U Came, U Saw, Utah: CBC Deer Valley Experience 2019

During our 2018 CBC Deer Valley Experience, we managed to ski, eat, and drink: a recipe for an amazing time, despite being shunned by the snow gods. This year, however, with over 26 FEET of white stuff blanketing Deer Valley Resort since the start of the season, our squad of 9 media and influencers were primed for an especially epic stay in one of the country’s most beloved ski towns. Read on for an inside look at the must-see (and ski) highlights from the trip.

Where to Stay

After a quick drive through the canyon from Salt Lake City, our group of travel, lifestyle, and food press arrived at their home for the next four days: the Lodges at Deer Valley. Upon entering the lobby, it’s hard not to swoon over the Lodges’ rustic charm – a crackling, cozy fireplace, classic mountain décor, and freshly baked cookies capture your attention (if you’re into that sort of thing), and you know you’re in the right place. With the Lodges being a quick 5-minute shuttle ride from both downtown Park City and Deer Valley’s Snow Park lodge, its location is beyond convenient.

Pro-tip: Treat yo’self to a dip in the Lodges’ pool and hot tub after a long afternoon of shredding it up on the mountains.

When media weren’t lounging in their deluxe three-bedroom condos, stocked with goodies from Campbell’s Well Yes!, POM Wonderful, Sabra, and RX Bar, the Lodges also served as our base for relaxing Biossance mini-facials and a delicious Kodiak Cakes breakfast to fuel us up for a day on the slopes.

While the Lodges at Deer Valley were our home base, press were also treated to an upscale evening at the Montage Deer Valley – one of the resort’s most luxurious hotels. From living our best lives in the Veuve Clicquot Après Lounge to enjoying a 5-course dinner at the Montage’s Yama Sushi, this was definitely a highlight of the trip for many.

Pro-tip: Pose outside of the Après Lounge with a pair of Veuve Clicquot skis – your followers will thank you later.

What to Do

 Sure, everyone loves lavish hotel accommodations and delish dinners, but the main event of our trip was undoubtedly the skiing. Deer Valley Resort is renowned for their incredible grooming, diverse terrain, and exceptionally friendly staff – all of which were on full display during our two days on the mountain. With everyone decked out in their fresh new gear (shout out to FlyLow, Bern, SPY, Hestra, and Swiftwick!), we hit the slopes.

From mellow, sprawling groomers, to steep powder runs in the trees, Deer Valley’s amazing crew of instructors and mountain guides were able to find a little something for everyone and help us #SkiTheDifference.

Though we spent most of our time in the snow cruising down trails, one morning we swapped our skis for snowshoes for a beautiful, snowy hike up Daly Canyon Trail with our friends from Altra. With freshly fallen snow and bluebird skies, the conditions were perfect for the media to put their new trail boots to the test.

Pro tip: Snowshoes work in the air, too.

What to Eat  

It’s a well-established fact that the skiing at Deer Valley is some of the best in the country, but what some might not know is that the resort also boasts some seriously amazing dining experiences. When it was time to trade our ski poles for forks and knives, these were our favorite spots

• The Brass Tag – Conveniently located in the Lodges at Deer Valley, the Brass Tag features hearty, comforting fare perfect for an après ski dinner. From strip steaks to tandoori shrimp, you can’t go wrong with any of the entrees, but if you don’t end your night with a cookie ice cream skillet, you’re doing it wrong. Food Network agrees…

• Royal Street Café – A step above your standard ski lodge lunch (no offense, chicken fingers), Royal Street served up some gourmet offerings including a fresh Dungeness crab tower, fish tacos dressed with mango-avocado salsa, and award-winning turkey chili.

• The Mariposa – When the restaurant’s name translates to “the butterfly,” you know you’re in for a magical experience. The Mariposa didn’t disappoint, with a whimsical multi-course dinner highlighted by pulverized popcorn-topped diver sea scallops and a panna cotta dessert that could have been mistaken for a terrarium.

• Tupelo – This year we were so well taken care of at the resort that we didn’t need to venture very far for our eats. On the last day of the trip, however, we brunched at Tupelo, a local hot spot in downtown Park City. Any calories we burned from our snowshoe hike that morning were quickly replenished by an artisan Bloody Mary bar and some over-the-top delish chicken and biscuits.

Another week spent in Park City, another incredible ski trip in the books. Hungry for more? Check out our Instagram and #CBCDeerValley. See you next year, Deer Valley!