2012 Visa Freestyle International at Deer Valley

Zongyang Jia of China

Zongyang Jia of China was the first place winner of the Men's Aerials at the 2012 Visa Freestyle International at Deer Valley.

Dylan Ferguson, from Amesbury, MA placed second. In 30 FIS starts, this was Dylan's first time on the podium.  Congratulations, Dylan!!!

As anticipated, the Chinese women swept the Ladies division.  Mengtao Xu took first place.

The competition used the new Olympic format.  First, the field was qualified to 12, after which the field was reduced to eight.  The Super Finals consisted of four. In the new format, scores were reset with each round.  No jump was counted twice.

Ferguson round one jump was three flips with four twists. In round two, he did three flips and four twists.  In the Super Final round he did three flips with three twists. Makes you dizzy just thinking about it.

Vacation Quest did its part by securing Deer Valley Lodging for various groups associated with the event.  Vacation Quest is a Park City property management firm specializing in Park City lodging of all types.

Deer Valley Rentals by Vacation Quest, Inc.

Image via Wikipedia

In 2010/2011, Deer Valley resort was named the #1 ski resort in North America by the readers of SKI magazine for the fourth year in a row.

In the past 10 years, Deer Valley has never been rated lower than third.

It was #2 in 2001/2002, #3 in 2003/2004, #2 in 2004/2005, and #2 in 2006/2007. All the other years, it was numero uno!

Expectations are high again this year for a top overall ranking for Deer Valley. Ski Deer Valley and you won't be disappointed.

Aside from always being ranked at the top overall, it is consistently on top for grooming, service, access, on-mountain food, lodging and dining, lifts, weather, and family programs.

SKI magazine surveys approximately 20,000 of its readers for its Top Resort Guide using an independent research firm. SKI magazine’s survey is the most comprehensive and longest running in the ski industry.

But here is the best kept secret. The expert ungroomed terrain is not heavily skied like Park City and Canyons. After a good 2' to 3' storm, you can usually find powder stashes in the Mayflower Bowl or around the Lady Morgan area for 2-3-4 days.

With 3 ski areas within 5 miles of each other, Park City lodging and Deer Valley lodging is tricky. For help from local experts, call us at (877)808-6872 or Info@Vacation-Quest.com

Park City Lodging

Park City Lodging

With 3 ski areas, finding the right Park City lodging can be a tricky business.

The Canyons is located about 5 miles north of Park City proper. If you are staying at the Canyons, you will need a car if you want to do the Park City nightlife or ski at either Park City Mountain Resort or Deer Valley Resort.

If you are going to do Park City without a car, make sure you understand the exact location of the unit in relation to the ski area of choice or to the bus line.

The bus service to the ski areas is great, however, if you are going from the Deer Valley area to the Park City area, you will likely have to make a transfer at Park City's transfer station. Many folks find the transfer hassle and time required a big detractor.

Some condos in lower Deer Valley offer door-to-door complimentary shuttle service to the Deer Valley ski area. This type of service is extremely convenient and generally there is no premium on the rent rate.

We can help you find a Park City condo or home that suits your needs. Call (877) 808-6872 or info@Vacation-Quest.com.

Affordable Park City Dining

Great Food and Low Prices at Davanzas

It is hard to find regular food at regular prices when it comes to Park City dining. High end, gourmet options abound, but if you have children or just want to eat and not have a dining event, try these spots.

Davanzas is a pizza, burger type joint located just below the Town Lift. To get there from the lift, go the street underneath the lift (west of Main St) and walk uphill 1 block.  The dining area is small so you feel like you are in a mountain town pizza place.  Fresh ingredients are their signature. The menu has a good variety. Best of all, the prices are reasonable.

Main Street Pizza and Noodle is another place for OK fare at reasonable prices. Unlike Davanzas, there is alot of seating at Main Street Pizza and Noodle, so if you have a group of say 6-10, this is a good place. At Main Street Pizza and Noodle, you order at the counter and the food is delivered to your table by a server. Like Davanzas, prices are reasonable.  One word of caution, they specialize in pizza which is always a safe bet.  I have had undercooked lasagna there, but overall the food is good.

The Eating Establishment has restaurants on both Main Street and at Park City Mountain Resort. At Park City Mountain Resort, they are located right below the Payday lift.  The Eating Establishment is a Park City standard.. Good food, reasonable prices, and quick service.

The Wasatch Brew Pub is another good place. It is a sit down restaurant, slightly more expensive than the other places, located at the top of Main Street.  Take the trolley up the hill and then walk down the hill after your meal.

Let us help you with your Park City lodging needs.  You can contact us at Info@Vacation-Quest.com

Royal Street Cafe at Snow Park Lodge in Deer Valley

Empire Canyon Lodge in Upper Deer Valley

The base area in upper Deer Valley is dominated by the Silver Lake Lodge. The Silver Lake Lodge offers several self-serve stations for grilled food, salads, sandwiches, chili, etc. Most skiers rave about the quality of the food served at the Silver Lake Lodge versus what is available at other ski areas.

What many people do not know is that on the eastern end of Silver Lake Lodge, within the lodge building itself, is the Royal Street Cafe which is a sit down restaurant. If you prefer to sit down, order your food, and have it served to you, Royal Street is an excellent option. The best part is that the prices are basically same, so the only difference is the tip!

Other on-mountain dining options are the Montage in the Empire Canyon area, which has had mixed reviews and is pretty pricey. I think the sandwiches are like $18 and up. However, the Montage is the latest and greatest dining option on the mountain, so it may be worth a try.

The St Regis, just above Snow Park Lodge, serves lunch in a nice bar/lounge area or you can eat in the formal dining room. For the first 2 years of operation the service at St Regis was sketchy, but has now improved 500% under the new f and b manager, Regis Perret. St Regis prices are comparable to Montage, so it isn't cheap, but it is a very nice ambiance.

The skier's buffet at the Stein Eriksen Lodge is always a favorite, but the tendency to over indulge makes it hard to hit the slopes after lunch. The buffet price is $35. You can order a la carte, but most a la carte dining is going to cost about $25-$30, close enough to the buffet price that most folks just do the buffet.

If you need more detailed information or help with Deer Valley Lodging, contact us at (877) 808-6872.

Ski Boot Fitting

I have been a recreational skier for 40 years now. I happen to have a high arch and high instep, so I have never had a pair of ski boots that fit me comfortably. At least, not until now.
Last month I went to my friend, Dan Baber, at Jans Sports in Park City, when it was time to replace my ten year old boots. Dan has been custom fitting ski boots for about 15 years, so he told me that his fit was "guaranteed." I told Dan I wouldn't hold him to it, all I wanted was some boots that didn't kill my feet at the end of the ski day.
Wow, was I amazed. It started by Dan putting me in a boot that was about 1.5 sizes smaller than my old boots. The length was OK, but the fit was tight - I could barely get the bales to snap on the first slots. He told me to ski the boot for a day, then come back.
After day one the boots killed my feet. I was thinking that Dan was a goof ball, but when I took them back he asked exactly where they hurt. He then proceeded to carve out plastic on the inside of the boot to make the boot cavity bigger at the exact points of pressure. After the carve out work, he sent me back out to ski them again. I came back again and he did more carving and a bit of stretching.
After about 10 days and 4 total adjustments, I have a pair of boots that fit like a firm handshake. The firm handshake fit, which is what a custom fit is all about, instantly improved my skiing. Imagine that, 40 years of making turns, and a custom fit improved my ability.