ski |skiː| noun ( pl. skis ) each of a pair of long, narrow pieces of hard, flexible material, typically pointed and turned up at the front, fastened under the feet for travelling over snow. She loved skiing with her family.

Just returned home to Dallas after a wonderful time in the beautiful mountains of Utah, where they claim to have “the greatest snow on earth”. Well, after our incredible trip–I’d have to agree.

We took a family ski trip last weekend to celebrate my mom’s 63rd birthday. My brother, Field’s brother, my sister in law, and all their kids went along for the weekend getaway, hopping on a short AA flight to Salt Lake City. It was such a great time with family, celebrating one of the greatest humans on earth.

I’ve skied all over the world, and I do have to say, I was extremely impressed with Utah’s slopes. It felt as if I was skiing on a cloud. The snow feels like powder, and the weather was perfect at about 50 degrees (not too warm, not too cold).

Where We Stayed…
When we arrived, we drove 30 minutes to Park City and unpacked in a VRBO Home. The one we rented had a jacuzzi and 6 bunk beds for all the kids. It was a great place for the whole family. The kids made a snowman in the front yard when we arrived, and we all appreciated the jacuzzi to ease our sore muscles after long days of skiing!

We spent our first day in Deer Valley because they have great private instructors that are perfect for families with small children. It’s easy to get around and you can store your ski gear in lockers overnight (compliments of the resort, which is almost unheard of these days!).

The next day, we explored the Park City Mountain Resort. This location was a little bigger than Deer Valley, so there was definitely more stairs and more walking. But they also had more restaurants, shopping and a small skating rink. I loved the lively ambiance with the local, quaint bars and coffee shops. They also had incredible private instructors at their ski school. Definitely a stop if you need lessons!

Both resorts were wonderful, and they’re close enough to each other that you can easily try both. If you have children under the age of 7, I would definitely recommend Deer Valley over Park City. They have smaller classes, making it easier for beginners. They don’t allow snowboarders, but their practice area for beginners is super wide and easy to learn on. If you don’t mind spending a little more on lodging, Deer Valley has some wonderful properties on the mountain. My favorite is the St. Regis.

Ski School
Field Christian’s private ski lessons lasted for 3 hours each day, but it was the perfect amount of time with the instructor. They took small water breaks when kids needed it, and made the class fun to keep them engaged. He learned to ski on his first try, and by Day 2, his instructor said he was an Advanced Beginner. Way to go baby!

Putting Field in ski school also gave me time to hit the ski mountains with my siblings while he was getting lessons. I loved running into him and his cousins at the bottom of the slopes.

Reminders for Our Next Trip
My biggest regret of this trip was that I forgot to load up on sunscreen before heading out on the slopes. Never again! I did apply a moisturizer with sunscreen, but Utah mountains call for heavy-duty sunscreen. Thank God, I did have a heavy lip balm with me at all times to help with the dryness from the wind. These conditions are very harsh on the skin–especially as you ski down the mountains and the wind hits your face. Don’t forget your SPF each day!

So thankful that Field’s brother, Sage, recommended the Black Tie Ski Rental Concierge Service to us. They bring all of your ski gear and equipment to your house for you, and are super friendly. Great service gets 5 stars from me!

Downloading a ski tracker app is a must! It tracks your miles, altitude, how high and how low you went, speed, etc! It’s fun to look over your results at the end of the day! Try this one!

Ski-Wear
My current favorite ski clothing brand is Spyder because they are well made, and still fashionable. I also wore Ugg boots every day and a black puff jacket with fur from Moncler.  

We will definitely try The Canyons on our next trip to Utah. Park City and The Canyons are the largest ski resorts in the nation, and after skiing Utah–I now understand why. If you’re planning on taking a ski trip, don’t forget sunscreen, heavy moisturizer, and lip balm!

Enjoy the slopes!

XO-
Sabrina