The Canyons
The three ski areas that surround Utah's ski town The Canyons together offer more skiable terrain than any other ski resort in North America, it's just a shame there's no sign that they'll ever work together to such an extent that they'll cross the narrow boundaries between their slopes with lifts and runs. On the other hand it's easy to sign up for a topur that takes you between them and on to other nearby ski areas.
All three ski areas in the 2002 Olympic venue have lots of improvements this winter as they do every year, but perhaps most interesting is Canyons, formerly 'The Canyons' which has recently come under new ownership.
Canyons was at one time a small 'local's ski hill called Park West but was changed beyond recognition by the now defunct American Ski company during their heyday a decade ago when they bought ten resorts (Including Killington, Steamboat and Heavenly) and made The Canyons in to one of North America's biggest ski areas investing it lots of fast quad chairlifts to open up the area.
This winter new owners Talisker Mountain Inc are adding a new chairlift, realigning the access gondola, adding still more terrain and spending on more snowmaking.
"We believe that a mountain is something that connects to a person's soul and inspires them," says Paul Boardman, new to the ski industry as the recently hired director of brand strategy and development at Canyons. "Our mission is really to allow that connection to flourish."
The new chair will be the first in North America with a pull down weather protection hood in tinted orange plastic and with heated seats. The relocated gondola will eliminate an annoying walk previous required through an exposed area to get on it and the new terrain will be 300 acres of northwest-facing slopes on Iron Mountain in the southern reaches of the resort. There'll be tren new runs taking the resort tally to 176.
"The new lift will enhance the ease of skiing both north and south off of Lookout Peak and guests will be able to ski directly to the Red Pine area," explains Libby Dowd, spokesperson for the resort. "The south end of the resort is accessible via Timberline Lift which you can ride in both directions. It has stations at the bottom of Tombstone and the bottom of the new Iron Mountain Lift."