Hey guys, me and my girlfriend are planning a trip out to the park city area this spring. While I know that PCMR isn't the best place in Utah in terms of crowds and riding quality I think that the whole vibe of the town and whatnot will make for a fun vacation for the two of us since she isn't a super aggressive rider.

Any suggestions on good places to stay/eat/drink or where to find a reasonable price on lift tickets? I have been looking at the Treasure Mountain Inn because their late season prices are pretty solid and the location is sick. Does anyone have any input on this hotel vs. others?

Thanks for the help!

Posted by davedinuzzo

Any suggestions on good places to...drink...

Summit County Colorado, Big Sky Montana, Jackson Hole Wyoming, basically anywhere but Utah.  The restaurants that you can walk in eat and get a beer serve 3.2.  It's super weak.  I just spent four days there.  If you go to a spot that serves normal brewed beers you'll have to join the social club.  $4 for 3 weeks and you can sponsor a couple of people.  It's basically a cover charge and a cash cow for the state. 

Besides for my griping about the stupid liquor laws, the terrain and snow is stellar.  I would definitely make a trip over to Big Cotton Wood canyon to hit Solitude and Brighton.  You should be able to get discount lift tickets at most snowboard/ski shops for various areas.  Do us all a favor and don't spend money at Snowbird.  Buying a lift ticket at Snowbird indirectly allows Alta to continue their ban on snowboarding.  If that is to change, snowboarders need to quit going to the 'bird and let it be known why. 

The Canyons looks like there is plenty to entertain and Snobasin is another great resort about an hour away.  You can definitely get discount tickets for Snobasin and Powder Mountain.  Also, google free Park City lift tickets on day of arrival.  On the day you fly in you can get a free lift ticket to the Canyons or Park City.

Oh yeah, the airport is kind of ghetto too.

haha i figured the beer was going to be less delish. Anyways, where did you stay and how was it?

I have a friend that lives in Ogden so we stayed at his place.  It hadn't snowed in 4-5 days, but the snow in backcountry was perfect below treeline.  We used Snobasin as a backcountry access point one day.  Just fantastic backcountry riding out of that resort.  I paid $52 for a three run backcountry tour there.  Cheaper than a snow cat.  In fact the one run we did at Snobasin had great snow too.  They opened up the headwall the day after we rode there.  Which was a bummer, the top of those chutes look near 60 degrees and scary fun.  I can't stress how good the terrain is at that resort.

We also did a day touring and riding in Little Cottonwood Canyon outside of Snowbird.  Maybird Gulch was the ridge we worked over.  We nailed a great 2600 vertical run down the canyon.  The finishing touch was a day on Ben Lomond which is a big peak that sits above Ogden.  It was another long hike with a long run in recycled powder. 

Access is really easy around there and I have to admit Utah is a great traveling bang for your buck.

just cause their beer is weak doesn't mean it can't be tasty too.  go to http://www.wasatchbeers.com/index.html

I like the polygamy porter myself.  Bring some home for the wives!!

I had a Polygamy Porter at a social club.  That is a full strength beer at one of those and is very tasty.  You can get regular booze, you just got to jump through hoops and pay extra for it.

I've always had trouble believing the UT 3.2 beer urban legend. Are you telling me that all the beer companies specifically make UT 3.2 beer...if theirs isn't 3.2 to begin with? Bud makes a special 3.2 budweiser beer just for UT? I don't think so. I can believe that most mass market beers are 3.2 to begin with...but I doubt Bud is normally 4.0 and they make a special 3.2 batch just for UT.

I don't drink budwiper.

Even so, they do have to brew it specifically 3.2.  Also, they just don't brew 3.2 for only UT.  Colorado had the "blue" law where you couldn't buy alcohol on Sundays except 3.2 beer at the grocery store.  I am pretty sure there are a few other states with this too.  Anyway, Bud or PBR for that matter is normally not much stronger than 3.2.  You're probably right that it doesn't hit 4%.  3.6-3.8 maybe?

But say you want a stronger beer like a New Belgium or Odell's brew.  Even the Wasatch brewery brews.  If you go to a "social club" they are full strength.  If you go to a place to eat that isn't a social club the beer will be 3.2 and you'll taste it.  Believe me...

The real brews are still weak at the non social clubs.  They can try to spin it as much as you like but you WILL taste a difference.  Not talking bud, but a Guiness, Fat Tire, or in my case I got a Hef at it definitely did not have as much "flavor".  Take it for what it is.  The hassle around there is plenty just to get a good beer.  State run liquor stores, state mandated "cover charge" etc...

For a country that's founded upon the principal of speration of church and state...I'm constantly amazed at the Blue Laws around the US. I grew up in PA...where you've got state stores and distributors...can't buy on sunday, etc. What's so wrong about buying a beer on sunday, as opposed to monday or tuesday? Hate that crap.

Yeah, we finally got rid of the can't buy alcohol on Sundays thing here.  I think the State of Utah, therefore the Mormon Church just wants to keep it how it is.  They make a TON of money off of the social clubs.  It's something like $15 for 8 months or something stupid like that.  That's money that just goes straight to the state.  Total BS.

ended up booking breck instead... thanks for the insightful beer discussion though!

When are you coming out?  We should meet up for a beer or some bc riding...

That's not a bad time to come. At least last year if  I remember correctly, most of the tourists are gone and working on golf swings in Denver/Texas and it's basically locals lapping the park. Then again, is that when Easter is?  I can't remember.

April is definitely the slow season.  It can also bring a fair number of powder days.  The trend has been a slow start to the beginning of the season usually means it ends strong.  So don't be surprised that you'll need your snorkel.

Red Mountain Grill in Silverthorne has become a favorite to stop by on the way home from Vail Pass.  Great burgers and other fare there.  Backcountry and Dam Brewery's also have decent food.  I don't know about Mexican around Summit, but it shouldn't be hard to find.  It is Colorado after all.  Good Mexican food is abundant. 

There's a really good mexican place in Frisco, forgot the name of it but it'll hit me sooner or later.  As for Breck, you can never go wrong with MiCasa, Lucha, or Park Av Pub for happy hour.  The burger place you're probably thinking of in Breck is Empire Burger. It's alright. 

Posted by davedinuzzo
ended up booking breck instead... thanks for the insightful beer discussion though!

I really hope you didn't book your trip based on the pretense that it's difficult to drink in Park City. Killclimbz's responses are really misleading....

[Edited by eat_my_pow on 2/17/2009 at 11:12 AM]

No they are not misleading.  I've been to Utah plenty and the alcohol laws are lame.  Even the local who I was staying with got pissed off enough at the rules while we were there two weeks ago.  It's basically pay a cover charge or drink watered down beer.  You can get a good stiff drink in Utah.  Just more hoops to jump through.  Killer riding for sure.  No arguments from me in that department.

cost was cheaper and accomidations were nicer for the price at breck

^^^That is actually a surprise.  I've always considered Utah to be one of the best traveling deals out there.  Then again, when you're not using resorts the prices go down dramatically everywhere.

if you are staying in Breck I recommend My Thai for eats, so good.  I suggest getting take out and taking back to your place or you can take it down the street to Divine Wine, it's a wine bar that lets you bring in outside food.  They usually have live music and a masseuse their as well.  Other than that I like Bubba Gump Shrimp Company.  damnit now I'm hungry