Nearly a foot of fresh powder overnight will tend to put the pop in a lift opening, even if it took half a ski season to replace the parts needed to get it running again. Pie never hurts, either.
This was the story Thursday morning at Park City Mountain’s Pioneer lift: Giddy skiers and snowboarders full from pie and pow shots during first tracks.
The lift had cranked into gear again less ceremoniously the previous afternoon after months of maintenance and delays in replacing parts following inspections over the summer. Pioneer is a three-person, fixed-grip chairlift constructed in 1984 that accesses advanced-to-extreme terrain above the resort’s Bonanza Express lift.
“Our mountain operations team worked this week to perform standard operational tests on Pioneer to ensure it was ready to open for the public,” said Emily McDonald, communications manager for Park City Mountain. “Pioneer is a classic Park City lift. It’s a favorite of many of our team members, and we know how much the community and our guests enjoy this lift, so it was really important for us to open the lift this season.”
Locals and visitors raced up the mountain for Pioneer’s official opening Thursday morning in a friendly competition for first tracks.
A group of snowboarders got to the resort at 8 a.m., standing in line as some of the first to load the Crescent lift in an effort to get the very first chair up Pioneer that morning. As the group rushed the entrance to the lift, one straggler struggled to unbuckle from his board and was cut off by an older couple.
“You snooze, you lose!” the woman of the couple joked, hollering from the lift as he loaded the chair behind them. “Don’t take my line, you already tried to take my chair!”
The rivals laughed from their chair, clearly excited, even if a few tracks behind. As they buckled into their boards at the top of the lift, still racing for the field of powder below, they declined to wait long enough to give their names.
“We have turns to make! You can’t interview us on a powder day,” said one, who zoomed away.
Many shared the sentiment, rushing up the lift like kids in line for an ice cream truck.
Pioneer’s enthusiastic first-comers were greeted with pies baked at the Mid Mountain Lodge by banquet chef Tabitha Degnan while supplies lasted.
The lift’s opening marked the first time all 41 of Park City Mountain’s lifts were open at the same time this season, serendipitously coinciding with a powder day — the kind of snow many said makes Pioneer so great.
Blaze Labriola has been skiing Park City Mountain for more than 32 years. He said his absolute favorite place on the hill is the terrain accessed by Pioneer.
“I’ve always loved it. There are not many people out there,” said Labriola. “No one really knows about Pioneer on a powder day.”
Labriola’s skiing companion, Michael, who has been in Park City since 1996, said Pioneer is also one of his go-to spots on a powder day.
“The lift might be slow,” said Michael, “but that helps with the area getting completely skied out instantly. Pioneer is just great.”
Labriola and his companion had stood in line at Crescent lift since 8:30 a.m., ensuring they could make it to Pioneer as early as possible.
“It’s the best access on the mountain, the best runs on the mountain,” said Eric Spector. “Fresh tracks today. You just can’t beat it.”
One local skier, rushing to start his line, said, “Why wouldn’t we be excited to have Pioneer open? It’s a chair we’ve used for 30 years, and are just glad it’s back running again.”
For some, Pioneer’s months-long closure was a point of concern for the lift’s future. Patrick, a skier from Midway, worried they might be replacing the lift entirely before its unexpected opening.
“Oh, how I’ve missed this! I’ve been waiting for it. I thought it would be replaced because of how long it’s been,” said Patrick. “This gives you so much access and good powder turns to hit while you wait for the ropes to drop on Jupiter. I’m so happy.”
Jessica Browne is only in town for the week, visiting from Fairfax, Virginia, but has been skiing at the resort for more than 20 years.
“Finally! I was so excited the lift opened in the few days we happened to be here,” said Browne. “The terrain is always great. There’s so many options in the trees, the blues and blacks, and it’s great snow. With all the back and forth and how long they were waiting on parts, the whole thing just seemed hard and complicated. But it’s a 50-year-old lift, the same one we’ve been riding for 20 years. We’re happy to be here.”
Others were pleasantly surprised, having never been to Park City Mountain before, to know the significance of Pioneer’s opening on Thursday. Though confused by the free pies, many visitors quickly learned what the stoke was all about.
Moises, visiting from Brazil, raced back into line as a local explained the highly anticipated opening.
“Oh! That’s what this is all about!” he said, laughing. “I just did my first lap on Pioneer ever. It’s great. I love it.”
A group of female snowboarders cruised back into line after their first lap, having arrived at the mountain before opening as well.
Yelling their first lap review to the line of riders one said, “That was absolutely amazing. We feel like we died!”
Gianni Leoni was skiing his first day at Park City Mountain this season when Pioneer opened. Leoni’s favorite run is 10th Mountain, he said.
“It’s great powder in the trees. It’s like the gnarlier the line gets, the more powder there is,” said Leoni.
Matt Stouffer is a local telemark skier who lives by the mantra “Free the heel, free the mind.” He came down to the lift with a big grin on his face, high-fiving his companion after their first run.
“I’m looking forward to more terrain opening on Pioneer and getting some freshies!” said Stouffer. “It’s a little late, but better late than never. My first runs were fantastic. With 8-10 inches of creamy snow, it was epic. This is spring skiing at its finest in the Wasatch.”