Ski Park City (Alta, Junction: rental car, ski resort, rentals)

[Rbarker2]

My wife and I will be staying at Westgate resort, it's a timeshare, for a ski week this winter. We will be flying into SLC. Should we rent a car for skiing purposes, grocery shopping, dinner or just getting around. Also, I don't know if we should bring our own skis or is it a hassle to be carting them from place to place? Thank you.

[nyllie]

Westgate is at the Canyons, which is a couple of miles from anything in either direction. Do you plan on skiing at other resorts as well? There might be a resort shuttle that can take you places in town, but it would depend on how that works and if you'd like to be reliant on it or not. Park City has a free transportation system that has stops at the Canyons and will get you most anywhere you need to go, but if you have the money for a rental car I'd just go for it (as long as you're comfortable with winter driving if necessary) so you can use your time more efficiently and not feel limited in where you can go.

[Katzpur]

Oh, dear. Are we thinking about winter already?

[skibarbie]

Yes Katz, winter thoughts are in my head already as I have been sweating through this summer!
RBarker, i would skip the car and the hassle of parking and trying to figure out the town while driving through it as well..there are several shuttle services that will bring you up to Westgate from the airport and I have seen plenty of Westgate shuttles around PC. Park City also has a free bus system that extends out into the Snyderville basin/Kimball Junction area aa well..the buses and shuttles will also drop you right at the base of the resorts so you wont have to schlep your stuff from the very back of the parking lots..A few of the more reliable services for airport shuttles in PC are All Resort Express and Peak Transportation get your name in the hat early if you are coming during "peak times" during the ski season.
When are you coming out?

[SportyandMisty]

I've found that the cost of a car rental is modest relative to the cost of a shuttle for two to get up the mountain. The car gives a ton of flexibility.

Having said that, you do not need a car once you are at Westgate. Westgate offers a free point to point shuttle that will take you & your gear anywhere you want around the extended Park Ctiy valley, including Kimball Junction, Jeremy Ranch, Deer Valley, Park City Mountain Resort, Old Town, any restaurant, grocery store, shopping, etc etc.

If you have your own gear, I suggest bringing it. SLC is used to handling ski/snowboard gear.

[skibarbie]

Ohh, i just re read your post, bring your own boots and rent your skis and poles. DM me for some money saving secrets on ski rentals!

[Rbarker2]

Thank you for the different viewpoints. We will be skiing the week of (Jan 6th-Jan 13). We're from Massachusetts and all of our skiing has been NH., VT., and Maine. This is our first venture out west, sort of a bucket list, and we want to do it right. So any suggestions are well appreciated. Thanks again.

[skibarbie]

OK, now that I know you are East Coast skiers, it makes even more sense to rent everything other than your boots and helmets. Way different skis and conditions in Utah vs East Coast skiing and you wont be happy with your eastern setup out here.
A money saver is renting your gear online at Christy Sport with Olympus Hills to be the pickup location. Renting online at least 24 hours ahead gives you a minimum 20% discount and if you would like, you can drop the gear off at the Deer Valley location or the location in PC.
I am still sticking with the shuttle service over the car rental and here is why. I lived inPC for 15 years and worked in ski shops up there for about 10. The overall complaint I heard every single winter from out of town guests was the parking situation. Granted the week you all are coming is not a huge week but the convience of having others do the driving while you enjoy your apres ski or bottle of wine with dinner instead of trying to figure out the "pay and display" systems and "how much time before our 4 hours is up in the parking structure" is well worth the cost of a shuttle to and from the airport. I am not sure how much an AWD vehicle rents for and i would be surprised if its cheaper than the shuttle cost.

[altajoe]

Originally Posted by Rbarker2

Thank you for the different viewpoints. We will be skiing the week of (Jan 6th-Jan 13). We're from Massachusetts and all of our skiing has been NH., VT., and Maine. This is our first venture out west, sort of a bucket list, and we want to do it right. So any suggestions are well appreciated. Thanks again.

Since you're looking for suggestions; First, assess your skiing culture and your bucket list. If you are "going on vacation" and not looking for adventure, then I'd say ditch the car, shuttle into and around Park City. If you are looking to maximize the Utah ski experience then rent a car with AWD. Not only will it give you flexibility around Park City for skiing and apres-ski, but it will give you an opportunity to tick off another possible "bucket list" item---skiing ALTA!

ALTA is one of those "must do's" for serious skiers. Pick a nice day, leave around 8:00 and you'll catch first chair at ALTA.

As Nyliie pointed out you are staying at The Canyons. It's a nice mountain, but it's the lowest elevation of the 3 options in the valley. You are going early in the year, so snow might be an issue. Make sure you spend one day at the Park City Ski Resort (personally, that would be enough to tell me that one day is enough) Also make sure to spend at least one day at Deer Valley. The slopes there will be rather uncrowded and it will be groomed to perfection.

That's JMHO

If you share more insight to your vision for this trip, I'm sure some of the experts like skibarbie will be most helpful.

[WyoNewk]

Originally Posted by altajoe

ALTA is one of those "must do's" for serious skiers....

I've skied all over the Rocky Mountain West (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Colorado, Utah), but when I think of deep, dry, fluffy powder, I remember ALTA!