The buzz of freewheeling tires, clinking chains and the steady hum of chairlifts have become the sweet sounds of summer for mountain bikers at Deer Valley Resort since the lifts opened a week ago.
While riders return to the mountain, they’ll notice a few changes this year as the resort finalizes the second phase of the East Village terrain expansion. Much of the upper mountain, including trail favorites like Tidal Wave and Holy Roller, remains closed for construction, and the Sterling Express lift is open only for hiking and scenic rides to ensure work zones remain clear and safe for the public.
Both Homestake Express and Silver Lake Express are open for bike access, along with a fresh network of multi-use trails in the Jordanelle area, and recent enhancements to lower mountain trails, including Ripple, Undertow and Regulator.
Despite operating at 50% of the resort’s summer trail capacity this year due to the construction projects, Friday morning’s opening brought riders and hikers from all over the country to celebrate their first day on wheels.
Claus and Christine Moberg are avid riders visiting from Lake Tahoe, California,for the weekend. Though the couple rides often in the Tahoe area, this was Christine’s first time downhill biking with lift access.
“We got really lucky with the timing of opening weekend. We knew we wanted to mountain bike in Park City and were thrilled to ride the Deer Valley bike park. It’s always cool to ride in a new spot and we’re excited to be here for our first time on their first day,” said Claus.
For friends Julia Todesco, Brooke Bremer, Kate Parry and Melinda Edie, the weekend was a chance to explore new terrain and friendships.
“I’m working on making myself like biking,” Bremer joked. “It’s my first time here, so I’m excited to explore it more.”
They were excited to push each other to try new things, explore unfamiliar trails, and build more confidence on their bikes. For Edie, who typically sticks to her go-to route of Mid Mountain to Ripple, Friday was a chance to branch out and discover more of the mountain — made easier by the support and encouragement of riding with friends.
Deer Valley’s lift access plays a key role in Andy Benton’s mission to pass his love for the sport to the next generation.
“I like the lifts for getting the kids up and making it more family friendly. Our approach has always been to just make it fun, and then the climbing and everything else will come later,” said Benton, who was joined by his kids on Friday.
Presley Benton,9, has been riding with her dad for six years. This season, Presley is focused on gaining more strength in technicality and climbing.
“It’s about continuing to build a lifelong sport that we can enjoy together,” said Andy. “I love this sport. I like the connection in nature, tuning out and listening to the birds, and being able to lose yourself in the mountains.”
Though the Bentons now live in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, their time as Park City locals left them with love for riding Deer Valley terrain. In town for the week, Andy was thrilled to return to familiar favorites and try out newer terrain like Ripple and the extension of Mid Mountain trail.
That mix of accessibility and fun was echoed by newcomers Polly Dacus and Nicole Hoffmann.
“Lifts make it easy to learn,” said Dacus. “You can get multiple laps in one go, and work on skills and get faster a lot quicker. I love the machine-built berms — the trails are made really well and are just so fun to ride.”
Early birds get the worm, said Dacus and Hoffmann, with Friday’s opening offering some of the first ever tracks on new and improved terrain. The pair was excited to work on some more difficult trails on Friday before all the wear and tear of the season sets in.
“We’re working on being fast this year, and it’s going to be super fun to work on corners before they get super bumpy from other riders,” said Hoffmann.
Mike Gettinger, a 66-year-old BMX racer from Oregon, has been riding for over 50 years. His brother lives in Park City, which is just one excuse for his annual pilgrimage to Deer Valley to ride some of his favorite lift-access terrain as he trains for motocross terrain.
“I’ve been mountain biking since back when it was just getting started in San Francisco. I would tune up my beach cruiser to go up into the mountains and ride,” said Gettinger. “The lifts are great for training, especially with a 60 pound bike to pedal uphill.”
Gettinger said he likes to take it easy these days, and will stick to his favorite greens and blues.
“I forgot today was opening day,” he laughed. “I’ve been waiting to get out here since I arrived three days ago, and I’m just happy it’s finally here.”
After his previous season, defined by a few injuries and a scary crash, Rick Johnson was excited to return to his former glory and get back in the mountain air this summer.
“Lift access is a hell of a lot better than pedaling uphill, especially at my age. I love getting out in the summer, in the sun. It’s good exercise, good for the heart and lungs, good for the soul,” said Johnson.
Like Gettinger, opening day was both a family reunion and a chance to jump on their bikes for Dave Snyder and his son, visiting from Montana. Snyder has been riding since he was a little kid, and came out to experience Deer Valley’s trails for the first time.
“We’re here for family, but it’s secretly all about the biking. It’s great here. It’s beautiful and I’m just glad to be out in the mountain air and in the aspens. I love it,” said Snyder.
