The eyes of the winter sports world are on Utah this week. World Cup and Dew Tour in town.

Utah is hosting two of the biggest events of the year.  Deer Valley is hosting the Visa Freestyle World Cup.  The action starts on Thursday and includes a big concert on Main St.
Thursday:  Moguls
Friday: Aerials
Saturday: Dual Moguls
Go to www.deervalley.com for more info.




Also this week the Winter Dew Tour makes a stop at Snowbasin.  The Winter Dew Tour will feature men’s and women’s snowboarding in both slopestyle and Superpipe, Men’s Freeskiing in both Slopestyle and Superpipe and live concerts to keep the party going all night long. Whether it’s a fresh cut pipe or a technical Slopestyle course with endless features that gets you going, the stoke levels will be impossible to resist. Go to http://www.allisports.com/tours/winter-dew-tour for all the info.

Park City Crash Pad junkies continue to kill it - Billy Demong wins a World Cup.

Park City Crash Pads junkie/models continue to kill it on the international stage.  Current Nordic Combined World Champion (and our model!) Billy Demong won his first World Cup on the year in Val de Fiemme, Italy.   Bill fractured his arm this fall in a rollerskiing accident.  He is coming into form just in time for the 2010 Olympics.

Way to go Billy!

Learn to Snowshoe or Nordic Ski - Free Instruction and Demos-This Saturday

Looking to try out snowshoes for the first time? Want some instruction on how to kick and glide on Nordic skis? Fascinated by winter ecology? Winter Trails Day at Mountain Dell is a chance to get out there with a little help! If you are a beginner or first timer on snow, come join members from the Utah Nordic Alliance and the knowledgeable guides from Cottonwood Canyons Foundation. This day of guided snowshoeing, cross country & skate ski instruction and outdoor interpretation is not to be missed! Already know how to ski or snowshoe? Come try out the latest and greatest gear. Demo equipment will be provided by local retailer Wild Rose, Salomon, Rossignol, Swix, Tubbs and others in the snow sports industry. Activities include an hour long snowshoe interpretive tours, 30-40 minute introductory classes to cross country skiing and beginning skate ski lessons. Best of all, it’s FREE! Join us Saturday, January 9th from 10:00am– 2:00 pm. Mountain Dell golf Course is a fee area for day skiing but all fees have been waived for this event, January 9th only. Please check http://www.rei.com/stores/store_events.jsp?store=19 for up to date information.

Participants will be served on a first come first served basis. Activities will generally begin on the hour & half hour. No advance registration is required. Please allow ample time for parking, registration, paper work and equipment fitting. Mtn Dell is a fee area for day skiing, but fees have been waived for this event. See Tuna at http://www.utahnordic.com/ or Cottonwood Canyons Foundation at http://www.cottonwoodcanyons.org/

VISA Freestyle World Cup coming to town Jan. 14-16

The FIS Freestyle World Cup in coming back to town.  Come see the best mogul and aerial skiers in the world as they prepare for the 2010 Olympics.  This is one of the biggest events to come to town each year, which nighttime competitions under the lights and big concerts on Main St.  This year, The Bravery, will be rocking out thousands of fans on Lower Main St.

Try a new sport - check out Utah Winter Games

If you plan on making a trip to Park City in the winter and you are an adventurous soul (and if you are reading this you probably are!).  Check out www. utahwintergames.org.  The Utah Winter Games are a legacy of the 2002 Salt Lake Winter Olympics.  It provides an opportunity to try sports you may never again have access to.
I grew up in Detroit and I certainly never had the chance to learn how to skeleton.  But in Park City, I did!
Last year, I took the Learn to Skeleton clinic.  It was great.  There were 8 people in our class and our average age was probably 45.  We had a great time.  The instructors give you about 45 minutes of instruction and then it was time to go.  And go you do!!  We started from the Junior start, but the run was still about a minute long and we hit 60 mph!  We each were able to go 4 runs.  It was the best $35 I ever spent!

The Sun is out, the snow is great, let's go skiing!

The holiday crowds are gone and the snow is soft.  This is a great time to be visiting Park City.  Great deals can be found, you can get into the restaurants and the streets aren't gridlocked.  Pack up you skis and get to Park City!

Congrats to Crash Pad model Nick Pearson on quallifying for the 2010 Olympics

Congratulations to Park City Crash Pad model and Olympic Speedskater Nick Pearson! Nick qualified for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver after a very successful Olympic Trials held in Kearns, Utah.