2015 will go down in Park City annals as the year that one chapter of ski resort history closed and another opened. This was certainly true for the iconic Deer Valley Resort — just when everyone thought things could not get any better at North America’s premier destination ski resort, they have!
On May 1, 2015, Bob Wheaton, Deer Valley’s General Manager of three decades, announced that Solitude Mountain Resort had been acquired and would come under Deer Valley management for the 2015/2016 season. “We’ve been searching for the right property to purchase for almost 20 years,” said Wheaton. “When the opportunity to buy Solitude came to our attention, it was a no-brainer. We know it has been well run and we have skied the extraordinary terrain ourselves. It’s close enough to Deer Valley that management won’t be a long-distance job, and it has all the advantages of easy access to an international airport. Until now, we haven’t been able to find the right fit, but Solitude fits us like a glove.”
Wheaton won’t rest until Solitude joins Deer Valley in the perennial list of top five destination ski resorts. His team’s focus for the upcoming season will be on guest service. From the time a Solitude guest arrives in the parking lot, they will receive the kind of attention and caring Deer Valley is renowned for. New lifts, improved grooming, and fantastic dining will be raising the bar of excellence all around. The details on interchangeable tickets between the two resorts are still being worked out at the time of this printing, but they are sure to be guest- centered. As yet another expression of Wheaton’s commitment to supporting the local community’s economy, local operators who meet the Deer Valley’s high standards will offer transportation between the two resorts.
The future of Park City’s ski industry is bright. Deer Valley remains the jewel in the crown, and it will be exciting to witness Solitude come into its own to stand side-by-side.
