Snowlist.com Mountain Blog

After the Ski Season and Before the Summer

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 20:46:29

For 9 months of the year the weather in Park City is absolutely delightful. Warm but not too hot summer days, delightfully cool and crystal clear fall days and winter with its combination of snow storms and cold blue skies. Then there's April, May and part of June which is the one time of the year that we all dislike. Particularly in April and May we get frequent snowstorms which with the ski areas closed only prevents us from playing golf or hiking and biking on the numerous trails around Park City. And that's what's going on right now. Last week it snowed most every day, a very nice day on Sunday and here again on Monday it's snowing again. Welcome to spring in the mountains! But in looking at other parts of the country that are going through severe flooding and tornadoes, I suppose we can put up with the unpleasant snow, particularly with what we have to look forward to for the next nine months.

This is also the time of the year when the town pretty much shuts down. Most every major restaurant is about to close or has closed, usually for two to three weeks to allow their employees some time off after the hectic winter and to do a little spring cleaning. So it's no surprise that most of the residents take this time to leave Park City for warmer climates. Many of my friends are or have just returned from Hawaii, Mexico, Arizona and Florida, which is what I intend to do: leave for Mexico in a week. Looking forward to a warm white sand beach, warm water and tropical drinks. It will be a great R&R after a long winter.

Though Main Street is quiet, real estate has not slowed down.

The real estate trend for the last couple of weeks has not slowed down much. Properties are still selling quickly, and multiple offers are not uncommon. I'm having to believe that since we have not had our typical spring slowdown that we're not going to have one this year. Of course the next few weeks will tell us for sure. So enjoy your spring, I certainly am going to enjoy the next week, and I will write again when I'm back from Mexico. Tanned, rested, and ready to roll.

Dennis Hanlon : Associate Broker at Summit Sothebys International Realty

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

Follow me on Twitter and Facebook

Mud Season in Park City

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 18:32:57

All three Park City resorts are closed but will reopen for summer operations after Memorial Day. It makes sense that some of your fave dining spots nearby also take the shoulder season off.

But if you do want to eat in Park City sooner rather than later make sure to call ahead before driving all the way up to Main Street just to find the ‘CLOSED’ sign out. The good news is that when they do reopen there will be plenty of two-for-one coupons available. Ask locals, they know who’s got the deals and pick up a Park Record newspaper for printed coupons.

Closed Through May 6:

Blind Dog, Good Karma

Closed May 5-19:

High West Distillery, Mustang, Shabu,

Closed until the end of May:

350 Main, Reef’s, Flanagan’s, Wahso, Prime Steakhouse, Silver

Closed until the end of June:

The Farm, Talisker on Main

The summer season kicks into gear when Park City Mountain Resort opens May 24. Lounge on the plaza in the cool breeze, try the alpine slide, zipline or alpine coaster, lift-served mountain biking and hiking or even challenge the family to a round of mini-golf.

Deer Valley Resort opens June 15 for lift-served hiking and mountain biking. Deck dining at Royal Street Café in Silver Lake Village is one of my favorite summer activities along with the outdoor concerts at Snowpark Lodge.

There are the free Wednesday-night concert series sponsored by Grand Valley Bank Community Concert Series starting June 19, the Deer Valley Music Fest (ie Utah Symphony Outdoors) June 29, July 6, July 12-13, July 19-20 (Steve Martin and the Indigo Girls, relatively), August 2,3,9,10; and the St. Regis Big Stars, Bright Nights Outdoor Concert Series July 4, 15 (Los Lobos and Bruce Hornsby), August 4, 17 & 24 (Lyle Lovett and Jewel!), 31 (One Republic/Sara Bareilles).

When Canyons Resort opens June 7, lift-served mountain biking and hiking, the best zip lining in the state, catch and release trout fishing, pedal boating, and putting golf. Expect free, world-class concerts from the likes of JJ Grey & MOFRO, The English Beat and the Ben Miller Band that draw thousands of stoked visitors. July 20, 27, August 3, 10, 17, 24, 31.

Snowpine Lodge at Alta delivers mountain amenities

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 10:04:22

You’ve heard of Goldminer’s, Rustler and even Alta Lodge—but Snowpine? I’ve been skiing Alta for more than two decades and until this year had never heard of Snowpine Lodge—even though I had unwittingly driven past it on my way to Albion Basin more times than I can count and it turns out it’s the first ski lodge in Little Cottonwood Canyon.

When I asked around, a few Alta die-hards had heard of it but no one had been there. Even current and past employees at other lodges said they’d heard good things but hadn’t been there. So I set out to unveil the mystery behind Snowpine.

You’ll find Snowpine just before the roundabout at the top of Little Cottonwood Canyon. New owners have remodeled the entire lodge and brought in a new chef from Boston. Chef Nate Nagy went to school at the New England Culinary Institute and has worked under Chef Todd English.

Like the other lodges at Alta, if you stay at Snowpine, room and board are all part of the package deal. However, locals can also dine here if space is available with 24-hours notice (and you want to take note that jeans are the expected dress code).

Dinner at Snowpine Lodge starts with an unbelievable view of the slopes. As the evening progresses, watch the snowcats groom the runs and rope tow hill while your server tells you about the night’s menu. It’s a four-course prix fix menu for $40 per person with a choice of entrée and dessert.

Start with a fresh mixed green salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, kalamata olives and feta cheese. Next was the soup course—pureed butternut squash which could have used a touch of cream and additional seasoning along with the crunchy housemade crutons.

For the entrée, choices included baked ribs or monkfish with vegetables and a delightful cream sauce. The fish was a perfect portion of moist and flaky protein stacked between carrots, peppers and arugula.

Dessert presented the most options and we decided on a chocolate tres leches cake and an apple crisp a la mode. Alongside a steaming hot cup of dark coffee, desserts hit the mark and we certainly wished we could just walk right back to our room instead of heading down the canyon for home.

In the coming summer season (reopening June 1), Snowpine intends to run various lodging and dining package specials—including an Epic beer pairing dinner—so give Snowpine a call for a dinner experience that none of your friends have ever considered before!

The end of the season

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 22:37:29

It's that time of the year that we all know comes, but it's still sad: the end of the ski season, 2013. Yesterday was the last day of the ski season for all the Park City resorts (Deer Valley Resort, Park City Mountain Resort and Canyons Resort), as well as most of the resorts in Utah. Only Snowbird and Brighton are open with Alta open weekends until the end of April. But as seems to be the case in recent years this past week was the best skiing we've seen all season. Tuesday was a spectacular powder day with nearly 2 feet of new snow. Wednesday was cold and sunny with absolutely fabulous groomed snow skiing and then more snow Saturday with about 4" of new snow and bright sunshine yesterday. Closing days at the ski resorts are always great fun, with everyone dressing up in either retro ski wear or costumes. For the most part the area is fairly busy with skiers in the morning and then about noon the end of season parties start. You have the Beach at Silver Lake, Stein Eriksen Lodge, Montage, St. Regis or the Tower Club as choices. All have their own devotees and everyone is ready to celebrate the end of another great ski year. What helps the parties of course is that closing day has for many years also been the final day of the Masters golf tournament, so while we party and celebrate the end of the ski season we're also watching the maters and cheering on our favorite players.

The 2012/13 ski season was decent, although we ended up with below average snowfall. Fortunately we had some very good storms around the middle of December to set us up for the Christmas holiday and then very cold weather for for snowmaking, so from mid-December on the skiing was actually quite good. and as much as we like snow, and of course Utah is famous for powder snow, the resorts are quite happy when they have sunshine over the holidays. It brings all the skiers out and a lot of smiles around the resort. It's way too early to know what the skier numbers were for the year but I suspect it's quite good.

All of the larger real estate companies here in Park City have weekly sales meetings where we talk about new sales, new listings and often our impressions of what's going on in the market. One of the things that really struck me in our meeting this morning was the number of properties that had been listed within the last week or two and had received multiple offers and were already sold. Over the last couple months I've talked about this trend and seeing multiple offers again. But this past week was particularly startling in the number of properties that had received multiple offers and in some cases the properties themselves that received multiple offers, some which I thought were priced quite high for the neighborhood. I think this is the most telling statistic on what's happening in our market. This time of the year we're trending away from ski properties and now towards homes and condos for full-time residents. And this was a trend that was born out in today's sales reports.

In comparing the first quarter of 2013 to 2012 the actual numbers pretty much substantiate what I've been seeing and hearing from other agents. For all property types in all areas of the Park City market the number of listings taken was down 2.8%, number of properties sold was up 16.9% and the average sold price was up 9.9%. To wrap up the year in condo sales; in lower Deer Valley the number of new listings taken dropped 23.1%, the number of sales dropped 33.3% but the average sold price increased 23.3%. In upper Deer Valley, the Silver Lake area, number of new listings was down 16.7%, number of sales was up 10% and the average sales price was up 18.8%. At Canyons Resort the number of new listings taken was up 13.9%, sales were dramatically down, 45.5%, and the average sales price was down 1.1%. Overall for all areas the number of new condos listed was down 5.3%, the number of sales was down 3%, and the average list price was up 1.3%. As I mentioned this pretty much reflects what I'd been hearing in the market and my observations. For the most part agents are reporting that sales are quite strong and buyers are back again looking to purchase, rather than just looking to see what's available. The under $2,000,000 price range remains the strongest part of the market but we have seen condos priced will over $2,000,000 and $3,000,000 also selling if they're in the right location. Typically this time of year and for the next couple of months sales slow down dramatically. Judging from what I'm again observing, this may not happen again this year. With the market improving and buyers still looking to take advantage of lower prices and historically low interest rates we may once again find that we don't have an off-season for real estate sales.

Even though it's been snowing hard all day today thoughts have definitely turned to summertime activities. Golf, hiking, barbecues, and summertime concerts. Hopefully your travel plans this summer will bring you to Park City to enjoy the cool mountain air and partake in all of our great 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

Keen Kids Boots For Spring

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 22:35:29

Rain, rain, don’t go away! Not only will you bring May flowers but you’ll provide a plethora of puddles for my 6-year-old to dance in. How can I deny her that as we wax from winter to spring slush and the Uggs go into hiding?

Most parents consider Keen for summer days at the waterpark or well-trodden trails through their back woods. But Keens have been my go-to shoe for back to school and beyond. With fun colors, durable materials, water-resistant construction, Keen’s (should-be) patented comfort, and lug sole, kids really don’t need anything else on their feet except socks.

My little fashionista wears skirts and dresses even in snow. The knee-high boots not only look great with her clothes but I don’t worry about cold, damp, smelly feet like I might in those traditional rubber rain boots. I can thank the KEEN.DRY waterproof membrane and moisture-wicking fabric lining for that. The plaid-print flannel collar adds a touch of flare and helps prevent chafing. Finally, the side zip lets her don them herself which means there’s one less thing to do on our race to the car in the morning.

Uggs are cool but hot and they’re not made for dancing in the rain. Sage’s Keens are. The Darby is on closeout all over the web. Grab a pair while you still can. $66.

Alta Breeds Skiers

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 10:42:44

There are only three resorts left in the U.S. that ban snowboarders. Two are located in Utah. Deer Valley and Alta. Say hi to Mike. Mike used to be a "snowboader". The 29-year-old with a PhD in physics moved from Toronto to Salt Lake City for the backcountry terrain and to chill for a winter while he figured out what the hell he was going to do with a physics degree.

Like most eastern Canadians, he grew up snowboarding and playing hockey. However, Mike quickly learned he wasn't a fan of splitboarding in the backcountry. "It sucks," he says. Fat, rockered, shaped skis on the other hand are making it easier than ever to experience big mountain terrain. So his Alta friend talked him into learning to ski. This year.

I met Mike on day 90 of his very first ski season. He told me he had never worn ski boots before November (2012). That day, I bore witness to what determination, athleticism, clinical thinking and time can create. In other words, Mike rips. Of course, as a ski instructor, I can find several areas to 'tweak' but as a regular Alta ski bum, I stood back and cheered as he followed me through some of my favorite shots in heavy spring crud.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snL63BJyzRM&w=560&h=315]

Mike has learned by watching videos, good skiers, and replicating what he sees. Not a single lesson from a "professional." Okay, well he was taking mental notes behind me. ;) But honestly, Mike skis better than most people who have been skiing all their lives. I can only imagine how he rides. When I first asked to tape him he said shyly that I should wait until next season "when he's better in the bumps." I told him next season he wouldn't be a story. He reluctantly gave me those few turns for the camera.

I asked Mike on our last lift together, "So, if someone asked, 'Are you a skier or are you a snowboarder', what would you say?" He paused. "I'm a skier," he said with confidence. Yeah. Alta has that effect on people.

Park City Follies this Weekend

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 01:33:49

Another indication of spring is the Park City Follies, this weekend and again this coming weekend. The Follies is performed at our beautiful Egyptian Theatre on Main Street by a complete group of amateur actors and actresses and is a spoof of life in Park City. It is something that everyone looks forward to and is completely sold out well in advance of the first show. It's one of those events where you really have to live here and be a part of the community to understand much of the humor as it pokes fun of everyday life and always the politics of small-town Park City. However, it's all good fun and a good time no matter how long you've been in town for. Next up on the roster? A parody of the 1936 public service film of the same name, "Reefer Madness."

The Egyptian Theatre in Park City

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 Week Powder in Park City

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 01:32:43

If April showers bring May flowers what does April snow bring? Smiles to the skiers' faces! As of 6 AM Deer Valley reported 18" new snow, it snowed all morning and is still snowing. Today was easily the best skiing of the year. Yesterday was fairly warm and snowing heavily, 2-3" per hour of very heavy, wet snow then last night it turned very cold and continued to snow heavily: 8-10" of light Utah fluff over a base of heavy snow. I skied for an hour and a half this morning and it was absolutely fabulous. This is why we live here in Utah.

This is the closing week for ski season as all three of the Park City resorts are closing Sunday, April 14. So naturally it's the best skiing of the year. With forecasts for more snow Thursday and Sunday we're going to go out in style. This is also the time of the year when real estate sales typically slow down. So far sales have remained very strong going into this week so I'll be very interested to see how this continues. Last year not only did sales not slow down at the end of the ski season, but they picked up which was quite a surprise to everyone in the real estate community. I think last year was a result of the market beginning to turn and buyers afraid of missing out at the bottom of the market. This year the real estate market has definitely turned. We are on the increase but have just begun to do so. I feel that buyers are still believing that this is a good time to get in and opportunities that exist now may not be around next year. We're certainly seeing this as homes and condos around the resorts are selling very, very quickly and homes that I thought were priced aggressively high in Old Town are also selling. By next week I'll have the first quarter stats of the Park City Board of Realtors and I'll do a recap of how the first three months of 2013 fared compared with the first three months of 2012. If the reality mirrors my observations the numbers will be very telling. So come back next week and I'll have a full recap of what's happened.

As this is the final week of skiing and the snow is fabulous I intend to take advantage of it for at least a couple of hours each day this week. Then it's on to summer! Time for concerts, golf, hiking and barbecues on the deck.

Dennis Hanlon : Associate Broker at Summit Sothebys International Realty

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

Follow me on Twitter and Facebook

Late-Season Powder and Real Estate Statistics

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 01:32:30

What a great spring week we’ve had here in Park City. Last week was some of the best spring skiing I’ve seen here in a long time followed by an absolutely stunning Easter weekend. On Sunday I was able to sit out on my deck in shorts and a t-shirt and there were actually golfers out on the city golf course. I think this is the first time I’ve ever seen people on the city golf course in March. Then came Monday with a storm rolling in and we received 14 inches of snow which made for a very fun morning today. Yes, the snow is heavy–it is April after all–but we’ve had so few powder days and this is the first one of over a foot that everybody was out. Did my customary powder morning first chair, so I was able to get a couple of terrific runs in before it all got tracked out.

Deer Valley Resort shared this photo on Facebook. “Spring skiing” indeed!

Monday night I went to a very interesting presentation here in town where a long-time Park City resident who has worked for the National Weather Service for over 25 years gave a talk on climate change. This talk was completely based on scientific evidence and statistics and not on political or emotional issues, and was quite alarming. We’ve all been hearing for many years of course, about the warming of the environment but he started by showing displays of where the North American snow line will be by 2100 if we make no changes. The computer models suggest that if we don’t make any changes the snow line will be very far up in Northern Canada and there will be very little if any snow in the United States. Great question and answer session followed his presentation in which there were many questions asked of where did his data come from, what can be done, and what things is he doing. Interestingly he is working very closely with Utah agriculture and water managers on how to best capture the water and hold it for agriculture in a decreasing snow environment. All very interesting and thought-provoking.

Victory Ranch golf and fishing estates

Last week I visited a new development just outside of town called Victory Ranch. This is a golf and fishing community, as one of the premier fly fishing rivers runs through the base of the development. Victory Ranch came into existence several years ago during the worst part of the economic downturn, so not unexpectedly the first developers went bankrupt. The development was taken over a little over a year ago and the new owners have reconfigured the lots to only be about half of what they originally had with many more estate lots of 2 acres and greater. Victory Ranch is a very, very pretty piece of property with one of the most spectacular golf courses we have in the state, however my feeling is that it might be just a little too remote to really be viable. As always time will tell on this.

The golf course at Victory Ranch is one of the best in the state.

At our office meeting on Monday we had a discussion about the market statistics comparing the first quarter of 2010 to the first quarter of 2013 and what they mean. Interesting to me was the first graph that came up showing the median sales price of first quarter 2010 compared to 2013. In 2010 the median sales price was just under $700,000 while in 2013 it was about $625,000. When I saw this display I started thinking about what was going on in early 2010 and of course we were well into the economic downturn. At that time we were seeing sales slumping and prices dropping fairly rapidly. So when I saw these numbers my first thought was, empirically, this didn’t seem correct. So what was going on for these numbers to be accurate? I did a search of the first quarter of 2010 and what I saw was that two significant projects in Deer Valley were completed. 12 condos in the St. Regis and 22 condos in Empire Pass all closed in the first quarter of 2010. These 34 condos represented a pretty significant number of sales during an otherwise very slow time and all closed well above the median price. So it’s pretty obvious to me that these sales drastically skewed the numbers. The remainder of the graphs which showed supply and demand, inventory, days on market, etc. confirmed what I’ve been saying in this blog for quite some time now. Click below to see all the graphs.

Median Sold Price	Under Contract
Average Days on Market	Supply and Demand
Average SP/OP All	PRSPOP Comparison
Sold Average vs. Median Price

What’s this emphasized, and again what I’ve said many times before, is how important it is to speak to an agent who’s tuned into the market and understands what the numbers actually mean and how they reflect the reality of the market. If all we do is read a newspaper article citing statistics or look at statistical reports from Zillow or Trulia we can often get a false image of real estate in our local market.

We’re down to our last week and a half of the season for all three Park City resorts and the new snow and the forecast for more snow will ensure excellent skiing right to the end. With spring rapidly approaching now is the time to start thinking about your summer vacation in the mountains and enjoying the warm days and cool evenings. I hope that everyone had a wonderful Easter and are looking forward to spring.

Dennis Hanlon : Associate Broker at Summit Sothebys International Realty

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

Follow me on Twitter and Facebook

Utah Ski Resorts Set To Close

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 16:32:34

Here they are. The 'official' Closing Dates- until they change. As usual, the last two resorts to close will be Alta (April 28) and Snowbird (May 27).

I hear we are going to have a seriously wet April. Better buy that Bird spring pass. J

Park City Resorts

Deer Valley Ski Resort
Anticipated Closing April 14, 2013

Deer Valley Resort official website

The Canyons Ski Resort

Anticipated Closing April 14, 2013. Don't miss their final free-at-3p après concert on the Plaza this Saturday- The Pour Horse is a Salt Lake based quartet that produces a mixture of rock, funk and blues with a little bit of a jam band-esque feel.

The Canyons Ski Resort - Official Website

Park City Ski Resort
Anticipated Closing April 14, 2013
Park City Mountain Resort - Official Website

Provo Resort
Sundance Resort
Anticipated Closing April 7, 2013. Will open for summer operations April 18! Guess with a 30" base it won't take long to melt off.

Sundance Resort - Official Website

LCC/BCC
Alta Ski Resort
Anticipated Closing April 14, 2013, then Fri-Sun. through April 28. No uphill traffic until May.
Alta Ski Resort - Official Website

Brighton Ski Resort
Night skiing ends April 6. Anticipated Closing April 21, 2013. Take advantage of their Tax Day Relief promotion, April 15. Lift tickets $20!!
Brighton Ski Resort - Official Website

Snowbird Ski Resort
Anticipated Closing Memorial Day Weekend (May 27), 2013
Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort

Solitude Ski Resort
Anticipated Closing April 14, 2013, Lift tickets are $49 until close; free if you stay at one of Solitude's lodging properties.
Solitude Mountain Ski Resort - Official Website

Northern Utah Resorts
Beaver Mountain Resort
Closed

Beaver Mountain Resort - Official Website

Powder Mountain Resort
Closing April 7, 2013
Powder Mountain Resort - Official Website

Snowbasin Ski Resort
Anticipated Closing April 14, 2013
Snowbasin Ski Resort - Official Website

Wolf Mountain Ski Resort
Closed
Wolf Mountain Ski Resort - Official Website

Southern Utah Resorts
Brian Head Resort
Anticipated Closing April 14, 2013. Don't miss the Spring Carnival on Sat., April 13, with fun events from 11a-4p.
Brian Head Resort - Official Website

Eagle Point Resort
Anticipated Closing April 7, 2013
official website

Celeb Ski Race At Canyons Soaks Up The Sun

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 15:53:29

There were quite a few more kids (instead of adults) going neck and neck and significantly less recognizable faces at the 2013 Operation Smile Celebrity Ski Challenge at Canyons Resort this weekend.

Lea Michele, Cory Monteith and Lucy Hale- Operation Smiles' headliners and biggest draw were no shows. Last year, you had Billy Bush announcing with the same glib, jovial finesse he has on Access Hollywood but this year, Utah native and host of Spike TV's Flip Men filled in for Bush and the spirit of this fun spring event waned.

Still, Kevin McHale and Jenna Ushkowitz (Arte and Tina from Glee), Jason Ritter (Parenthood), Kate Walsh (Private Practice) and Mark Eaton took turns arcing in the slush near the bottom of Doc's.

Smile's Ambassador Zachery Levi (the voice of Flynn Rider in Tangled) also stepped in but without popular stars like Modern Family's Ty Burrell and Jessie Tyer Ferguson (Phil and Mitchell) and Monteith combing the Plaza there was a definite lack of star power. Which is too bad considering the attention this charity deserves.

Operation Smile has provided more than 200,000 free surgeries for children and young adults throughout the world born with facial deformities. One in every 10 children born with a cleft will die before their first birthday. The children who survive might be unable to eat, speak, socialize or smile. They're teased and, worse, rejected.

Vampire Diaries' Michael Trevino showed his support this weekend. (Apologies for the background noise).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cuifp-TSKQ&feature=youtu.be

This year's event raised enough money to help more than 900 kids. But it could be more. My fingers are crossed that more Hollywood TV stars hear how much fun it is to come to Canyons, make turns and support a worthy cause that they sign up for next year's event. Just the same, the crowd enjoyed themselves, raised money for a charity that literally puts smiles on the faces of kids throughout the world and, with any luck, next year's event will lure back Rachel and Finn, Phil and Mitchell.

P.S. How cool would it be to see Alec Baldwin take on Donald Trump and John Krasinski hand it to Mariska Hargitay. It's completely plausible seeing as how NBC President Jennifer Salke and her teenage son Henry created this event. And while you're at it, Guys, can you please talk Finn and Rachel into doing a duet on the stage after the race?

Easter Week in Park City

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 15:47:59

It's Easter Week here in Park City which of course means it's snowing and cold. We received about a foot and a half of snow late last week through the weekend and when I say it was cold, what I mean was Sunday morning when I went out to the mountain it was 4 degrees. With mid-winter conditions over the weekend the skiing was absolutely fabulous. Had some friends in town from my former ski resort, Big Bear Lake.I skied hard with them both Saturday and Sunday and am not afraid to admit that I was quite tired on Monday. Of course they're here on vacation and fully expect me to be on vacation with them. So it was full days of skiing and partying at night.

Every spring Canyons Resort puts on a celebration called Spring Gruv with music, pond skimming, and just fun events around the resort. Sunday I went to an event there, a champagne tasting sponsored by Veuve Cliquot called "Cliquot on the Snow." Great fun sitting out side on the deck in the sun, sipping very nice champagne and appetizers put on by The Farm Restaurant at Canyons Resort. It was a great event and was typical of springtime in the mountains.

This afternoon I'm going out to look at a new golf course/fishing community called Victory Ranch. The golf course has been in existence for a couple of years and has just come under new ownership. I will be very interested to see what their vision is for the future of the community. Very pretty development with the Provo River running at the base and really world-class fly fishing. So come back next week for a detailed report on this. In the meantime, the skiing is terrific. And with less than three weeks to go it's time to get out and make the most of every day.

Dennis Hanlon : Associate Broker at Summit Sothebys International Realty

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

Follow me on Twitter and Facebook

June Mountain To Reopen?

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 01:25:44

Skiing June Mountain is bittersweet today. While I’d normally relish having a mountain all to myself, it’s kind of sad here now. The ghosttown feel is heavy. Although there are still a handful of homeowners and businesses in the June Lake area still trying to muscle through, it’s evident that last summer’s announcement from Mammoth Mountain CEO Rusty Gregory that June would close after 50 years of continuous operation hit Mono and Inyo County hard. No one seems happy with this decision.

June was the lazy, hometown resort for locals and backcountry skiers. Those in the know would scramble to June and its world-class terrain parks and superpipe to avoid the swarms that descend on Mammoth every weekend. It also offered unmatched, lift-served access to the Sierras and unbound exploration from here to Yosemite.

Fortunately for backcountry skiers, the US Forest Service softened the closure blow. Inyo National Forest leases June’s operating permit to Mammoth so when Mammoth yanked their operations, the Forest Service rules went into effect- “the land will generally remain accessible to the public for backcountry skiing, snowboarding or snowshoeing. Under the plan, ski patrollers are authorized to prohibit access to the area during avalanche control activities. The ski area remains prohibited to entry by snowmobiles and other motorized use by an existing Forest Order, except by special use authorization," the Mammoth press release states.

And so June was “open” for skiing this year. Local mountain guide Doug Nidiver commented, “It’s surprising how many tracks there were this season.”

Even better is that dogs are allowed now!

At times the parking lot was full but not today. We packed up the water, the ProBars, the skins and the poop bags and headed up the service road toward the Chalet. The rise of the J1 lift and its face looked intimidating. I couldn’t wait to ski it but climbing it? Not so much.

We stopped for a water break and views on the Chalet’s deck and Nidiver reminisced about riding the lift, taking in the views, having a tasty meal- “the food was excellent up here” and then venturing out of bounds. Locals had long whined for a backcountry lift where they could pay a reduced rate for lift-accessed OB but that had never happened.

Today, we skied the ski area. The conditions in the hot sun have shifted to spring corn and crust. It didn’t matter where we went so it was easy just to trek straight up the face.

Four hours later, we reached the 10,000-foot summit. We had no trouble skinning except that my hip flexors were a bit out of shape.

After the Kodak moment we ripped the skins, clicked in and dropped into Deer Bowl. We had to be nimble with the breakaway layer but after the first ten turns the trail turned into a smooth table of corn. Over the face and down IQ, the snow became dimpled with sun cups but we were able to ski all the way back to the car. Nearly 3000 vertical for the afternoon.

In my head, I could hear the whoops and hollers of my fellow Utahns enjoying the 10 inches of fresh powder back home. Sigh. But there’s something to be said for solitude, sun and blue skies for the end of March. I had a wicked body buzz going and a deep appreciation for spring skiing. I’m not sure that I would want to be anywhere else today. I’ll be back in Utah soon enough!

P.S. It's not official yet but all signs are pointing to June reopening for winter 2014.

Early spring in Park City and real estate statistics update

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 03:58:08

It's definitely spring skiing in the Rockies with warm sunny days interspersed with blustery days and snow. Last week we saw bright sunshine with temperatures in the 50s followed by snow on Sunday and Monday and now here it is sunny again. It's a great time of the year to ski in the mornings, find a nice deck and sit out for the afternoons. It's also the time of the year when all the resorts have spring festivities going on. Here in Park City the Canyons Resort has free concerts on the plaza every Saturday and our local theatre is also bringing in a variety of musical performances. Last week the Kingston Trio came to town--for those of you who are much older than me you might remember them--and they put on a wonderful show of old folk music. Other musical events coming up is the musical "Reefer Madness," Jefferson Starship, and of course the Park City Follies. The Follies are our end-of-season celebration where we put on a performance making fun of all things Park City. It's one of the looked-forward to events and is always a sellout.

The January and February real estate statistics are in and as expected show pretty good increases in the market. For all property types in all areas across our MLS, number of new listings from January/February of 2013 over January/February 2012 was down 4.3%, numbers of sales was up 27.6%, total dollar volume was up 40.3% and the average sales price was up 9.9%. Single Family Homes across all areas saw the number of listings taken increase by 10.2%, number of sales increase 19.5%, and average sales price increase 28.7%. For some specific areas, Old Town Park City, which includes Park City Mountain Resort, saw the number of listings taken increase 81.8%, number of sales increase 14.3% and average sales price increase 48.5%. In lower Deer Valley we saw the number of listings increase 100%, but that's 6 listings compared to 3 listings; number of sales decreased 100%, 2 to 1; average sales price dropped 22.7%. Upper Deer Valley saw the number of new listings flat, number of sales up 100%, 4 compared to 2; but average sales price down 62.1%.

Ridgepoint #128, Upper Deer Valley ski condo, on the Last Chance Ski Run

For condos for all areas saw the number of listings taken down 5.4%, number of sales up 12%, and average sales price up 4.7%. Again for the same areas, in Old Town number of listings taken was down 28.6%, number of sales was up dramatically, 266% (22 this year to 6 last year), and averages sales price was down 8.4%. In lower Deer Valley the number of listings taken was down 39.1%, number of sales was down 18.2%, and average sales price was up 25.8%. In upper Deer Valley number of listings taken was up 16.7%, sales were down 16.7% and average sales price was up 25.4%.

These numbers confirm what I have been observing as well as what other agents are telling me. Last year we saw strong sales during a typically very slow time of the year which is closing of the ski areas until mid-June. It will be interesting to see if that occurs again this year. Last year we saw the first signs of the real estate market changing. And as that impression was getting out I believe that buyers were looking to take advantage of low prices and a typically slow time of year to negotiate better deals than they could during the busy ski season. And that is what brought on the unusually strong spring. With prices just beginning to rise this year and in some areas a better selection of product, we may see another strong spring of buyers understanding that the market is changing and wanting to get in before it's too late.

3555 Oak Wood Drive, luxury home in Lower Deer Valley with dead-on views of Deer Valley ski resort

In reflecting on these numbers where areas are showing increases of 20, 30, 40% what I see happening is that our distressed inventory is gone so what's being purchased is at a higher price rather than the same property increasing in price 20, 30 or 40%. In my observations prices are up 5% or less in most areas. So as is usually the case, numbers without understanding can be quite misleading. Which is why it's important to be able to speak with an agent who has his boots on the ground and understands what's really going on behind the numbers.

It's spring, the days are significantly longer and warmer, and we have more than enough snow for excellent coverage through the end of the ski season, which for all three Park City resorts is April 14. So there's plenty of time to come out, enjoy the skiing and all the springtime festivities.

Dennis Hanlon : Associate Broker at Summit Sothebys International Realty

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

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Red, White and Snow

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 01:45:58

Here in Park City we have a terrific organization called the National Abilities Center. This is a center where people of any age, with disabilities of any kind, can go to learn various sports skills. This can be from skiing hand-cranked cycles, horseback riding, hockey, and every other type of sport. It's one of the premier centers for this in the country and they're highly respected. This past weekend they hosted an event called "Red, White and Snow" which is a fundraiser that features wines with various vintners and local chefs putting on dinners. It's a great event which raises quite a lot of money for the National Abilities Center. On Saturday a friend of mine, who owns Parallel Wines in Napa, hosted an invitation-only ski-in wine and lunch at the top of the Deer Crest gondola. I of course attended this; thought there was no reason not to sample some delicious wines and talk with the vintner about their wines. The whole weekend was filled with various wine and food events and was great fun.

Spring is definitely in the air. Yesterday was one of the prettiest days I've seen since fall, temperature in the low 40s and not a cloud in the sky. It was a great day for skiing and getting rid of the winter pale. This week is supposed to continue with temperatures into the 50s by Friday. And then of course, more snowstorms coming in over the weekend. Very typical spring pattern, which keeps the skiing absolutely delightful.

Real estate continues to be very active and I'm really starting to see prices increasing which makes for very interesting conversations with buyers who are not necessarily of the same mindset. In talking with my colleagues here in the office, we're seeing a continued increase in multiple offers on properties, but frequently negotiations falling apart when buyers are looking at comps from six months to a year ago and feeling that that's what they should pay and sellers feeling that the market is changing so are not willing to come down. Any time that we are in the early stages of a changing market, whether it's increasing or decreasing, there is an education that we have to provide to both parties to bring everyone together. And this is definitely where we are right now. Next week I will have the February statistics which I expect are going to be very interesting and telling. If they confirm what I am seeing, our real estate market has definitely turned a corner.

We still have a month of skiing left so there's plenty of time to come out, enjoy the terrific snow and warm spring days, As always, if you're here, call for the latest on restaurants, activities, where the best skiing is, and of course the most recent update on the real estate market.

Dennis Hanlon : Associate Broker at Summit Sothebys International Realty

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

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Springtime in the Rocky Mountains

Sat, 09 Mar 2013 16:34:37

It's March 4th, and spring has definitely arrived in Park City. I skied Saturday on one of the most beautiful days of the year. Temperatures were in the mid-40s, not a cloud in the sky and the snow conditions were perfect. Seems like everyone in Park City was out skiing that day as everywhere I went I ran into friends. Capped off with a group of friends on the deck at the Tower Club having a fabulous lunch with several bottles of wine. The day just could not have been better.

Spring Skiing at Deer Valley

You may remember if you're a regular follower of my blog last summer I had mentioned a proposal from Canyons Ski Resort to put a gondola from the top of Canyons to Solitude Ski Resort in Big Cottonwood Canyon. Last week we had a non-official public meeting to gather the town's feeling for the proposed lift. While the opposition was not unanimous it was darned close. As with any ski area expansion onto public lands I'm afraid the back country skiers and conservationists have too strong a voice for anything to happen. But this will be an interesting fight over the next couple years.

Bellearbor in Deer Valley

In real estate news last week I mentioend a Cache condo that I felt was the best deal in Silver Lake. There's another new listing that I also think is an excellent opportunity for someone.

This is a Bellearbor townhome, 4 bedrooms, with terrific ski-in/ski-out access, about 4,000 square feet, beautiful finishes, views, and listed for $2,750,000. I just sold a unit in this same development a couple doors down in a very short period of time with a lot of interest. Going into the last month of the ski season now we are definitely seeing buyers here in town ready and willing to buy. By mid-month I'll have February's market statistics and it'll be interesting to see if the trend from January continues. So stay tuned and I will report on these numbers as soon as I can get them. In the meantime, it's typical spring here with last Saturday being warm and sunny, Sunday it snowed, today is sunny again and with more snow predicted Wednesday. March and April tend to be very very snowy months here in the Rockies so I hope you have the opportunity to come out and take advantage of great spring skiing.

Dennis Hanlon : Associate Broker at Summit Sothebys International Realty

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

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Presidents Day Weekend Adventures and Park City Real Estate Update

Sat, 09 Mar 2013 16:33:32

So we survived another Presidents Day weekend here in Park City. It really seems that the Presidents holiday weekend is the busiest week of the year, surpassing Christmas and I really feel that this is because by February the skiing is more dependable with better snow quality, deeper snow and warmer temperatures. This year did not disappoint. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday were spectacularly gorgeous. Crystal blue skies, temperatures in the 30s and absolutely fabulous skiing. The big excitement this year was on Sunday, about 1:00 PM, in the very middle of the peak lunch hour, a 10" water line broke in Silver Lake, cutting off water to the Silver Lake Lodge, all the condos and restaurants. Could not have come at a worse time! Huge mud and rock slides over the roads which stranded everybody up here for a couple of hours. Of course this happened in the middle of the lunch break when the lodge was packed full of skiers. No water or restrooms. One of the main roads accessing Silver Lake Village remained closed for several days as engineers examined the affects of the water undermining the road. All very exciting--and unlike being on a cruise ship--the problem only lasted a couple of hours and everybody was fine again.

The stats for last January have come out and as I suspected, they confirmed my observations. Comparing January of 2103 to January of 2012 overall for home sales the number of listings available was up 23%, number of sales was up 17% and the average sales price was up 15%. It's difficult to take specific areas as the numbers tend to be quite small, so even a change of one or two shows a huge change. For instance, in lower Deer Valley January 2012 there was 1 new listing, where this year there were 2, or a 100% increase. Number of sales was flat at 1 but average sales price for that 1 sale was up 16.8%. Another example in upper Deer Valley last year there were two new listings taken which is the same as this year. Last year one sale, this year 3 for a 200% increase, but last years sale was a ski-in/ski-out home for $7,600,000, this year the three sales were not ski-in/ski-out and had an average sales price of $2,700,000 for a decrease of 64%. Obviously, prices in upper Deer Valley have not decreased 64%, it's just a matter of what was sold this year versus last. For condos, overall market, the number of listings taken in January is up 21.7%, number of sales are up 18.5% and average sales price up 2%. This is pretty much what agents that I have been talking with have felt. Since Christmas, the market has picked up fairly significantly, over the same period in 2012. What is a little bit surprising is that the number of new listings taken is showing an increase. I suppose I shouldn't be terribly surprised by this; as the market improves sellers that have been hesitant are now feeling that the time is right. I have seen several new listings that I feel are terrific buys.

So even though we are seeing prices begin to increase they are still quite low compared to the historic high in 2006/2007 and interest rates have remained low. A report I read this morning indicated that it is expected that interest rates will start to rise later this year. So Rightist an interesting time for buyers. We hit bottom sometime last year and are beginning to see the curve rise. While a buyer may not be able to get the same deal as last year, we still have some excellent deals in the Park City area. So, if you have been considering a ski vacation home and have been waiting for the right time I wouldn't wait any longer. Don't be the buyer who comes next year as says, " but last year the price was...."

Days continue to get longer and for the most part warmer as we get farther and farther into spring. February, March and April tend to be very snowy months for the west so we can look forward to many more great ski days coming up. But if you haven't yet come out here--or even if you have--plan a spring trip to the take advantage of the terrific ski conditions and as always please feel free to contact me by phone or email for more specific market updates for areas or types of properties. As we know, all real estate is local.

Dennis Hanlon : Associate Broker at Summit Sothebys International Realty

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

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A Jackson Hole Roadie

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 19:39:55

Two days of tearing up Jackson and I'm wasted. Today was epic. Not because there was waist-deep untracked, walk-on trams or everyone was friendly, but because it's Jackson Hole, Wyo. The employees could be rude (they're not of course) and the food could suck (it doesn't except at Nick Wilson's) and I would still love Jackson.

When I arrived for my Steeps Camp you could feel the buzz in the air. The groomed runs were wicked hard (translation- you could ice skate on them) and there were moguls on all of the off-piste sweet spots (i.e. Expert Chutes, Alta 3, Toilet Bowl) yet still we couldn't wait to get out there.

I need to ski Jackson. It's like an annual itch that needs scratching. I've skied every resort in the west and despite having an abundance of world-class resorts right in my Utah backyard, it's worth the five-hour drive north for the rodeo. Jackson Hole has some of the steepest, most consistent vertical in North America; in fact, the JH Tram presents more skiable vert than any other single lift in the entire Western Hemisphere- 4,139 feet.

In 2003, Snowbird challenged Jackson to a "tram off" for bragging rights. A four-woman team skied and snowboarded a record 30 Snowbird Trams, 348,000 vertical feet, in a single day; beating Jackson by a mere 324 vertical feet. But those ladies lapped GS turns on the groomed Chip's Run. Jackson's bad-ass team ran a course that included (off-piste) Rendezvous Bowl, Corbet's Couloir and Downhill Chute to Amphitheater then Gros Ventre. Plus, they rode the old tram.

Jackson retired 'Big Red' and installed a state-of-the-art, $31 million tram that now carries twice as many riders to the top of Rendezvous Bowl in 9 minutes and can withstand winds up to 60 mph. I wonder what would happen in a 2013 Tram Off. Just sayin'…

I don't want to scare you. Jackson may have aggressive lines but just as resorts like the Four Seasons Hotel have opened on the mountain to cater to families so has the mountain itself. The entire Bridger Gondola area and the new high-speed Casper lift have addressed the need for intermediate and beginner skiing.

The mountain, however, is a whopping 2,500 acres of in-bound terrain and cliffs so, when you're an expert skier, taking a class like this steeps camp electroshocks the experience. A guide helps you to ski Jackson "right". A backcountry guide, a ski instructor, a local buddy; they live and breathe this mountain from November to early April. They know where the skiing's good – even when you feel like packing it in.

Our first run on Sundance at 9:30 a.m. tore up the corduroy for all that followed. Our eyes teared from wind and twin-tip back spray as a gang of about 40 warmed up with deep arcs before dividing into smaller groups.

I shook my head to fend off brain freeze, got to the front and prayed that whoever was my leader better know where to go because my Dynastars haven't been sharpened since last season. And he did. Brian - our PSIA clinic leader- may hail from Deer Valley but he's no Deer Valley skier. Like a deer (hehe) prancing through a thick forest, though, Brian sure-footedly navigated us to the same places a regular Jackson Hole instructor might. I know because I've been attending this camp for six years and he's the first 'foreigner' I've cared to follow. (Not to mention, we had three Jackson Hole instructors taking the camp so they could confer.) Ten-Sleep, Expert Chutes, Paintbrush, Riverton, Rendezvous, Bivouac Trees, Alta Chutes and more. Everything north facing offered chalky, packed powder bumps. We skied until 4:15 p.m. with only a 45-minute lunch break. Oooch.

Having a soft place to land at the end of a day like this doesn't hurt. The White Buffalo Club in downtown Jackson and only a few blocks away from everything, opened its doors to Ryan, Sage and me. From the moment we stepped into the palatial suite decked with four flatscreen TVs, a horseshoe-shaped granite bar/kitchen, slate-tiled bathrooms, washer/dryer and soft, king sheets we could care less that it had snowed a foot back home and only an inch in Wyoming. Give it time, we thought, and, inthe meantime, we got cozy.

The White Buffalo has an intimate front desk with a single attendant who greets, stores skis, calls for the free morning shuttle to the resort or issues free resort bus vouchers, and books reservations. Downstairs there's a gym and yoga studio so sweet locals purchase memberships and use it year round. Although there's no pool or hottub the 17-room Buffalo has a reciprocal agreement with the Homewood Suites across the street to share the gym and pool. Personally, I'd rather grab a mocha from the downstairs free cappuccino machine and soak in my room's jetted tub.

We ran the dog at Sophie's Park before dinner. Jackson as a whole is extremely dog friendly but the WB is not. So it was a good thing Takoda digs his crate and the hotel garage is heated.

We opted to dine in the less-expensive, more kid friendly Brew Pub rather than the onsite Cellars restaurant but later wondered if it was worth saving $50 to have a mediocre meal in an obnoxiously loud room, served by a waitress who rolled her eyes constantly and couldn't wait to leave our table. We had a much better experience at the Mangy Moose the following night. I think the waitress was flattered when my daughter loudly commented on how pretty she was.

We crashed hard before the clock struck 11. I woke up in the morning, sprawled across the bed, wondering where I was. Oh, yeah, Jackson! The shuttle rushed me to Teton Village with plenty of time to meet the group. It was more of the same today but different. A surprise squall dropped five inches of new snow overnight but it felt like a foot in some mid-mountain places. The groomers were still a bit scary but we were in the steeps camp. We don't 'do' groomers (except to get back to a lift). Run after run in the soft, cold smoke (it had finally warmed from -7 to 30 degrees) left us jolly and satisfied.

The snow continued to fly as I popped into the Four Seasons for après. Three-dollar beers and $5 apps in the brand new Handle Bar and live acoustic tunes in the lobby. Anyone can attend.

Day three was for Sage; my little rock star. I had two days of aggressive turns therefore easy paced pies on blue groomers had its appeal. Who knew that after two days with Dad, Sage would be challenging bumps as tall as her above Casper, paralleling Sundance and lapping the Burton Stash Park? (She caught about 6" of air on the jumps, smiling all the way.)

There's no question that skiing Jackson Hole makes you a better skier. The mountain shakes you to attention whether you are 6 or 60 or beginner or expert. Some folks would rather cruise a couple of groomers, go in to eat, take another run and call it good. That's not Jackson and that's why I love it.

The newly built, boutiquey White Buffalo Club has everything from generously sized single hotel rooms to three-bedroom suites with prices starting at $129/nt depending on the season; a steal if you've got two couples or a family. (307) 734-4900.

SkiLink: Friend or Foe

Sat, 02 Mar 2013 00:52:55

There are more than a few entities who would like to put the kibosh on SkiLink. Gauging from the packed church at last night’s forum in Park City, Utah, the proposed gondola between Canyons Resort and Solitude Mountain Resort will definitely not go quietly.

“Park City residents are here because they’re concerned about this being in their backyard,” said Sierra Club’s Tim Wagner. The discussion centered on whether to support a land swap between the feds and Talisker Corp. which owns Canyons. Congress would have to sell 30 acres of federal land in Big Cottonwood Canyon for SkiLink to run and backcountry enthusiasts fear that means Talisker would have some serious control over their playground.

Those ‘for’, like the idea of propelling Utah skiing to the forefront of the industry. They say it would light the fuse to connect the other Utah resorts and create a ski experience similar to those in Europe and unlike anything in this country. They add it would alleviate traffic and congestion in the canyons, and create 500 jobs.
Those ‘against’, say a gondola would crush the backcountry and set a “dangerous precedent.”

Solitude Mountain’s Dave DeSeelhorst says that’s not a realistic fear. There’s plenty of water available outside of this particular watershed space and the gondola could be built with minimal environmental impact.

There’s still time to weigh in. The possibility of construction is a long way off. First Congress has to approve the sale and then the local governments would need to meet to decide whether SkiLink is a viable and beneficial project before Canyons can make a groundbreaking move.

The panel discussion last night is the first of many public forums to come about SkiLink. We’ll keep you up on the drama as it unfolds.

Snowbasin Dealer Demo Debuts 2014 Skis

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 10:03:16

In a space 300 feet by 60 feet, more than 100 ski and snowboard manufacturers descend on Snowbasin to share what's new for next season with outdoor retailers. Pick a company, ski a few of their skis and move along to the next tent. The annual two-day event is super friendly and super fun. Look to see a whole new fleet of skis in the stores this fall.

Snowbasin Video Report!

Junior Jibbers Rule Canyons Plaza

Mon, 18 Feb 2013 21:36:26

The kids are dying to learn how to ride a box? They don't want the day to end? Let them do laps in the Resort Village of Canyons Sunday through Tuesday for President's Weekend from 3 p.m.- 5 p.m.

Canyons regularly hosts Jibbin' for Juniors, a mini-park setup on the Ski Beach, one Friday a month. This jam session is for amateur kids ages 7 and older and there are usually a couple of coaches on hand to hold a hand or offer advice.

It's a regular party with a DJ spinning in the backround.

Although it's a free event, the Resort says they need reservations. Call 435.615.3449 to reserve your spot or try to drop in. When I checked out the scene today it didn't look like they cared. On your way out grab a balloon animal from the balloonman on the Plaza.

WMRA End-of-Year Stats and Park City Ski Report

Mon, 18 Feb 2013 01:25:40

The 2012 end-of-year statistics for the Western Mountain Resort Alliance have come out and pretty much mirror what I've been saying is happening here in Park City. These statistics are for the resorts of Whistler, British Columbia, Canada; Park City, Utah; Sun Valley, Idaho; Jackson Hole, Wyoming; North Lake Tahoe, California; Big Sky, Montana; and Steamboat and Vail in Colorado. This is a pretty good representation from around the west and really gives us an idea of what's happening within the western resorts. For end of 2012 the number of listings was down from a low of 8% in Steamboat to a high of 23% in Lake Tahoe. Number of units sold was up in all resorts except for Big Sky which was flat for last year and was up with a low of 4% at Whistler to up 51% in Sun Valley. Average sales price was for the most part up in all the areas, anywhere from 2% in Vail to 22% in Jackson Hole except for Sun Valley which was down 5% and Big Sky which was down 7%. So what we're seeing throughout the western ski resorts is that the number of listings are down significantly this past year while the number of units sold are strongly up. As always, the numbers alone don't tell the entire story. Such as for Sun Valley, where we saw the number of units sold up 51% but the average sales price down 5% tells me that there is a strong market for the properties outside of the resort in the town of Hailey which is about a 20 minute drive to Sun Valley. This is the same phenomena that seems to be holding true in many of the resorts where the number of units sold is up a greater percentage than the average sales price. This indicates to me that in 2012 buyers were snatching up the lower-priced deals in and around the resorts. With those properties now mostly gone I'll be very interested to see how the buyers react. The January statistics for Park City will be out next week and I'll give a recap at that point to see how the year has started.

(click to enlarge)

In looking at the snow report for the central Wasatch which is where Park City, Deer Valley, and Canyons resorts are located, we're reaching 75-80% normal snowpack. We've been receiving pretty regular storms which is keeping the snow surface quite terrific but no really deep powder days this year. But all in all the skiing is excellent, the weather has been quite comfortable and it seems that all the visitors that I speak to are enjoying themselves. As we work our way through February and into March the days continue to get longer and not quite as cold. So if you've not already done so I hope you're able to visit the Park City area this winter.

Dennis Hanlon : Associate Broker at Summit Sothebys International Realty

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

Follow me on Twitter and Facebook

Dog Park in Jackson

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 11:29:02

Takoda was cooped up. Literally. We took him on our roadtrip to Jackson Hole this week thinking we could keep him in his crate in the car in the parking garage while we skied. It was no different than at home when we go out and his Petmate crate is ginormous.

The garage is heated and we regularly checked on him. I would have brought him into the hotel if The White Buffalo Club allowed dogs. Not even close. I had to initial a statement that if evidence of a dog were found, I’d be charged $1000! That bit of info wasn’t on their website before we planned the trip so good thing we had free garage parking to shelter him from the sub-zero cold outside.

They really don’t like dogs here. As gorgeous as the rooms are, the front desk dude gives me this weird look every time I pass to go out to the dog. What? I want to snip.

The gals in my ski school clinic told me about a nearby dog park when I asked and I beelined for it as soon as I returned to town. Sophie’s Place off Scott Lane is one of the nicest dog parks I’ve ever been to. The lot is huge and live trees dot the center. I bet the benches underneath them are shaded in the summer when those trees have leaves.

There are rock features, a mini stage and a touching memorial tree where owners can hang tiny lanterns or their dogs’ tags to honor their beloved pets that’ve passed. Tears welled up in my eyes as I gently tickled the tags with my fingers. Channeling the pain of loss they must have felt as they hung these.

Takoda was in doggy heaven; bounding with the other dogs who came for their daily workout. There are even two smaller attached pens where shy or passive dogs can play without being molested by bigger pooches.

Sophie’s isn’t lit so, as dusk set, we left the park. That’s when I noticed the bad news. Sophie’s is being displaced for a community housing project. They will supposedly be in a new location by 2014 but I can’t imagine any place being as nice as this one. The Pet Advocacy and Wellness Support group of Jackson (PAWS) created the park and they are asking for donations to help build the new one. If you have a dog and visit this Jackson park I hope you’ll consider offering your support!

World Cup, Weather Patterns and Real Estate Update

Fri, 08 Feb 2013 00:08:10

So here it is February already but what a month January was! First we had the Sundance Film Festival and then this past weekend the World Cup Freestyle events came to Park City and Deer Valley. I attended the events both Friday and Saturday evenings, and as usual I walked away so impressed with the athleticism and enthusiasm of the kids. Friday was the aerials where these young skiers go off jumps which send them 70-80 feet straight up in the air where they perform a series of twists and flips and then attempt a landing on a very steep slope. It's great fun to watch especially beneath the lights to party and cheer on the competitors. This year a US boy got his first ever podium with a 3rd place in Men's Aerials. Saturday night was the dual moguls which is one of everyone's favorite events. In this event two skiers come down a very steep mogul field and are judged on three different criteria: speed, form in the bumps and jumps. There are two jumps placed in the middle of the mogul field; they do a flip or a 360 or some other trick, land, and continue skiing through the moguls with the highest score moving on to the next round.

The gate.

The competitors start in a horse racing-style gate at the top which opens simultaneously and racers shoot out and race head-to-head down the course.

Ready for the event!

First one through the finish line receives a higher number of points, which is then added to the scores from form and jumps to determine the heat winner.

Moguls

As the competition gets to Quarter and Semi-Finals they're basically straight-running the bumps. Truly amazing to see these kids--the balance, agility and most of all the strength they have through the course. We now get a little time until Presidents Week which from that point on is busy for the rest of the season.

Having a good time at the World Cup events

We have a weather phenomenon here in the Salt Lake City area known as an "inversion." Not many places in the world have them as it is occurs when there is a basin surrounded by mountains such as the Los Angeles area and Salt Lake. What occurs during an inversion is that when high pressure systems move in, like during winter, the cold air gets trapped in the valleys with warmer air up above. Just the opposite of what you'd normally expect. We're in one of these patterns right now and have been for most of January. So right now the Salt Lake valley is cold with temperatures in the 20s and very foggy and smoggy. While up here in the mountains we have crystal blue skies and temperatures approaching 40. During an inversion two weeks ago--a particularly bad one in the Salt Lake area--the SLC valley for a couple of weeks had the poorest air quality in the nation from all the pollutants from cars and factories getting trapped with no place to go. Just another reason why I live up in the mountains and why so many Salt Lake residents have second homes up hers.

Speaking of second homes in our Monday morning sales meeting for the office, our broker displayed several graphs and charts comparing the 4th quarter of 2009 to the 4th quarter of 2012. These graphs and charts reaffirmed what I've been saying for the last two weeks: that our inventory is at the lowest point it's been since 2007, numbers of sales are increasing, but the 2012 prices remained fairly flat. I commented that the 4th quarter of 2012 may very well be the turning point of our market and that when the 1st quarter of 2013 stats come out we'll see for the first time prices increasing across the board. While it's too early for numbers to back these up yet, the empirical evidence from all of us in the trenches is that since Christmas we have seen a marked change in the marketplace. Multiple offers are becoming commonplace, on the daily hotsheet we're seeing price increases and people are selling sometimes within days as compared to months. This should not be much of as surprise as Economics 101 tells us when supply is diminishing and demand is increasing prices have to increase. Another indicator for me of the changing marketplace is I'm starting to get calls from owners who are now feeling that this is the time to be a seller. At this time all of this is just speculation from gut feel but by the middle of February the January numbers will come out and I'll be interested to see what the trends are.

In the meantime we're having a very good snow year with frequent storms mixed with plenty of sunny days. The skiers I've been talking to while riding the lifts are all having a wonderful time here. So make your plans, come out and ski the Rockies and if you're looking for a 2nd home/ski mountain property, don't be one of the visitors who next year says "Why didn't I?"

Dennis Hanlon : Associate Broker at Summit Sothebys International Realty

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

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Park City Photographer Showcased at KAC

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 11:42:38

Award-winning photographer Mark Maziarz shows his stuff February 16th – April 21 at the Kimball Art Center on Main Street, Park City, then helps you find yours in a one-of-a-kind photography class.

His geolines exhibition in the Badami Gallery is a new series by Maziarz that is better seen than explained. Something about the recording of a moment then adding layers of color and space to the image.

"I've been fascinated by the idea that something as structured and geometric as parallel lines can lead your mind to places as diverse as a beautiful aspen forest or a secluded beach at sunset," says Maziarz.

The exhibit is reminiscent of another hosted at the Kimball early last summer. COLOR/FAST was an installation by R. Nelson Parrish- a California beach bum with roots in skiing, racing, and surfing. His works are supposed to emulate landscapes and high speeds; the blur of movement into brilliant flashes of color. Each piece on display was a unique combination of wood, bio-based pine-oil resin, and "racing stripes". "Non-toxic, sustainable and environmentally safe, the resin is clearer, cleaner, and stronger, which leads to better and more vibrant work," said Parrish.

"The works of COLOR/FAST are based on the concept that an athletic experience and the art experience are one in the same," explains Parrish. "It is a celebration of color and speed," he adds. Much like Maziarz' work is a celebration of color and space.

Personally, I prefer something more than lines. Maziarz' is an accomplished lifestyle and sports photographer and he'll be sharing his expertise with students signed up for "The Photographic Portrait," a class at the Kimball starting this week: Thursdays, February 7, 14, 28 and March 7 from 6 – 8:30 p.m.

A full class description and more information are available at www.kimballartcenter.org/art-classes/ or at 435.649.8882.