Deer Valley, Utah USA with Ted Ligety: Luxury, Laps, and the Mountain That Made an Olympic Champion
- John Morgan
- 1 hour ago
- 5 min read
Deer Valley ski resort is known for its superb skiing, awesome mountain views and luxury. Located in Utah's Wasatch Mountains, just 38 miles east of Salt Lake City, it has some of the most high end hotels, restaurants, shopping and apres of any resort. Everywhere you turn there is an amazing experience whether it’s the perfect groomers, the stashes of Utah powder, lunch at the Stein Erickson Lodge or apres at Chute 11 or the Sticky Wicket. There are plenty of ways to have fun and spend way too much.
BUT Deer Valley delivers on skiing, really amazing skiing . With 40 lifts serving 209 runs and over 4400 acres on 6 mountains, there is a bunch to choose from for skiers of all levels. Yes, skiers, it is one of 3 ski only mountains that do not allow snowboarders. As for snow – a normal snow year for this place is 246"
We spent some time talking to Ted Ligety about the skiing. Few skiers in history understand ski racing, technique, and mountains the way Ted Ligety does. A two-time Olympic gold medalist, five-time World Cup overall discipline champion, and one of the most technically dominant alpine racers of all time, Ligety has spent a lifetime studying how terrain, snow, and slope design shape great skiing.
So when Ted talks about Deer Valley Resort, he’s not speaking as a tourist or a casual local — he’s speaking as someone who has skied the mountain for more than four decades, from childhood laps to post-retirement powder days with his own kids.
Raised on Deer Valley Terrain
Ligety first clicked into skis here when he was just two years old, long before Olympic podiums and World Championship medals, Snow Park, as it was known then, was his backyard and his training ground. Growing up, Deer Valley offered exactly what a young racer needed: long, consistent pitches, a fun place to put on the miles, meticulous grooming, and terrain that honed precision.
That foundation paid off. Ted Ligety went on to become one of the most decorated American alpine skiers in history, winning:
Two Olympic gold medals
Five World Championship gold medals
25 World Cup victories
Multiple season titles in giant slalom
Why Deer Valley Matters to all Skiers
Deer Valley is often associated with luxury and service, but Ted is quick to point out that beneath the polish is a mountain with serious skiing DNA. Trails like Stein’s Way, Wizard, and the long fall-line groomers off Wasatch Express are ideal for carving, speed control, and technical progression — the same elements critical to high-level racing.
Expansion
One of the most exciting developments Ted discusses is the East Village and Park Peak expansion. While many assume the new terrain caters primarily to beginners, Ligety emphasizes that Park Peak introduces some of the steepest sustained pitches on the mountain, along with north-facing aspects that hold snow exceptionally well.
From an athlete’s perspective, the expansion improves flow, access, and variety. New groomers echo the classic feel of Deer Valley’s best terrain, while off-piste zones and tree skiing add depth for advanced skiers looking beyond corduroy.
How to Ski Deer Valley
There are multiple entry points to Deer Valley. Several of these involve staying at one of the resort hotels where you can jump on one of the lower lifts and just get going. For the day trippers, there are now three main entry points - Snow Park Lodge is the original entry point but now you can jump on a lift in Jordanelle or the new gondola in East Village (with the added bonus of not driving though Park City first thing in the morning). Be aware that Dear Valley does limit its numbers and its best to reserve your spot on holidays.
As you might imagine, Deer Valley is great for beginner skiers. The ski school caters to beginning skiers and some of the new terrain lets beginner skiers get out of the lower mountain and ski the top.
For intermediates, Deer Valley has fun terrain with blue runs all over the 6 mountains, some on awesome steep fall-line groomers. It depends where you start your day, but any of the blues on Bald Mt., Flagstaff Mt. or Empire work well, just take a look at what has been groomed. Big Stick on Bald Eagle Mountain might also be fun for more experienced skiers.
For expert skiers, there is a ton of amazing skiing, starting with some of the long groomers, like Stein's Way. Groomed runs ... for experts? Ligety explains that great groomers aren’t just “easy skiing.” They expose flaws. They reward balance, pressure control, and timing. In that sense, Deer Valley continues to function as a quiet training ground for strong skiers.
Past the groomers, Deer Valley has some amazing powder. Not known as the mecca for powder, it still gets the snow and on a powder day you can head to the Daly Chutes or many of the stashes and glades that hold this light stuff. The best part is that the light stuff lasts for a while.
If you are into bump runs, they have those as well, depending on the grooming plan, you can spot those from pretty much every lift ride.
Powder
While Deer Valley isn’t always the loudest name during Utah powder cycles. Empire Canyon, Daly Bowl, and tree lines across multiple peaks offer powder pockets that reward skiers who know where — and when — to look.
For Ligety, powder skiing isn’t about hype. It’s about efficiency, spacing, and understanding how snow moves across a mountain. The new snow can be found in so many places, it helps to have a guide/instructor or a local help you find some of those cool stashes.
A New Chapter: Skiing as a Father
Today, Ted experiences Deer Valley through a different lens — skiing with his 3 children. He enjoys letting them lead him through the trees and jumps, much as he himself grew up on the hill. He praises the ski school for their patience in teaching young skiers, the mountain’s natural progression, and the way Deer Valley allows young skiers to build confidence without sacrificing challenge as skills improve.
Few resorts allow beginners, families, and elite skiers to coexist seamlessly. Ligety sees that balance as one of Deer Valley’s greatest achievements.
Ted likes to Advance the State of the Art
Like may high end athletes, Ted likes to play with his equipment. That led hm to become an entrepreneur. He started Shred Optics in 2006 as a means to possibly create an edge for his skiing. Twenty years later, he describes his work as developing Real Technology with Real Benefits. He also does work with DPS Skis as Head of Product Performance which lets him develop new technologies for the skis and have almost real-time feedback from innovations.
🎧 Listen to the full Where to Ski episode for deeper insight into Ted's thoughts on what makes Deer Valley a top ski mountain.
Resources
Where to Stay - our favorite is the Stein Ericksen Lodge, but there are a lot of great choices at the resort. You can even stay in Salt Lake and do the day trip thing - its only 30-45minutes
Getting Around - The areas bus system is highly evolved and easy
Favorite Run - Stein's Way has been our go to - its long and has some great terrain
Where to Eat - Sooo many choices, but don't forget you can easily head to Park City for a real assortment of every cuisine you could want
What to Eat - on the mountain the Turkey Chili is amazing
Apres..- The Sticky Wicket, its real and fun
Special thanks to
Ted Ligety
SME - Dave Houck