Apres ski at Deer Valley Resort is back for the 2025/26 season, and between their three on resort spots, there should be something for anyone.
Chute Eleven, The Sticky Wicket and Edgar’s Apres are all now open, with very little changes to their programming this year, said Director of Beverage Josh Hockman.
“We want to provide something for everybody. And there’s different people that are on the mountain who enjoy their day in a different way,” he said.
Chute Eleven
At Chute Eleven, an après bar inside a yurt outside of Empire Lodge that opened last season, they’re planning to hone in that budding program even more.
“Continue with the pace of play and the style of service that we know is well received, and (we’ll) change it if and when we need to. But for right now, we don’t think we need to,” Hockman said. “A wash, rinse and repeat of last season, I guess, except for us as the operations team will feel a lot more comfortable in our workspace, since we already did it for four months.”
For this après option, think champagne and seafood towers, caviar bumps and weekend DJs. It’s not a yurt in the winter-cabin sense, but a “mountain chic” design with soft leather couches, fur rugs and blankets and ornate light pieces.
Laurent Perrier is the champagne brand of choice, Hockman said, having recently visited its facility in Champagne, France.
“There’s not very many large-producing, great-quality champagnes that are still family owned,” he said of meeting the sixth-generation family member who operates it. “This is still all family-owned, family-run, which is my vibe. I really like the local and the mom-and-pop, sole-proprietorship-type story.”
Menu items are streamlined and selected to pair well with a glass of sparkling, like crab, shrimp and oysters, and even a lobster and caviar grilled cheese sandwich for something heavier. Chute Eleven also sells a few soup options and has house-made truffle French fries with a black garlic aioli, all made or prepared in an even smaller kitchen yurt behind it. This year, they’re adding a ceviche for another light option.
Keep an eye out for the live DJ lineup called Slopeside Sets this year at deervalley.com/things-to-do/activities/slopeside-sets-at-chute-eleven, with talent ranging in caliber depending on the busyness or happenings of the town. Hockman said an agency will help secure artists throughout the winter.
“‘Like, ‘Hey, this weekend is going to be a little bit busier than a normal weekend, so we’d like to bring in this caliber DJ,’ and then, ‘Hey, this is Sundance weekend, the last one ever in Park City, we need the best of the best out of your portfolio. What do you got?’” he said.
Chute Eleven operates weekly from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.
The Sticky Wicket
The Sticky Wicket, located in the loft level of Royal Street Cafe, was Deer Valley’s first 21-only bar, and they didn’t hold back.
The theme: ’70s and ’80s vintage ski, a callback to the resort’s early days and ski legends. Vintage memorabilia, from skis to photographs to gear, adorn the walls in a maximalist frenzy. An old TV plays ’80s ski movies. The music is much the same. And when it came to crafting a food and beverage plan for the bar, the team leaned heavily into shot skis and beer towers, shrimp cocktail and nachos.
“We knew what we wanted. We wanted a vintage ski bar. We wanted to have fun,” Hockman said. “This will be the third winter for it and no big changes. We think that we nailed that one right on the head.”
Where Chute Eleven may be quieter and more elevated, things can get sticky at The Sticky Wicket, and its team is dedicated to delivering on expectations here.
“If I do research and am super excited to go to a vintage ’70s-, ’80s-themed ski bar, I kind of expect the beverage program to match that,” Hockman said.
So yes, shot skis and beer towers, but also cocktails called “Lavender Disco Party” made with edible glitter and some playful garnish are on the menu, too.
This year, two new interactive decorations have been incorporated, Hockman said. One is an old payphone programmed to play different ’80s songs depending on the number dialed, placed in the bar where a dartboard used to be.
Another will be a Guinness bell, a gift from the company to the resort.
“What we want to do is mount this bell somewhere, and if someone gets a Guinness and they split the G” — the classic Guinness challenge of drinking to the center of the ‘G’ in one smooth pull — “they can go ring the bell and get their photo taken,” Hockman said.
Another exciting addition to The Sticky Wicket menu will be chicken wings, another first at the resort.
“That’s one thing we’ve always kind of steered away from here at Deer Valley; we never really did it,” Hockman said. “All of us are like, we’re going to crush it on wings.”
The Sticky Wicket bar operates daily from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m., but since Deer Valley isn’t a top-to-bottom resort, don’t forget to plan a ride back down from mid-mountain after the last chair at 4 p.m. — same for Chute Eleven revelers.
Edgar’s Après
Located on the second floor of Snow Park Lodge, Edgar’s Après is a family-friendly sports bar that quadruples in size during the afternoons.
“It’s a space that starts as one room from 11 until 2:30 p.m., and then at 2:30, when that après time really starts to kick off, then we pretty much take over the entire second floor,” Hockman said.
Until 2023, Edgar’s was the only real après option at Deer Valley, but it’s technically a restaurant, meaning kids can come, too. It also means the food is more of a focus at this spot, Hockman said.
Speaking of firsts, Edgar’s room full of TVs — lending to the sports bar vibe — was unusual for the Deer Valley brand.
“That was the first spot where we were able to break the mold a little bit and put TVs at Deer Valley,” Hockman said. “So there are TVs all over the wall, so if you’re like, ‘Hey, we just happen to be down here, let’s get a shot of beer and some fries,’ there is a sports bar.”
Edgar’s will have live music every Saturday, securing the band The Proper Way as the resort’s official “house band of après” to play their lively bluegrass each weekend.
Edgar’s serves daily, from 11:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. Then it’s a short walk to the parking lot or the bus stop at the base.
Overall, Hockman said Deer Valley goers can expect their favorites to be mostly unchanged, with subtle tweaks for efficiency and style. Each place has such differing styles that Hockman said it shouldn’t be hard to choose what fits for the day.
“If you’re going to come into a space like Chute Eleven, it’s a higher price point. It’s a higher feel, you’re there to be seen,” he said. “The selections definitely are more thought towards that upper scale selection, so that’s why we lean into champagne being the drink of celebrations whether it’s a birthday or wedding or just an awesome ski day.”
Families or people wanting to be down by the Snow Park base will find Edgar’s a welcome choice, while others may look for a more Instagrammable moment. It all depends on the person or the day, but Hockman said his team’s job is to ensure the experience is consistent with the expectations.
“Maybe a vintage ski bar where … people are doing whiskey shots and drinking PBR might not be what they expect out of their Deer Valley experience, and they do want to have caviar and some oysters and a really great glass of champagne in a more quiet atmosphere,” Hockman said.
Whether it’s apres at noon or après until 6 p.m., all are welcome, he said.