Deer Valley
Deer Valley: the back story
The back story
About Deer Valley: the back story
Deer Valley opened above Park City in 1981 with five chairlifts, two day lodges and a clear idea of what a ski day should feel like. More than four decades on, the same three principles still guide it, while the mountain itself has more than doubled in size.
A hospitality idea
Deer Valley Resort opened in 1981, founded by Edgar and Polly Stern. In the resort’s own telling, they brought a hospitality-driven approach to American skiing: attentive guest service, fine food in the day lodges and meticulously groomed runs. It began with five chairlifts and two day lodges.
Three pillars
From the first day, Deer Valley has held to three principles: exceptional guest service, a ski-only mountain, and a limit on how many skiers it lets up each day. Snowboards are not allowed, and lift tickets are capped, which is why the resort asks you to buy online before you travel, especially over the holidays.
Deer Valley is a ski-only resort.
The Norwegian at the top
The Olympic champion Stein Eriksen is woven into the resort’s identity. Stein Eriksen Lodge, the mid-mountain hotel that bears his name and was inspired by his Norwegian heritage, describes itself as the first luxury property in Park City, and it remains one of the great addresses on the mountain.
Olympic winter, 2002
When the Winter Olympics came to Salt Lake City in 2002, Deer Valley staged the slalom, the moguls and the aerials. World Cup freestyle skiing has been a fixture here ever since.
Expanded Excellence
Since December 2024, Deer Valley has more than doubled its skiing, which the resort calls the largest expansion in ski industry history. It has added 11 new chairlifts since then and will have 4,500 skiable acres for winter 2026/27, the most it has ever offered. The new Deer Valley East Village, by the Jordanelle Reservoir, is the gateway to the new terrain, and the Snow Park base area is being reimagined. Each new run takes its name from the area’s mining past.
Our advice
Book lift tickets, lessons and rentals together, well ahead. Deer Valley sells a limited number of tickets each day and expects to sell out on some days.
Why it's on our list
- Opened in 1981 by Edgar and Polly Stern
- Skiers only, from the first day
- A daily cap on lift tickets
- 2002 Olympic slalom, moguls and aerials
- 4,500 skiable acres for winter 2026/27
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Deer Valley: the back story before you go.