High Altitude Fun Reaches a Whole New Level

By Stephanie Nitsch

With mountains of family-friendly winter activities in Park City, it’s time to round up the clan for a day of high-altitude fun. Whether you choose to explore the groomed trails of Park City’s world-class resorts or nurture your artistic flair, it’s all about creating quality time with the family. This season, go beyond the bunny slopes with these seven kid- friendly activities that are sure to entertain the entire crew.

Deer Valley Resort
Family skiing becomes a scavenger hunt with the Children’s Adventure Zones at Deer Valley Resort. Kid-friendly trails let mini shredders navigate bump runs and aspen groves safely and confidently. Grab a trail map and be on the lookout for hidden cabins tucked away in the forests. If you’re lucky, you’ll stumble across one of Deer Valley’s four fury and friendly mascots hanging around their woodsy homes. When the dinner hour lingers, explore the interactive buffet of hearty and savory European staples cooked over large, stone fireplaces at Fireside Dining after embarking on a horse-drawn sleigh ride in Empire Canyon. Just be sure to save room for dessert fondue. deervalley.com | 435-649-1000

Park City Mountain Resort
Before embarking to Park City Resort for a day on the slopes, scope your route with My Mountain Planner, an online tool that creates a customized tour based on your family’s skiing preferences and abilities. Be sure to let the kids lead a resort-wide treasure hunt through swooping berms and turns with the help of Park City Resort’s silly Snowbugs. Snap a photo with their favorite Snowbug sculptures on one of Park City’s Adventure Alleys and show it to a mountain host in the base area’s EcoZone for a special treat.
When it’s time to ditch the ski boots, strap into the Flying Eagle Zipline or the toboggan-style Alpine Coaster for a speedy, gravity-fed descent, both of which can be ridden solo or tandem year-round.
parkcitymountain.com | 435-649-8111

Canyons Resort

If a full day of conquering Canyons’ 4,000 acres isn’t enough, head to the Ski Beach, where kid-friendly activities, like snow soccer and lasso lessons, give new meaning to après ski every Thursday through Sunday. For a sweeter take on post-skiing activities, guests are invited to roast marshmallows and customize s’mores at the Waldorf Astoria around its outdoor fire pit, prime for toasty toes and toasted treats. Or if date night is on the agenda, check out Canyons’ Parents Night Out, an evening weekend daycare program that includes dinner, dessert, activities and movies for kids while mom and dad explore Park City on their own.canyonsresort.com | 435-649-5000

47Montage Deer Valley
Swap ski boots for
lounge shoes and explore the family- friendly amenities offered at the Montage Hotel and Resort.
Snuggle up to the slopeside fire pits and roast marshmallows after a day of skiing, or browse the Olympic memorabilia at Compass Sports, where a bobsled and a torch from the 2002 Salt Lake City Games are on display for photo-ops. The Paintbox program engages kids ages 5-12 with themed creative activities for a half or full day and includes tubing access to the hotel’s private Powder Park tubing hill. Round the family back up in the evening and head downstairs to Daly’s Pub & Rec, where all ages can nosh on gastro-pub grub between a few games of bowling, tabletop shuffleboard or classic arcade games. montagedeervalley. com | 435-604-1300

Gorgoza Park
Get totally tubular at Gorgoza Park, where lift-served tubing will prompt hours of giggles from adults and kids alike. With seven icy luges to choose from, you can slide, spin or race your way to the bottom before hitching a ride back to the top. A separate snowmobile track lets kids 12 and younger rev some laps on mini snow machines, and extra-small kiddos can take a spin on the Fort Frosty tubing carousel or commandeer a snow castle of imaginative proportions. When it’s time for a break, wrangle up the family and defrost cold fingers and noses with a creamy cup of hot chocolate in the warming yurt, then head back out for another round (er, tube) of fun. gorgoza.com | 435-658-2648

Pawsatch Snow Dogs
You don’t have to traverse the Arctic to experience dogsledding from a musher’s point of view. Instead, spend a day in the Wasatch mushing
alongside the fuzzy and friendly members of the Pawsatch Snow Dogs. A team of Alaskan Malamutes and Siberian Huskies greet children and adults as everyone gears up for a private half-day Snow Dog Tour in the mountains. Riders can choose to curl up in a warm blanket and enjoy the scenic sledding or take the reins and learn to steer and command the team. For a more condensed version, the Sprint Tour features a 20-45 minute sled ride with all the same puppy perks. Every excursion includes photographs of the day’s adventure and plenty of canine time. pawsatch.com | 435-640-6861

49The Paint Mixer
When the weather is gloomy and cabin fever is nigh, head to The Paint Mixer and tap into a colorful world of imagination and creativity. This instructional paint studio in Historic Old Town is an artistic lair for even the most novice illustrator, however young or old. With step-by-step techniques offered by experienced artists, students turn a blank canvas into
a personalized masterpiece with a few wispy paintbrush strokes and a palette of acrylic paint splotches. Family Day painting sessions are offered regularly for the entire clan, and adults can imbibe in liquid inspiration with the studio’s adjoining wine bar. Class tuition includes all painting supplies and instruction. thepaintmixer.com | 435-604-0820

Previous articleFly Fishing the Lower Provo in Winter
Next articleOff the Beaten Path