 Park City is starting to consider reaching out to tourists again. The chamber is saying things like, “We’re kind of turning the corner on that and it’s now time to maybe put out the welcome mat in a careful and thoughtful manner…” Which sounds like they're hedging their bet. But who wouldn’t? The plan, as we understand it, is to start reaching out to tourists who can drive to Park City for vacation. Folks in Utah and our neighboring states. That way, if someone has a problem, they can drive home. They’re also planning to only reach out via social media. So again, if something where to become a challange, they can pull the marketing immediately. As a local, I’m already seeing an up-tick in cars on the roads and people on the trails. I’ve also seen local property managers start to advertise Park City as a place where people can come, get a stunning change of scenery and still keep their distance. It makes sense.
Golf courses are starting to open up, restaurant are offering more than just curb-side and there are even door-to-door concerts that you can order to come to right to your driveway.
We’re all currently trying to live our lives while watching the evolution of the unknown. What we do know it that Park City remains a desirable destination. And we know why. Hope to see you soon. Be safe. Cheers to your next visit, Your Resort Resident
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One of the things that attracted us to Park City in the first place (yes, in addition to the crazy great skiing) was how much this town cares about the arts. From the world-class musician who make this town a regular stop, to Park City’s commitment to the visual arts, this town is a mixed-media paradise. Our yearly Arts Festival is one of the biggest art festivals in the country. With all of the hiking and biking I’ve been enjoying these last few months, I’ve really been struck by the amount of outdoor sculpture there is here. On most every trail near town you can find one or two pieces. And while I’ve known they were there, this is the first time that I’m really stopping to look at them. Most are metal and in varied degrees of rust. All take into account their location. It’s fantastic.  And there’s more. You likely know that Park City used to be a mining town. Thus we have ski runs named Copper Head, lifts named Sliver Load and an entire resort section named Iron Mountain. What you may not know is that many of the remnants of our mining past have been left up and now stand like art on the side of hikes and ski runs. We’ve literally stopped, part way through a run to read a plaque and stare into the past. Particularly now, with so much of our relief from life’s stresses being outside, having all of this art is enriching. I certainly hope you’re able to get here soon and enjoy it with us. Cheers to your next visit, Your Resort Resident  Gyms, Restaurants & Music, Oh my! It’s not just the flowers that are opening up here in Park City. Businesses are starting to re-emerge from COVID lockdown. Utah has gone from level RED to level ORANGE. We’re seeing restaurants prepare their outdoor seating. Local coffee shops have reopened. Stores on Main Street are slowly figuring out how they can get back to business. Gyms are offering classes again, all be it with limited class sizes. These are all good things for local business owners. And Park City is a town that puts a high priority on supporting local business,. Yet, with so much of the country still operating under “shelter-in-place,” we don’t want to celebrate these small advances too loudly. We all have friends and family in places like New York and we appreciate that they are nowhere near ready to enjoy the social and business freedoms that we’re starting to get back to. They still a long road ahead of them…As do we all. We are still wearing masks to the market, and we're seeing larger events cancelled for a while. Park City is know for fantastic concerts, both paid for and free. And many of these are on hold. Yet, we’ve also seen pop-up stages happening here and there where locals are playing for neighbors. And Mountain Town Stages is “toying around with the concept called the Door to Door Tour 2020 and essentially will bring the concerts to the people.” From the start of COVID, virtually every Park City local was saying things like, “if we have to go through this, we’re so lucky to go through it here.” And as restrictions here begin to relax, that sentiment remains. We are lucky, indeed. Cheers, Your Resort Resident  This week Summit County, where Park City resides, lifted “shelter-in-place.” That said, we are still being asked to wear masks in public spaces and maintain six feet of distance from other people. Also, gatherings should be kept to no more than twenty. Twenty? That seems a big number. It will be interesting to see how the new rules play out. What won’t change is Parakite’s ability to self-heal through outdoor activity. As the snow melts and temperatures rise, the number of locals taking advantage of our enviable trail system increases. Our trails are cared for by Mountain Trails. They do a bang-up job clearing the brush and stumps and general trail maintenances. And locals are great about not littering. I have literally never seen a cigarette butt on a trail and on the few times something is laying on the ground we pick it up and dump it after our hike. But I digress. The point is, daily outings on trial have helped us maintain sanity. Being able to get out, be physical, breath clean air, and enjoy the views has meant everything. And because we haven’t been going to the gym, we hike way more than before. We’re far from alone. It’s been interesting to see people decide what their “stay safe” trail edicate will be. Do they stand off to the side of the trail and look away as people pass? Do they just keep going, head down, but hold your breath when strainers go by? We’ve seen lots of versions of the safe, yet friendly trail pass. On our hike the other day, we were approaching an older gal with a dog. She stepped way to the side of the trail and said, good morning. We said, hey. Then she said something about the weather and it was clear that she wanted to chat. So, we kept our distance and talked with her for a bit. Turns out, she lives alone. Her family is out of state and she’s been by herself this entire COVID time. Her daily hikes are her only chance to change her view and see people. So, glad that we gave her time and we hope to cross her path again. Locals often say that they came to Park City for the winters and stayed for the summers. Why? Our trail system is one of those reasons. You can hike every day for a year and never take the same route twice. Not too shabby. And the amount and expanse of trails often means that there’s something close enough to your door that you don’t have to get in a car to get on dirt if you don’t want to. As I connect with friends in big cities, I’m doubly aware of how fortunate we in Park City are to have this outlet. These friends haven’t enjoyed the outside other than to sit on a balcony since COVID started. Don’t think we’ll ever take our trails and all they provide for granite. The next time you’re able to get here, I highly suggest slowing everything down and getting out on one or more of our trails. Your heart and your brain will thank you. Cheers, Your Resort Resident P.S. here’s what Mountain Trails says on their site about our trails: “Park City’s trail system entails approximately 400 miles of continuous, non-motorized recreational trail. Spanning two world-class mountain resorts (one is the largest in the US at 7,300 acres) and an additional 8,000 acres of preserved open space, Park City has been designated a Gold Level Ride Center by the International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA). From mountainous, alpine terrain reaching altitudes of nearly 10,000’, to rolling high desert, Park City’s trail system is predominantly buffed single-track interspersed with occasional technical sections.” |
Your Resort ResidentWhen you live in Park City full time, you have the inside track on why this place is so special. Here's where we do our best to share that with you. Archives
November 2020
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