Park City, Utah

[Teysa]

Well, it looks like I will be working at the Deer Valley Resort for the winter. However, while the company does provide housing, it looks like it might be cheaper to rent a room in Salt Lake and take the bus into work. I was wondering how feasible that is.

Another issue is, I've never been to Utah and I haven't experienced a real winter since I was oh about 3 when I lived in Pennsylvania. I'm afraid I've slept some since then.

If anyone has any advice on things to do or see in the Salt Lake, Park City area that would be great too.

[Arcus]

Living in Salt Lake without a car is hard, but doable. Mass transit is not the best around here. With some planning your can get around. The Bus from Salt Lake to Park City is $4.50 one way and the 30day pass is $162. It does not run Saturday or Sunday. Park City has free bus service around town. Salt Lake costs $2.50 one way. There is a big thing to remember though. Parley's Canyon (the part of I-80 that goes between the Salt Lake Valley and Park City) is not a good place to be when it snows. It's not uncommon for there to be accidents that turn the 45 min commute into a 2+hour one. Bad storms add the restriction of 4x4/ chains only to even enter the canyon. If it were me, I'd take the option of living in Park City, but I hate driving when it's snowing.

On to Utah winters... I hope you have warm clothes because it is cold in Park City. The average high in January is around 20 °F. The lows are in the single digits. 2 feet of snow per month is normal during winter.

Park City is a high altitude mountain resort town (elevation 7000 feet.) Plan for time to get used to the altitude if you are coming from a low altitude area. The air is thinner and altitude sickness sucks. Limit strenuous activity for the first week or so. If you feel out of breath, stop and rest. Even if it means stopping often.

Celebrity sightings around Park City are common. More so in Deer Valley. During the Sundance Film Festival, they will be everywhere... and the town will be a madhouse. You will get many good SC stories from those weeks.

[Teysa]

Thank for the information. I'm going to try really hard to live in Park City. I live in a low altitude area with very mild winters, so that part will be an adventure. I'll see about investing in some winter clothes before I leave.

[smileyeagle1021]

Something else to keep in mind, drink a LOT of water and have chap stick with you at all times... it is very dry and windy (I know, snow and dry aren't two things you hear often, but it is a very dry snow, that is why it is so great to ski on), your lips will chap, they will be painful, chap stick will become your new Messiah... the same thing goes for aloe lotion. Also, if/when you go into Salt Lake, a few helpful hints for getting around. Bus lines that are 2 digits (or less) are primarily east/west and the number indicates what road it primarily follows (eg 39 follows 3900 south, 3 follows 3rd avenue, etc), bus routes between 200 and 299 are north/south routes with the same rules applied (209 travels on 900 east, 248 travels on 4800 west, etc), there are a few exceptions to that one where a north/south route is split in two and the southern end of the route is designated simply one higher than the northern end, despite not following the grid, routes between 300 and 399 are express routes that stay within Salt Lake County, routes between 400 and 499 are routes that serve either Toelle or Davis counties, routes between 500 and 599 are routes that do not primarily follow any one particular road, 600 to 699 is Weber and Box Elder Counties, 700-799 is rail lines, 800-899 is Utah County, and 900 plus are seasonal routes (running either only during ski season or only when school is in session, etc). Also, learn the grid quickly, addresses like 255 East 4050 South are common and are kind of expected that you will be able to find without elaboration (people will be much more understanding if you are given a more unusual address like 300 Wakara Way, the address for the Red Butte Gardens, which you should visit if you are still in the area come spring).

[Teysa]

Thanks, Smiley. The bus information helps tons. Even if I don't live in Salt Lake City, I might want to take the bus into town on a day off and just explore for the day.

I got a nice water bottle when I worked on the train over the summer, so I'll make sure I have it with me when I'm out and about. I've never been skiing in my life but I've always thought it sounded like fun.

[dalesys]

I did a service call at a hotel in Park City today. The desk clerk has been commuting from SLC for five years in a Honda with snow tires.

He says the road is very rarely closed for weather, though weather-derived accidents may cause delays.

[Teysa]

Well, I've had a couple interviews for positions closer to home including one I really want, (cook at a local rehab center) so I might not be going after all. While the ski resort would probably be a blast, I would much rather have a full time permanent position.