Mountain Review: Deer Valley
MOUNTAIN SCORE
CATEGORY BREAKDOWN
See our criteria
8
Snow:
8
Resiliency:
7
Size:
7
Terrain Diversity:
7
Challenge:
8
Lifts:
6
Crowd Flow:
9
Facilities:
5
Navigation:
4
Mountain Aesthetic:
GOOD TO KNOW
On-site Lodging: Yes
Apres-ski: Limited
Pass Affiliation: Ikon Pass (excl. base pass)
Recommended Ability Level:
+ Pros
Outstanding guest services
Top-tier mountain facilities and infrastructure
Crowd-mitigating cap on ticket sales
– Cons
Built-up, artificial mountain aesthetic
Less diverse terrain than other Utah resorts, especially for experts
Inconvenient navigation experience
Ban on snowboarders
MOUNTAIN STATS
Lifts: 21
Trails: 110
Beginner: 24%
Intermediate: 40%
Advanced/Expert: 36%
VIDEO
Mountain Review
Long renowned for its guest services and ritzy slopeside lodging—and ban on snowboarders—Deer Valley has been a go-to option among top-priced ski resorts for years. Although it offers terrain for all abilities and impressive mountain infrastructure, the resort appeals to a certain crowd and isn’t for everyone.
Deer Valley offers relatively gentle terrain for Utah. The terrain here mainly consists of beginner-to-intermediate groomers, and most mountain areas have at least one green trail. However, the bunny slope is small, and aggressive traffic from harder terrain filters into some greens. Double-blue trails tend to be relatively steep for intermediates, but they’re generally groomed. Many black trails receive regular grooming as well.
While Deer Valley doesn’t offer the same quantity of difficult, ungroomed terrain as competing resorts, the mountain does offer a decent mix of steep mogul runs and glades. Notably, some glade runs consist of carvable, easy-to-navigate aspen tree terrain. There are a few bowl-ish areas at the highest elevations, but the above-treeline terrain doesn’t last for long. Besides a few formidably steep drop-ins along the Daly Chutes, there’s very little expert terrain here.
Due to Deer Valley’s layout, navigating the mountain can be challenging at times. Getting up the mountain isn’t bad, but in many cases, you’ll have to take at least one lift to get down from higher to lower elevation areas. While the resort has a 3000’ vertical drop, it’s not possible to ski it directly; in fact, you need to take 3 lifts to get from the highest elevation Empire area to the lowest elevation Jordanelle base. The Ruby Express, which provides the only exit access from Empire and Lady Morgan, can get backed up in the late afternoon. Make sure to stay cognizant of where you need to be at the end of the day.
But Deer Valley does its part to keep things moving. The resort employs clear signage that makes staying on the right path easy. Nearly every part of the resort sees high-speed lift service, and many areas can be reached through multiple lift options. It’s also easy to lap most runs.
The resort caps ticket sales each day, which helps mitigate excess crowding. However, this cap can fluctuate, and lines have somewhat increased since the resort started accepting the Ikon Pass. If you plan on coming here, we recommend buying your tickets ahead of time. It’s important to note that if you’re using Ikon days, you have to call ahead to reserve a spot on the mountain to guarantee yourself access.
At Deer Valley, you’ll find the light, dry snow that Utah resorts are known for. However, those expecting constant powder may be slightly disappointed; the resort doesn’t see nearly as much accumulation as nearby Alta and Snowbird. Some argue that the ban on snowboarders improves the snow quality, but we haven’t noticed much of an impact. The resort employs extensive snowmaking operations to ensure a dependable base.
As a result of Deer Valley’s long vertical drop, lower mountain areas see significantly more variable conditions than upper. Luckily, the gondola from the low-elevation Jordanelle base allows for downloading in the event of poor conditions, and the existence of multiple higher elevation base areas allows you to skip the lowest elevation parts of the resort entirely.
Not everyone will love the mountain aesthetic at Deer Valley. The vast majority of the mountain feels built up and artificial; roads and condos are present even in some higher elevation runs. These developments are private property, causing some terrain access restrictions across the resort. While most of these areas are cat tracks and not worth skiing, going outside the bounds of the resort counts as a misdemeanor. You’ll need to get to the top of Bald Mountain or Empire for the only truly isolated terrain at the resort.
On the plus side, the resort offers fantastic views of some neighboring peaks—including those at nearby Park City—and the Jordanelle Reservoir below. In addition, many will love the looks of the widely spaced, light-tan aspen trees.
Deer Valley’s defining characteristic is its hospitality. You’ll find staff ready to carry your gear around at multiple base areas, and the mountain offers complimentary overnight ski storage for up to seven days. The resort offers multiple mid-mountain lodges with high quality but expensive dining options; you can store your skis with the staff during the day at many of these. If you get cold after a long chairlift ride, you can warm up in cabins at the top of Flagstaff and Bald Mountains.
Lodging
Deer Valley offers a number of slopeside accommodations in base and mid-mountain areas, including the world-renowned Stein Eriksen Lodge and a St. Regis with a funicular. All are upscale but expensive; many offer ski valet services. There are cheaper options in nearby Park City, but if you’re staying there, you might as well ski at Park City Resort instead (the two resorts are on separate passes so splitting your days between the two isn’t easy).
Apres-ski
Deer Valley suffers from a limited apres-ski and nightlife scene. Nice but expensive apres-ski options can be found in some slopeside hotels. Outside of these, there are really no bars here; Park City offers the closest nightlife opportunities.
Verdict
Deer Valley is for those who want to be pampered on a ski vacation, not for those who want the biggest and best terrain. Lift ticket prices are as high as $200 a day, and for the same or less money, you can hit other resorts with better snow, more acreage, or more diverse terrain. But for those with an Ikon Pass, Deer Valley may make sense as a family-friendly trip for a few days.
NOTE: Mountain Score criteria for this resort were adjusted on October 12, 2021 and April 11, 2021.
