, I just listed a charming home in a very nice subdivision outside of town for $495,000. Interestingly, the very next day the home appeared on Craigslist as a rental. Knowing that my listing was not for rent, I followed up on it and made an inquiry to the email address provided and received a very nice reply back that the owner was in Nigeria–of course–on missionary work and that is why they were renting the home. And it went on to great details that I might find the home on another site for sale but that was no longer the case and that I was not allowed to walk up to the house and was only to drive by. And as there were other interested parties, the first person to send to them a $700 deposit would secure the property. Fortunately, for just about everyone looking, the statement about being in Nigeria sounded every horn, siren, red light and red flag and I don’t know of anybody that has fallen for this yet. I have received several calls from potential renters as to if this was true or actually a scam. I responded of course that it was a scam and I was working to get it off of Craigslist. I’ve had his happen to me on other listings before; some ending up on other websites as vacation rentals. In each case the scammer lifted my listing from the public websites such as realtor.com, Trulia , Zillow,etc published my description intact and added their contact info. So as is often stated, if you find a rental property on a website that asks you to wire funds out of the country, or to a Paypal account or some other untraceable and unrecoverable source be very cautious. Particularly with phrases like “do not go up to the house,” “the owner/representative will not meet you at the property,” or in any way discourages you from actually meeting the neighbors or anybody around the property.

Another scam that’s going around right now that’s being perpetrated on real estate agents, real estate brokerages and sellers, is a buyer contacts an agent saying they’re interested in homes in the area and they’ll specify price range, number of beds/baths, amenities, garage size, close to schools, whatever. When the agent replies with maybe a variety of properties that fit the description, the buyer replies back that they would like to make an offer on x property, seems to fit all the requirements, they’re very excited about it, They want to make an offer on it at this price and will put up a significant amount of earnest money with closing quickly (within 30-45 days) and a cash sale. The unsuspecting agent writes the offer as specified by the buyer, sends it to the buyer for signatures which the buyer does and gets back to the agent and the agent presents to the sellers’ agent. They go through the negotiations, place the offer under contract as the buyer wants it and won’t haggle too much under those terms. Once under contract the buyers sends a check to the agent for earnest money. Within a couple of days of receiving the earnest money the buyer calls the agent and says something like “our plans have changed and we are no longer interested in purchasing this properly, please cancel the contract and send the earnest money back to us. What they are counting on happening here is that the buyer’s real estate company will send them a check for the amount of the earnest money prior to the buyer’s check actually clearing the bank, which of course it will never do. This has been going around Park City now for several weeks and we’ve been receiving warnings from the board attorney to watch out for this.

With these days of the Internet anybody can copy or create a listing for a property that sounds legitimate but in fact is not. And while there is no way to 100% protect ourselves and you, the buyers and sellers, from every case of fraud, common sense, does it pass the “smell” test, and working with an experienced real estate professional will certainly prevent most cases. As a buyer or seller, do your homework. Research your agent, their company and inquire about their experience, longevity, and if there have been any sanctions against either by the division of real estate. Here in Park City we are blessed with a very high number of very professional and caring real estate agents. So my word of caution is that in these days of too many people looking to steal our hard-earned money, the old adage still reigns true: if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is. Count on your Park City Real Estate specialist to guide and counsel you through the process of finding and purchasing the perfect vacation property for your family.

Dennis Hanlon : Associate Broker at Summit Sothebys International Realty

Park City, Utah | www.DennisHanlon.com | 435.640.5851

Follow me on Twitter and Facebook

Winter Boots Face Springtime Hiatus

Sun, 08 Apr 2012 11:34:13

My poor winter boots. They barely saw the light of day let alone a snowy day this year. I wanted to strut them out on a regular basis but they sat woefully in my closet for most of this skinny season. Now it's time to stash them away in the attic and cross my fingers that we'll have more time together next season. Call me the Imelda Marcos of winter boots. They are all my faves. Warm, fuzzies, mostly pull on because after a long day in ski boots you want something less constraining.

Good-Bye Emus

Oh so stylish ankle boot with water-resistant Australian sheepskin and high-loft shearling on the inside. When you're in a hurry to get to the hill and you don't mind looking like you have slippers on your feet, grab these. They're super hard to keep clear of water spots but the comfort makes up for the slacker look. The hardwearing EMUsole and double stitched seams make this boot one you can wear for many seasons. http://www.emuaustralia.com

Good-Bye Timberlands

Like cowboy riding boots, my Timberlands hold their shape and look great no matter what muck you walk in. The leather's waterproof and lightly insulated. The upper cuff has a layer of shearling. This model has been discontinued but I was able to get my hands on a pair. I'll withhold them from the attic this summer for those cold morning horseback rides.

Unfortunately, the Timberland Crystal Mountain Lace-Ups will go up.

The Crystal Mtns are made of recycled materials in the linings and outsoles and a dash of fleece all the way to the knees. The full-grain leather and nylon outers are waterproof making thw whole boot incredibly warm. In fact, my legs have never been so warm in the winter. A Smartwool fabric footbed wicks and warms my toes. They're ideal for deep snow outings and stylish nights where you want to wear skirts or straightleg jeans. However, the lacing does require some effort so I didn't wear them out as much as I'd like. www.timberland.com

Good-Bye Chacos

The Belyn Baa was Chaco's first try at a winter boot. The only problem is they forgot to make it waterproof which kind of defeats the purpose. The leather uppers and shearling lining make this snowboard-steezish boot way cool and warm except you'd only want to then wear them in the snow. It's any kind of deep or you're trudging around Tahoe's 20 percent you'll have a puddle under your sock in no time. You'll be most happy with these boots when the streets are icy but not snowy. The Vibram outsole has tons of grip.

Good-Bye Rubber Ducks

I never felt like running in my Sporty Snowjoggers but they had the perfect blend of qualities for a snowboot. Slip-on, waterresistent (but they've been waterproof for me so far), warm but not so warm you couldn't wear them in a wet spring or fall, plus they have this hip, retro vinyl shine. I had no problems wearing them on the town either shopping or dining. www.rubberduck.com

Good-bye Kamiks

The Centrigrades never saw the light of day this year. The most bomber boot in my collection is used primarily for snowmobiling, snowshoeing, and outdoor winter concerts. Needless to say, this wasn't the season for a -40 degree boot with waterproof nylon uppers, thick Zylex liner, rubber outer shell and IceCLAW rubber outsole.

Good-Bye Tevas

At first I didn't want the Vero Boot. I saw the laces and shook my head. But the hidden side zip had me at Hello. The low volume Thinsulate keep the boots from feeling clunky. In fact, these are the most lightweight in my collection. They're sleek enough to wear with my knit dress or plaid wool skirt. But they also pair well with jeans. There's not a lot of support from the footbed but that didn't seem to affect my dogs when I wore them all day on the SIA show floor in Denver this January.

Good-Bye Sorels

The latest addition to my (boot) family is also the most versatile. I scored the Tofino CVS Boots
at the Vevo Powerstation Sorel Lounge during the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. Form, meet function! The olive color, waterproof shell, quilted upper, Sherpa pile lining, and molded rubber outsole do the job outdoors on the trail but will get you all sorts of coos in the club as well. These boots answer the call for style while still making for the ideal every day winter shoe.

Good-Bye Hi-Tecs

The Snowflakes have been with me the longest. More shoe than slipper, they are made of waterproof suede and Thinsulate insulation. The sole is sturdy and the lugs capable of gripping on slick sidewalks. http://www.hi-tec.com/uk/snow-boots.html

Good-Bye Acorns?

Ok, I'll admit that these wool slip-ons avoid banishment to the attic. More slipper than shoe, I wear these with jeans, shorts, skirts, but I hardly ever wear them at home. They're too warm. The recycled rubber outsole has tons of grip so these make a durable slipper you can take car camping. This is my shoe of choice for my drive back from Little Cottonwood Canyon. www.acorn.com.

Chabaar Beyond Thai brings the heat

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 19:03:08

If you are searching for some of the best (and absolutely the hottest) Thai food in Utah, look no further than Chabaar Beyond Thai.

Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, Chabaar Beyond Thai stands out for the 11 curries; traditional Thai dishes like drunken noodles ($11) with a choice of chicken, pork, tofu, shrimp or fish; a few American favorites and a full page of special menu items that all arrive family-style with a bowl of rice garnished with an artfully cut carrot in the shape of a flower.

One recommended special was a stir-fried Thai eggplant dish served with your choice of meat (try the white fish).

The coconut creamy seafood ($17) special was a hot pot of shrimp, white fish, scallops, calamari and green-lipped mussels swimming in a velvety, spicy coconut sauce that we literally scrapped from the bottom of the pot to enjoy the last bites.

The green curry with chicken ($11) and crunchy vegetables might sound like standard fare but does justice to the dish every time.

Be forewarned that the spiciness of each item is a critical consideration. Most guests who enjoy extremely hot Thai food will max out somewhere in the neighborhood of 2-4 (you can order from 0-10). Your server will be happy to deliver a bottle of the No. 2 sauce to your table for base-level testing before you order.

One of the best Thai iced tea recipes in the valley, Chabaar’s creamsicle-orange beverage ($3) is served in a huge wine goblet over pebble ice. The black tea flavor isn’t overpowered here by the sweetness of the condensed milk as it usually is elsewhere.

Vegan coconut ice cream, one of up to 30 flavors of homemade ice cream available, was beyond creamy and deliciously smooth. Owner Anny Sooksri wouldn’t reveal her secret to making it other than that it took a long time to perfect. Whatever the classified ingredients, the $4 is worth every penny—even if you are so full you can only manage a few closing bites.

Chabaar accepts Visa and Mastercard only.

Hours: Monday through Thursday from 6 am to 9 pm and Friday and Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm

87 West 7200 South, Midvale, UT 84047

801-566-5100

The Countdown Has Begun!

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 18:07:24

By the powers vested in me, by me, I officially declare this winter over. There is no snow in my yard, the aspens are budding out and the golf courses are opening and it was 70 on Saturday. Driving around town I see not only the aspens budding but flowers popping up. This is all about two months early. So bring on summer, it's time for shorts, flops and barbecues. And yes, it will snow into June, but at least this year it is sunny in between snow storms.

Last week I had a chance to speak with Lessing Stern, whose father, Edgar, founded Deer Valley. Seizing on the opportunity to talk with Lessing, I said to him, "I have been getting a lot of questions from people asking if Deer Valley is going to run into the same issue with Talisker when their lease expires that Park City is facing." He smiled and said, "No." And then went on to elaborate. Back in the mid-80s United Park City Mines (UPCM), who is the largest land owner in Park City, and owner of most of the land that Deer Valley and Park City Resort operate on, wanted to re negotiate the leases with both resorts UPCM took both Park City Resort and Deer Valley to court trying to renegotiate their leases for more favorable terms to them. As part of the settlement both Park City Resort and Deer Valley Resort were given the option to purchase the land that they operate on or continue with the lease. Edgar Stern, in his wisdom, chose to purchase the land, while Nick Badami, who was the owner of Park City Resort, chose to continue the lease. So now Park City Resort is going through difficult negotiations with Talisker who ended up buying UPCM and all of its land holdings, for a new lease or control of the mountain or whatever it is they're going to fight about while Deer Valley sits quite smartly knowing that they own their land fee simple and will never have to go through this. Just another reason to buy in Deer Valley.

While the real estate market continues to be very strong, we are about to enter the slowest time of the year for real estate. This occurs right after all the Park City resorts close (which this year is April 15) and usually runs into June. With prices as low as they are and inventory dwindling, I'm going to be very interested to see what happens this year. Stay tuned for updates on this and start making your plans to visit Park City during the beautiful summer months.

Dennis Hanlon : Associate Broker at Summit Sothebys International Realty

Park City, Utah | www.DennisHanlon.com | 435.640.5851

Follow me on Twitter and Facebook

Celebrities Crash The Canyons with Smiles

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 08:09:12

It was smiles all around for the gang that showed up at Canyons on Saturday; and it wasn't just the gorgeous spring weather and the Gruv setting up in the Village below. The impromptu idea to have a celebrity ski race and raise a couple hundred grand for a charity called Operation Smile wasn't long in the making.

Five months ago, a young boy approached the founders of Operation Smile, a non-profit that pays for the operations to repair cleft lips and palates in underprivileged children. The 10-year-old - who just happened to be the son of the president of NBC Entertainment, Jennifer Salke, wanted to give back. Since Henry was born with a cleft lip but had the means to overcome the condition, he decided to help those who didn't.

Soon Billy Bush from Access Hollywood was on board promoting the event and encouraging his friends from popular television shows to join in. Yesterday, marked the first annual Smile Challenge and you can bet they'll be back next year. It's hard to beat a weekend of good fun for a good cause.

The celebs were able to hop a couple of private jets to get to Park City on short notice and many like Lisa Kudrow and Scott Wolf already call Utah, 'Home #2.' "I love Utah," said Kudrow. "We have a place here. Everyone is really nice."

The former Friends star didn't ski in the race but said she does know how to ski. She's just not good enough to have anyone watch her race. Wolf has come a long way since his first days on the slopes during breaks on Everwood. He was schooling Holly Flanders in the course.

Both celebrated the opportunity to support Operation Smile. "It's so pervasive, the help [kids] are getting," Kudrow said. "It's not just a smile, it's confidence and belonging and feeling like, 'Yes I'm part of a group and I go to a school and can do well.' They all just soar afterwards."

Glee's Cory Monteith may be the next celebrity to buy into Park City. He gushed with admiration for the Wasatch. "I love this, look at this," he said. "It's God's country. It's amazing." The locals welcomed him too. Young girls trembled with excitement to stand next to him for photos. And, no, I wasn't the one trembling.

A couple of Modern Family stars also turned up for the event. "Our face is our livehood. It's what everyone judges you on unfortunately; and a great smile is a beautiful thing and to give kids back that confidence is a beautiful thing," said Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Mitchell). Neither Ty Burell nor Jesse took their chances in the spring slop. They chilled at the Alpine House for the after party. Jesse didn't know how to ski in the morning but said he had a private lesson later.

Next time, he needs to call me. I'll be the first to tell him to take a lesson in the morning, not the afternoon, on the last day of March during an excruciatingly hot, dry ski season.

The celebs didn't have much time to prep before the race. They arrived Friday evening and met their Olympic team leaders Saturday morning before the 11 a.m. start just below and to the right of the Sunrise Lift. Billy Demong, Fuzz Feddersen, Kaylin Richardson, Derek Parra, Holly Flanders, Tracy Evans coordinated the teams of six. Spectators could walk up to the finish area and were treated to a variety of Pro Bar flavors. Good thing too as the gluten-free, vegan nutrition bars would be the best vegetarian alternative to the Schnitzel and corned beef the Alpine House was serving. Unless you have a thing for beet salad.

Food aside, the First Annual Smile Challenge seemed to go off without a hitch and the casualness of the event made it feel like old pals out for a Saturday on the hill rather than some glitzy inauthentic Sundance-ish affair. The smiles were genuine.

Canyons' Kaylin Richardson smoked the entire field.

Billy Demong

Kate Walsh was loving the sun and time with friends and Family

Tony Hawk, who has his own charity building skateparks for underprivileged kids, gladly came out to ride in Utah for a complementary charity.

Alta Offers April Pass For Spring Skiing

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 23:02:04

Snowbird doesn't own the spring pass market and Alta's out to prove it. Not that I'm recommending buying either considering the slim conditions out there and the likelihood of never pulling out of the tailspin we're in. And who am I to say for sure? We might get a Hail Mary and have the best spring on record....But I'm not holding my breath.

Still, if you have no other season pass, are desperate to make turns or love backcountry corn or already have more than 3 vacation days at Alta planned, then by all means, jump on this deal.

The "April Pass" provides access to all of Alta's lifts from April 2 through the resort's final closing weekend, April 29. Just note that the resort is open weekends only after April 15. The pass costs $199 and there are 20 ski days available so if you ski every day it winds up costing you about $10/day. Plus, if you are planning to ski at least three more days next month it makes sense. Not too shabby. However, IMHO, it would have been way cooler to offer $200 off next year's pass if you buy by April 1, 2011, and then allow everyone to use their new 2012/13 pass until the end of this season. Just saying...

Buy the Pass online at alta.com for pickup on or after April 2 at the Alta Ski Area Ticket Office.

FYI- It's $99 for children 12 and under.

Spring Gruv in Park City

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 19:21:31

This past weekend started a two-week celebration of spring, spring skiing and music, at Canyons Resort called Spring Gruv. It started Saturday with the traditional pond-skimming contest, where a pond is built at mid-mountain and skiers dress up in costumes with the purpose of skiing down and skiing across the pond with enough speed and balance to make it across the water without falling in.

As you might expect there is a fair amount of beer and other alcoholic beverages involved in this. The amount of beer being consumed is inversely proportional to balance going across the pond. Thus many of the skiers/boarders do not make it very far before splashing in the water, which by the way is quite cold.

Pond-skimming enthusiast

This was followed by a concert at the base area with the headline band being Little Feet, a late '70s/early '80s Southern rock band. Fortunately this year the weather was absolutely perfect with the temperatures being in the 50s. As you will see from the photos, t-shirts and shorts were the attire of the day.

Little Feat at Canyons Resort

In the continuing saga of Park City Resort vs. Talisker it seems to be coming out that the crux of the dispute is that Park City Resort feels that they have fulfilled the terms of their lease to allow them to extend for another 30 years at the same terms. Talisker's position as leaseholder is that the lease has expired and they need to negotiate a new lease at market rate. so the battle continues but Park City Resort does continue to operate.

In last Saturday's paper in the business section the lead article was that median home prices are up from 2011. From January 1 to March 1 in 2011 the median sales price of a single family home was $350,000 and in 2012 it was $400,000. Also from January 1 to March 1 in 2011 for all property types throughout the board we sold $70,000,000 worth of real estate for the same time period in 2012 it was $170,000,000. A comment in the paper is "It may be a buyer's market and prices are low, but prices are not going any lower." Another quote in the paper, "The smart people are buying now. The economy is better and people are buying." If you have been following my blog for a while this will come as no surprise to you as I've been predicting this since last fall. Condos and homes across the entire spectrum are selling, from condos in the $200,000 and $300,000 range to $10,000,000, and homes from $400,000 to $8,000,000. A home in the Deer Crest area of Deer Valley, ski-in/ski-out listed for just under $8,000,000 had an accepted offer on it over the weekend. So if you are seriously considering a vacation home in Park City--or really in any of the ski resorts--the time to dawdle may be passing.

While here in Park City we have been experiencing the same weather as the rest of the country--that is,unseasonably warm and sunny--it is snowing today and the forecast is for another substantial storm this weekend. We have about three weeks left to the ski season at the three Park City resorts so come on out and take advantage of the warm sunny days we've been experiencing.

Dennis Hanlon : Associate Broker at Summit Sothebys International Realty

Park City, Utah | www.DennisHanlon.com | 435.640.5851

Follow me on Twitter and Facebook

Closing Dates For Utah Resorts & Spring Flings /Easter events

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 10:37:49

I'm making jokes about summer being here. We had all of six days of winter, a lot of spring and now everything's toast. Sure, we may get a few random storms but for the most part, with less than a month left, the 2011/2012 "ski" season is wrapping up. The good news is that the trails should be clear to bike and hike sooner rather than later. (Last year we couldn't bike in the Wasatch until August) and the extra good news is that the sunny weather is lifting spirits disappointed with the winter turnout.

Canyons (Closing April 15)

March 31- April 1 - Don't know how they did it but Canyons' celebrity list trumps Deer Valley's. DV always opens their season with their CBS Celebrity Classic but the starpower is frequently lackluster. Now, Canyons Resort closes their season with the inaugural 2012 Smile Downhill and stars from blockbuster shows like Glee, Modern Family and Grey's Anatomy have agreed to show. Katherine Heigl, Lucy Hale, Ty Burrell, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Josh Kelley, Kate Walsh, Chris Case, Billy Bush, Naya Rivera, Lisa Kudrow, Scott Wolf, and Jennifer Salke will race to raise funds for Operation Smile, an international children's charity that rebuilds smiles for thousands of children born with cleft lips and cleft palates. Anyone can watch the races along the Sunrise trail with the finish line near Canyons Resort Village.

March 31 – Spring Gruv continues with the Red Bull Schlittentag. Three-person teams build the craziest, fastest sled in the Wasatch then it's all downhill.
The party continues in the Village at 3 p.m. with a free concert from Martin Sexton.

April 1 - Orgone free
concert starts at 3 p.m.

Utah Residents receive up to 50% off
on lodging rates at select Canyons Resort properties. Anyone booking will also receive special 2 FOR 1 single and multi-day lift tickets. 888-CANYONS.

Park City Mountain Resort (Closing April 15)

April 8- The Easter Bunny arrives at 9 a.m. sharp in the Resort's Kid's Korral. Pastries, hot chocolate and coffee will be served. But be ready to roll for the best egg hunt in Utah. The annual "Hunt for the Golden Egg" takes place all over the mountain with two golden eggs containing 2012/2013 season passes. Non-golden eggs have prizes like 2012 Summer Activities, 2012/2013 lift tickets, clothing and more.

Little kids get an Easter egg hunt for candy on First Time face.

Deer Valley (Closing April 15)

DV doesn't host any spring events or deals but it doesn't cost a dime to chill at "the Beach" at the Silver Lake Lodge.

The Easter Bunny makes a stop on April 8 but if you want the little ones to go egg hunting, try PCMR, Solitude, Snowbird or Alta instead.

Alta (Closing April 15, reopening Fri.-Sun. through April 29)

March 29 - April 2 - Ladies, don't put away those boards just yet. The Alta Lodge Women's Ski Camp brings together the best of the Alf Engen Ski School's instructors for three days of instruction and four nights of lodging, breakfasts and dinners. You'll be in a fun environment where you can challenge yourself, improve your technique and meet some new ski buddies. You'll also get the scoop on the newest women-specific skis so we can help you pick the right skis for you.

April 6-15 – Alta in April. Alta Chamber & Visitors Bureau present a week of après ski events, live music, an on-mountain ski scavenger hunt, a costume contest and more.

April 7: Spring Ski Demo Day presented by Powder House Ski Shops and Alta Ski Shop, free ski demos, live music on the GMD Deck; Beer and Brats at Alf's Restaurant (mid-mountain in Albion Basin, 11:00-2:00pm, $10)

April 8: ACE Easter Egg Hunt (for the kids, 11:00am start) and Skier's Photo Scavenger Hunt, an on-mountain hunt for gear and prizes (12:30-3:30pm)

April 9: Apres Ski Pool Party at the Alta Peruvian Lodge - Pool Deck (4:00-6:00pm)

April 10: Apres Ski Wine and Appetizers at the Alta's Rustler Lodge - Eagle Nest Lounge (4:00-6:00pm) and Open Mic at the GMD Saloon (8:00-10:00pm)

April 11: Apres Ski at the Shallow Shaft Restaurant featuring Epic Brewing (4:00-6:00pm)

April 12: Apres Ski at The Snowpine Lodge with the Alta Historical Society Fireside Chat- Alta's Wild Old Bunch (4:00-6:00pm)

April 13: Freaky Friday Stretchpants and Sunglasses Costumed Ski Day - show off your most wild spring style, and you may win the "Best Dressed" prize! Prizes and drawing on Goldminer's Daughter Lodge deck (3:30pm)

Snowbird (TBA but closing sooner rather than later. No way they're making it to Memorial Day this year.)

April 8 – Easter Sunday starts with a free sunrise service on Hidden Peak. The
last Tram up departs at 6:43 a.m. so be in line by 6 a.m. to make sure you get on.

The free Easter Egg Hunt for kids under 11 takes place at 9 a.m. on Chickadee.

April 9 - Daredevil Dummy Downhill. Build it and send it down Gad Valley at 5 p.m. Prizes are awarded in a variety of categories including Best Crash.

April 17 - Plaza Deck Bash. Music, giveaways and $40 lift tickets.

Solitude (Closing April 15)

April 8 - Peter Cottontail visits the Moonbeam Center and eggs on the little ones as they hunt.

Brighton (Closing April 22)

It's not too late to learn. Brighton's 3-day Learn to Slide package includes a free Smith helmet. Sign up for three group lessons, three full-day rentals and three learner lift tickets all for $199.

March 31- Red Bull Minors Cup is a big mountain "invite only" event for juniors under 18. The judging panel, comprised of top industry pros, will score the difficulty of line, fluidity, innovation of tricks, and speed.

April 14 - Neff Beach Bash Snowboard Jam. First 125 to register get to compete. The rest can party, enjoy the DJ, food, swag and sun.

Sundance (Closing April 8)

It's one of the first mountains to close but Sundance has a robust summer with some of the best mountain biking in the north. Makes sense to get the skiers off the mountain so the snow can melt.

Snowbasin (Closing April 15)

Spring weekends are filled with music on the Needles deck Friday and Saturday beginning at 2:30 p.m

April 8 - Annual Snowbasin Easter Buffet. $37 for adults, $17 for youth and free for kids under 6. Call 801 620-1021 for reservations.

Powder Mountain (Closing April 8)

HAPPY EASTER/PASSOVER!!!

Washington School House In Park City

Sat, 24 Mar 2012 09:51:54

I just had a sweet relaxing day as a tourist in my own town. That's right. I checked into the newly remodeled, newly deluxed Washington School House hotel in Old Town Park City. I'm sad to report that we locals won't get to walk through a haunted house during Halloween anymore but guests staying at the hotel will love the consequences of nicing things up. Count on a new pool and hot tub with mountain views and an original 2002 Olympic fire cauldron for one thing.

I'm usually the go-to person for advice on all things Park City but it's not every day I actually get a chance to stay in a local hotel, let alone a B & B as fancy as this one. But it wasn't always like this. The WSH, built in 1889, obviously needed a renovation after its long history and the duck emerged as a swan of a boutique hotel in January 2012. Eight months of interior guttage and design from Paul Allen Design and architect Trip Bennett have crafted 12 Old World suites and rooms that smell of fresh paint and look pure resort colonial.

The St. Regis, Montage, Escala, Waldorf-Astoria hotels moving into Park City have paved the way for smaller lodges to remodel and lure some of that elite audience who might be looking for something just a bit cozier. They'd have a tough time resisting the School House's original quarried limestone exterior, which has been protected with the installation of a new standing seam metal roof, hardwood floors reclaimed from old barns, 16-foot ceilings, a 10-foot tall antique mirror from an opera house in the south of France and a one-of-a-kind massive antler chandelier in the breakfast room, lacquered in white and layered with crystals.

Can I take home a towel please?

The rooms host king and queen beds, Pratesi linens, down feather beds, Lynova microcotton towels, nine-foot school house windows with automated blinds, ice-white marble bathrooms, heated floors, a showerhead to die for and Molton Brown toiletries. Everything feels soft on your skin.

Walking Distance

The hotel has a designated van to transport you to Canyons or next door. "We actually had our driver take guests to the Riverhorse which is literally directly across the street," said Jessica Davis, WSH's General Manager. "But we accommodate all needs." You can walk a block to dinner at High West Distillery and stumble back or call for a ride.

When it's morning, it's a gourmet eggs Florentine with purple roasted potatoes and bacon drizzled with maple syrup. Skis on the Run swings by and drops off your skis and boots, preseleting them for you based on a form you fill out prior to arrival. As much as I wanted them to be wrong, the Volkl Aurora suited me just fine on this mushy spring groomer day. I used my own boots. I always use my own Lange boots. Then it's time to ski.

Park City Mountain Resort's Town Lift is just steps away; or get another van ride to the Resort Center.

I'm told you can ski out the back but didn't see that route. The way back is supposed to be more straightforward- just look for the hotel's "belfry" to navigate off the mountain and back to the hotel.

Soft pretzels and bison nachos anyone?

Reach for a glass of wine and fancy apps in the new chic ski lounge downstairs for après ski.

The bar is open. Your stay includes breakfast, après and all drinks. They're rolling out dinner in the next few months but that will be a la carte.

The WSH also has little toys for kids at turndown. Children were welcome in 1889 when WSH was one of the first school houses in Park City and they're still welcome today. Park City is a family place and even luxury boutique hotels get that. Of course, rooms start at $700/nt (but you might be able to find rates of $300 in the summer and off-season) so your kids better behave.

Reservations can be made by calling 800-824-1672.

P.S. The haunted house tour may be gone but the ghosts are still here. The WSH is a stop on the Park City Ghost Tours

First day of spring

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 21:25:17

Gotta love springtime in the Rockies! One day short-sleeve shirts are the appropriate attire and the next day you bring out your powder skis. This is certainly the roller coaster we were on last week. Lat week through Friday we saw temperatures in the 50's approaching 60 degrees. Saturday it started snowing, and by Monday we had over 2 feet of new snow. Which, as you can imagine, made for an incredible ski day. And yes, I called my boss yesterday morning (me) and told him I wasn’t coming into work. Fortunately he understood and I went skiing. This was quite possibly the best day of the year. We had about 2 feet of new snow and the best part is that it was a right-side up snowstorm. What I mean by this is that the snow started heavy and wet and then the storm got progressively colder, which meant the final foot was the perfect fluffy light dry Utah powder that we’ve become famous for. The early storm's wet snow bonded very well with the subsurface creating a very soft bottom which also filled in with wind and then the late storm snow was just perfect. All over the mountain yesterday people had big smiles and all throughout the trees you heard lots of whooping and hollering with delight.

As you might imagine the battle between Park City Mountain Resort and Talisker Corp. is the talk of the town (see last week’s blog for details on this) but as I mentioned no one that I know is losing any sleep over whether Park City Resort will open next year or not. Everyone figures that there is a lot of posturing and blustering by both parties to attempt to improve their position either in the courts or through public sympathy. There will be much more on this as this progresses through the papers, town gossip and possibly the court system.

While it certainly feels that the number of visitors to town is down from last year real estate continues to be running at a much stronger pace. And now that we have entered the month of March we are seeing the beginning of the transition from resort second home properties to the primary residential communities. As I was looking in an outlying community called Jeremy Ranch, I was pleasantly surprised to see that there are seven homes with contracts pending. This is a very good sign as the primary home selling season has just begun and really gets underway in June. But even with the winding down of the ski season—it’s hard to believe that we’re already getting there—resort condos and homes are still selling. For instance a ski-in/ski-out condo on the slopes of Deer Valley priced in the mid $5 million range has just gone under contract as well as a couple of lower-priced condos at the Park City resort. Interest rates continue to be extremely favorable; for instance I just closed a condo at the Park City resort with an interest rate in the mid-3% range. So contrary to what you might be hearing on the street, financing for resort properties is available, and the interest rates are astoundingly low.

So as is my usual closing, come out and enjoy beautiful spring weather, we have plenty of snow and the skiing is excellent. And of course if you are in the market for the perfect ski property for you and your family, prices are still low and financing terms are excellent.

Dennis Hanlon : Associate broker at Summit Sothebys International Realty

Park City, Utah | www.DennisHanlon.com | 435.640.5851

Follow me on Twitter and Facebook

City Creek Center in SLC to Entice Skiers

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 22:49:05

Salt Lake City's got a shiny new shopping mall opening today that's destined to find its way onto the Utah ski tourism map. Instead of wondering how you'll spend the hours between your ski day and your flight departure, just head on down to Main and 100 South. The $1.5 billion City Creek Center is the only shopping center to open in 2012 and one of the largest mixed-use developments in the United States. Retail stores, restaurants, offices, residences and open space spread across 23 acres of land in downtown Salt Lake City. But more importantly, it's a space that effectively merges the outdoors with the indoors.

Not only does the skybridge over Main Street frame the Wasatch mountains, but a retractable skylight roof opens on warm sunny days and closes at night and in the winter, leaving you with the impression that you're still outside. So after a week of skiing in Park City you can do a little shopping but still feel like you're on vacation.

There are two 18-foot waterfalls and a mini creek that runs east-west through it all. There's nature everywhere with local masonry, native plants, and a trout pond stocked with Bonneville Cutthroat and Rainbow varieties. The developers even brought in the designers of the Las Vegas Bellagio fountains to build three fountains in the Center. These will dance to fire and music.

Don't be surprised when you hear locals call this the "Mormon Mall". Center Creek is owned and operated by Taubman Centers, a real-estate investment trust, but the LDS church owns the land it sits on. True to form, no shops will be open on Sunday and no liquor will be served at any of the restaurants. The only exceptions are the Cheesecake Factory and Texas de Brazil Churrascaria. Rumor has it that Cheesecake refused to occupy 65 Regent Street without that golden liquor license.

Nordstrom and Macy's anchor a food court, a full-service Harmons Grocery Store, and 80 retail stores including Tiffany & Co., and Swarovski, Michael Kors and Coach. While you're there, check on your flight times just like you would at the airport so you don't miss your flight. There are several arrival and departure tubes that will update in real time.

Take a walk around and see for yourself or watch this YouTube teaser from the Salt Lake Tribune:

With the earlier opening of H & M in the Fashion Place Mall and now City Creek, you might think Salt Lake was a hip metro like L.A. or New York. Ok, maybe that's pushing it. We'll have to wait for Raleigh Motion Picture Studios to open first.

For a list of stores go to www.shopcitycreekcenter.com.

Alta's Spring Season Pass for $199

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 08:52:24

Alta is offering a Spring pass for April for just $199. It can't be picked up until April 2^nd and is good through their closing weekend April 22^nd. The last couple of weekends traditionally they are not open on Supreme and sometimes it's just a three day weekend that the mountain is open. This year has been hard on snow although this last week really helped and I'm sure there will be enough snow to make to the end of April. April can be so much fun for skiing and there are all sorts of great events taking place. This is a list of Alta events for April.

Tickets to Canyons for only $30

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 08:40:10

My teenagers are both ski racers and members of the Park City Ski team.

Our team is taking part in a fundraiser for the Youth Winter Sports Alliance,(YWSA), of which they are members. The team will be participating in the April Fools Benefit Day at the Canyons. This event is a fundraiser for the 13 programs and over 1000 kids in our communities sport programs. The Park City Ski Team has been asked to sell $30 lift tickets to the Canyons for full access to lifts on April 1. Bearing in mind that the regular price is three times that this is quite a deal! It's your chance to plan a fun day at the Canyons and support the programs of the YWSA. In order for the money to come back into the Park City Ski Team program the sale of tickets has to be directly through the ski team and I have offered to help out with that and so if you are interested please contact me. Canyons is a great place to spend a spring day with their ski beach at the base and all the outdoor dining. April 1^st will be the last day of the Spring Groove Pond Skimming and there will also be an outdoor concert by Orgone at 3.00pm. So please help us support the cause and buy some tickets today!

Fundraiser for Jamie Pierre

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 18:18:02

On Friday March 23^rd there is a fundraiser for Jamie Pierre’s wife and children at the Old Mill club house. The tickets are $40 per person and $30 of this will go to Jamie Pierre’s family. The entry ticket will include a raffle ticket, refreshments, food and music. They have about $20,000 worth of donations for the silent auction and raffle so if you want to enjoy a fun evening and scoop up some deals while at the same time supporting Amee and her children Clementine (6) and Royal (3), then THIS is the event to do it at. This will be a celebration of Jamie’s life and a chance to give respect to Jamie and his family and to let them know how much he is missed. If you can’t make the event then you can donate to the Jamie Pierre Memorial Fund by going online to Jamie’s website and the details are on the home page. If you have something you would like to donate to the event on the 23^rd please contact Snowlist with the details and we will help coordinate.

For those of you reading this who would like to know more about Jamie Pierre and how he died we have a couple of blogs about his passing. if you didn't know Jaimie please come to show your support then for the ski lifestyle that he lived to the fullest!

When: Friday March 23^rd

Where: Old Mill Club house, 6080 South, Wasatch Blvd, Cottonwood Heights.

Time: 6pm-10pm

Cost: $40

Staying At The Alta Ldoge

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 10:27:07

"I'm over it," my friend Susan said to me as I described my day at Alta. "The traffic, the scene, the waiting in line everywhere. I don't need it. I can go to Solitude." She's right I thought as I paced myself through the last 24 hours.

A storm was brewing. It came in like a sheep yesterday, doing nothing in Park City. Maybe an inch before nightfall. As I made my way home eastbound on I-80 I considered my options. For sure I would ski. The reports were all predicting powder for the morning. But, ugh, Susan was right. Getting up early to sit in the trafficsnake up Little Cottonwood Canyon only to fight all of those lucky souls who were staying in the condos and hotels at the mountain and were out tracking everything before I could get my first boot on seemed futile.

So do I skip it and ski Park City? Or maybe I head up Big Cottonwood Canyon instead. Solitude is an awesome mountain and should absolutely NEVER be considered plan B. But there's something to be said for the ritual. The one that includes sitting in a line of traffic, anticipating the goods for the extra 45 minutes it tacks onto your journey. Last week, however, in LCC and the line on the tram I was over it too. Yep. It was soft but it was tracked and packed. People everywhere fighting for a turn and a 40 minute wait to get to the top. What to do. Alta has a tendency to get a lot more terrain open sooner than the Bird, the singles line moves ten times faster than the tram line and it's easy to find new friends. Snowbird is not the place to ski alone. Alta, hell, yeah. It's like the friendliest place in Utah. I don't know what it is but no matter when I go, I always come home with the number of a new ski buddy. The people you ride up the lift with want to know you, want to know your story, they ski at your level and they're happy to share a run or two or the rest of the day with you. That doesn't happen anywhere else. Ask anyone who has skied there. They'll all agree.

It was settled. I'd ski Alta and get a room at the Alta Lodge while the storm buried us. The Lodge first opened its doors to overnight guests in 1940 and I could swear the kids of some of those skiers are dining at the table next to us. Generations of skiers return annually either to vacation or work. Some might complain that the ambiance lacks the glitz of a Ritz or Regis but there's an old money elegance here that keeps you from ever thinking you're slumming it.

The rooms are clean and quiet and the food itself is some of the best in LCC. Though the employees are all ski bums, they're alert and friendly. Our server at dinner (the Sunday buffet is included with your room) chatted with us about the tight parking situation around the Lodge before retelling the story of how he stood in line for two hours waiting for Collins to open. It never did. We (I met up with friends once I got to Alta) had a similar experience but I chose not to wait.

We rowtoped it to Sunnyside where I emerged onto the longest line I'd ever seen at the triple. That's what you get when Collins isn't open. We found some doubles looking for a single and loaded in less than five minutes. We hit the singles line at Sugarloaf and were skiing soft chunder in ten minutes. The wait was nothing while the skiing was everything.

It was like the first powder day of the season all over again. I got a faceshot! No way, a real faceshot. It had been a month since I skied snow this deep. Last year, we had freshies every day. The trick today was getting around the mountain without the resort's main lift. The opening of EBT made it easier. We looped around from Sugarloaf and skied under Collins, Greeley and Eagles Nest. The cold wind kept the snow soft and buttery. It felt dense but not heavy. You floated and arced with ease today. My grin nearly cracked my goggles. I'd share photos but they would all look like white boxes.

The road remained open tonight. It's closing at 6 a.m. with an interlodge at 6:30 a.m. No cars up or down, no people moving between the lodges or from their rooms to the resort. All still while the snowpack is tested. If my calculations are correct. We'll be first in line at Collins (which finally started to turn by 3 p.m.), there will be 12-24" of new snow on top of the previous 26", and the rest of the world will be stuck in traffic at the mouth of LCC. Teehee.

Big Snow coming to Little Cottonwood

Sun, 18 Mar 2012 08:36:02

Just took a look at the forecast for today and tomorrow.

So my mind starts calculating. Maybe I get a room up in LCC tonight so I can ski freshies first thing in the morning and not get caught in the red snake up the Canyon? I call around. Wow. Now I'm depressed. Alta Lodge- $600 for two doubles; $400 for twins with a shower down the hall! But they do include breakfast and dinner. $300 for the Iron blossom- no meals. That advertised $99/pp at the Cliff? Riiight. Good luck trying to get that deal before April 1 and it's not good on the weeknds. Sheez. I thought only airfares bend you over when you book last minute. But then a conversation with my friend Joni Dykstra at Alta Lodge puts the sitch in perspective. It's going to snow 4-8" today with the next storm not moving in until 5 a.m. tomorrow. The road should be fine in the morning. The day to consider crashing in the Canyon is Sunday, not tonight. With a day's notice you can get a bunk at the Peruvian for $125 or $174 for one person ($258 for two) for an Alta Lodge room including breakfast and dinner.

I'm in. Ski Alta tomorrow during the dump and see if there's a lockdown on Alta tomorrow night so that while everyone else is stuck waiting for the Canyon to open, I'm there for first chair. Please, pretty please!

Uber LaraBar

Sat, 17 Mar 2012 11:03:20

While I was at Sundance in January there were lots of free samples being handed out and one of the free samples I received was a Uber Larabar. This is a new item that LaraBar has come out with and there are four flavors:

Roasted nut roll - A sweet and salty concoction. A combination of almonds, cashews, peanuts, pecans, and macadamia nuts.

Apple turnover At 190 calories it's a mix of walnuts, pecans, dried apples, raisins, dates, cinnamon, sea salt, and natural sweeteners.

Bananas Foster - My favorite! Flavorful bites of dried bananas, walnuts, almonds, pecans, dates, sea salt, cinnamon, and natural sweeteners. It's really delicious and even better eaten straight from the freezer!

Cherry cobbler - Offers a combination of dried cherries, almonds, pecans, cashews, raisins, dates, sea salt, and natural sweeteners. It's190 calories .

These bars are gluten free, soy free, dairy free, almost Vegan (except they have honey) and Kosher! They make an ideal snack while on the mountain for skiers because they won't freeze hard in your pocket and actually I think taste better when really cold. They are different from other bars out there and I highly recommend them....especially that ‘Bananas Foster!'.

Springtime in the Rockies

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 12:55:04

What a gorgeous weekend it's been! Warm sunshine, bright blue skies and great snow conditions made for an incredible weekend of skiing. Everybody I met had big smiles. The beach at Silver Lake was hopping, people were strolling down Main Street and there was a great concert at Canyons Resort. This is what spring skiing is all about and it really doesn't get any better than it is right now.

The big news this weekend is the lawsuit between Park City Mountain Resort and Talisker, owner of Canyons Resort. In the mid-2000s, Talisker Corporation, a Toronto-based corporation, came to town and purchased United Park City Mines and all of their land holdings. Between these land holdings is the ground on which much of Park City resort and Deer Valley operate on. As the story is unfolding it appears that Park City's lease ended in the fall of 2011 and that PCMR and Talisker have been in negotiations for a couple of years on extending the lease. Now depending on who you believe either Talisker is playing the role of the schoolyard bully and trying to force PCMR out of the resort or PCMR is playing the role of the picked-on schoolkid and trying to garner sympathy from the town and better lease terms from the courts. As best as I can tell a peaceful resolution is in everybody's best interests as a fight is never a solution. Talisker Corporation, through United Park City Mines, owns much of the land that PCMR operates on. PCMR, however, owns the base area, all of the parking lots and the water rights, so neither can operate without the other. From the press release that PCMR has put out they are definitely playing the role of the victim and playing on the sympathy of the town by reporting all they are trying to do is keep the resort locally owned and keep employees employed. Of course, Powder Corporation is the owner of PCMR and several other resorts in the west and is a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange. So this will all be very interesting to see how it plays out, but in any event most of us aren't losing any sleep over whether Park City Resort will continue to operate.

Real estate continues to be quite active. I did a couple of searches this morning and at Canyons Resort since January 1, 33 condos have either closed or gone under contract. Fifteen of these were in the new Hyatt Escala Lodge at the base of the resort. I was up at a concert at Canyons this Saturday and the improvements they've made to the Plaza area quite wonderful. There are a couple of stages, a lot of seating areas and they've really created a festive atmosphere. With these improvements and others in the works, I really believe that property at Canyons, particularly Sundial Lodge located right on the Plaza are the super deals. The prices on resale properties are significantly down from the high point of 2006 and offer some opportunities for an upside to the market.

It is springtime in the Rockies, we're in-between snowstorms, enjoying warm sunny days. So come out, experience spring in the mountains and while you're here call me for info on the best real estate deals in town and of course, how best to take advantage of spring skiing, where the best concerts are and my favorite restaurants.

Dennis Hanlon : Associate broker at Summit Sothebys International Realty

Park City, Utah | www.DennisHanlon.com | 435.640.5851

Follow me on Twitter and Facebook

Riding the Snowbird Tram For Free!

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 22:47:53

In the chase to gain more Facebook fans Snowbird has come up with a cute idea. The resort has a plan to achieve both more fans and expose Salt Lake City's children to the wodnerful outdoors in the Wasatch mountains at the same time. For every new Facebook fan from now until March 31st, Snowbird will sponsor a grade school child in Salt Lake County by giving away a free Aerial Tram ride valid for the 2012 summer season.

“Snowbird would like to expose children in the Salt Lake Valley to Little Cottonwood Canyon and encourage physical activity,” said Megan Zurkan, Snowbird’s Marketing Manager. “By offering them an Aerial Tram ride for helping us build our Facebook following, we hope to make it easier for them and their families to see how simple it is to access the mountains and connect with nature.”

Currently Snowbird is committed to sponsoring the following schools as Facebook fans are acquired:
The Guadalupe School: 135 students
Canyon View Elementary: 600 students
Peruvian Park Elementary: 475 students
Blessed Sacrament: 275 students
Copper Canyon Elementary: 861 students
Hunter Elementary: 650 students
East Midvale Elementary: 675 students

If Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort can reach its goal of 40,000 fans on Facebook before March 31, 2012 the resort will throw a spring bash on April 17, 2012 with a live band, giveaways and $40 lift tickets. Snowbird will also randomly pick two of its Facebook fans to win a getaway at The Cliff Lodge.