Picto Diary - 01, 02 January 2021 - Happy New Year

Above: Home. Park City, UT. 01 January 2021. 7:30 AM.

Above: Wasatch Range. Park City, UT. Deer Valley, 01 January 2021
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Looking South at southern Wasatch (Provo Peak, left and Timpanogas, right) from Stein's Way. Heber City and Midway are down under the clouds.

Above: TIMDT and Freddie. Rail Trail. Wanship, UT. 01 January 2021.

Empire Lodge. Deer Valley, UT. 02 January 2021.

23 12 312

Empire Lodge. Mid AM coffee break... Vastly improved experience over prior years! Table service, no inconvenient buffet lines. No crowds. Keep up the good work Deer Valley! From strength to strength!

Runs skied first time this season:

Supreme

Dakota

Dew Drop

Addendum:

Are all those skiers wearing N-95 type masks? My daughter, Melanie, who lives in Vail says they are only allowing 2 people on the 4 or 5 seat chair lifts. Same for the gondolas, unless you are a family. My son-in-law has been driving the local busses for 30 days per season in exchange for 2 annual ski passes, but this year he declines as he is a germ-a-phobe.

Isetta,
Chicago, IL

Lift protocols at Deer Valley are pretty much the same as you describe at Vail. For me as individual daily skier, hasn't been much of a problem as crowds are probably down. DV makes a big deal of wearing masks (any face covering) everywhere when not skiing. I have never worn a face covering while skiing and continue in that vein. Its a little troublesome to pull up the paper mask when at the lift (and you will be admonished if you don't) because it fogs up my glasses. Adjusting to new protocols (ridiculous though they be) is a nuisance, but a small price to pay for the great skiing experience. To stay open, Deer Valley has to show the county health department they are being virtuous beyond criticism by implementing and enforcing the silly, county mandated, rules (we're outside, for crying out loud)! I don't fault them for that. It is what it is. Deer Valley has done a great job of building its mountain with manufactured snow... we're well behind here on snowfall.

Deer Valley's has converted its lodge/restaurants into full service, reservation restaurants. This has been a boon for me personally. Restaurants, with separated tables, are rarely well attended. Where I had to line up for eggs and sausage last year, I now am served at my table, occasionally, as the only one in the restaurant. Same, at Empire lodge for the mid morning coffee break.