This Utah Ski Resort Has All of the Powder With None of the Lift Lines

"Let's play," my ski instructor, Judy Fuller, shouted back at me as she hurtled down the mountain with an infectious, almost childlike excitement. I tore my eyes away from the jagged, snow-covered mountains and followed, letting the wind whip around me.

I was at Sundance — not the glitzy film festival but the ski resort that spans more than 540 skiable acres about 50 miles from Salt Lake City, Utah. The resort, where the iconic festival got its start before mainly moving to Park City, exudes rustic-chic with a community-oriented vibe. A system of interconnected lifts brings skiers and boarders up to the peak elevation of more than 8,200 feet, while the base features some of the best dining in the state, all with a come-as-you-are attitude.

"It's big, but it's small," Fuller said as we returned to the base after cutting through the trees and carving our way through pockets of deep, fluffy powder. "I like the small town feel to it."

Sundance is smaller than nearby Park City and Alta ski areas. But what it lacks in comparative size it more than makes up for in the almost complete lack of lift lines and charming quirks — like wild turkeys milling around the roaring fire pit.

The best skiing can be found on the back mountain, which has the highest elevation and the resort's primo natural snow. After taking in the views from Red's Lift (named for Robert Redford, who founded Sundance in 1969 before selling it in 2020), I headed down Bear Claw and cut across to Snow Stake to take advantage of some fresh powder. As an East Coast skier, it was the first time I had ever gone off-piste.

The fun doesn't stop at skiing either; a spa, an impressive dining scene, and an art studio with classes galore make a trip to Sundance extra fun. Here's everything you need to know before you go.

When to Go

Sundance Mountain Resort is typically open for skiing and snowboarding from early December to early April. Even though Sundance is one of the quieter places to ski in Utah, holidays and weekends can get busy at any mountain resort. Avoid Christmas to New Year's and the weekend of Martin Luther King Jr. Day if you want more of the place to yourself.

Also, Utah ski areas are pretty quiet during the 10 days of January that the Sundance Film Festival takes over Park City. However, if you plan to travel via the Salt Lake City airport, flights will be expensive due to the event. February is a known sweet spot for quality powder and quiet trails.

Where to Stay

Sundance Mountain Resort

Sundance Mountain Resort has its own full-service hotel with standard and studio rooms, suites, and sprawling Mountain Lofts that sleep up to six people. Guests get access to complimentary yoga and meditation classes, daily guided hikes, and transportation around the mountain.

Zermatt Utah Resort & Spa

About 20 miles from the resort, Zermatt Utah Resort & Spa in Midway is right between Sundance and Park City. The hotel will put you in the mood for mountain activities with its Swiss chalet design. After your ski session, you can relax next to your in-room fireplace or go for a soak in the indoor or outdoor hot tub. There's a steakhouse, casual lobby lounge, and bakery on site.

Stewart Mountain Lodging

If a private cabin is more your style, Stewart Mountain Lodging has options around Sundance ranging from cozy one-bedroom cottages to a sprawling five-bedroom castle in the pines. All guests get a personal concierge who will arrange for groceries to be delivered before your arrival and make dinner reservations for you. Depending on which home you stay in, you might have a view of the canyon or the North Fork Provo River.

Where to Eat

Foundry Grill

Grab a seat by the fireplace and feast on fluffy biscuits at the Foundry Grill before heading up the mountain. The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch. There's plenty to look at in the airy, rough-hewn dining room, from displays of art and antique tools to the epic views framed by ceiling-height windows.

Tree Room

Have dinner inside the first building constructed at Sundance Mountain Resort back in 1970. It's called Tree Room because it was built around a real tree that still stands in the dining room. The food is hearty — think elk loin and pepper steak served with mashed potatoes — and the decor is a mix of stills from Robert Redford films and Native American art.

The Lakehouse at Deer Creek

About 12 miles from the resort, The Lakehouse at Deer Creek serves creative takes on regional dishes such as Native American fry bread and bison burgers. It really does feel like dining in a lake house, as the restaurant is situated right on a rocky beach along the Provo River. It's open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday and lunch only on weekends.

Where to Après-ski

Owl Bar

There isn't much après around at Sundance, but there's one place where you'll find an evening crowd. Butch Cassidy reportedly frequented this bar in the 1890s, when it was called the Rosewood and was located some 350 miles away from where it is now. Robert Redford plucked it from its original post in Thermopolis, Wyoming, brought it to Sundance, and renamed it Owl Bar. Today, it offers beers on tap, cocktails, and shareable bites like Bavarian-style pretzels and dirty fries. As the night progresses, the bar gets livelier, especially when musicians play on select weekends.

Off-mountain Activities

The Spa at Sundance

Relax with a massage, facial, or foot scrub at The Spa at Sundance. It's near the base of the mountain and accessible by bus. The spa concierge will work with you on a custom wellness experience, whether it's a body treatment or meditation session.

Utah Crater

Just over the road in Midway, you can soak in the warm geothermal waters of Utah Crater. The hot spring is at the bottom of a 55-foot-deep depression in limestone, so you feel like you're soaking in a secret grotto. People come here not just to soak but also to dive in what the site claims to be "the only warm scuba diving destination in the continental U.S." The crater is located on the property of Homestead Resort, about 19 miles from the ski area.

Sundance Art Studio

It's not all about sports at Sundance. You can get creative, too, at Sundance Art Studio, which offers two-hour classes in everything from watercolors to making soap or natural perfume. There's also a pottery class for kids, a glassblowing studio, and more.

How to Ride

Tickets

Single-day lift tickets start at $129 for adults. On Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, you can buy an afternoon ticket for $59. Saturdays and holidays cost an extra $20 per full-day ticket or $10 per half-day ticket. You can also get access just to the beginner area for $39 ($59 on Saturdays and holidays).

You can save money on lift tickets with an S-Card. It costs an initial $109, good for one full-day lift ticket, and can then be reloaded for $69 per ticket midweek or $99 on weekends and holidays. S-Cards must be purchased before December 2.

A season pass, starting at $719, offers the most flexibility. Pass holders get unlimited access to the resort, plus access to the Nordic Center and three passes to any of 11 partner resorts.

Rentals

You can rent your gear — boots, skis, poles, snowboards, and more — right from the resort and pick it up at Sundance Mountain Outfitters next to the ticket office or at the shop's secondary location next to Jake’s Lift.

Skiing and Snowboarding Info

Sundance Mountain Resort encompasses more than 540 acres and 2,150 vertical feet of skiable terrain. There are 72 runs, 21 percent of which are beginner, 32 percent intermediate, and 47 percent advanced. There's also a terrain park, which you can access via the Outlaw Trail Run. Nine lifts transport skiers and riders up the mountain, which tops out at an elevation of 8,250 feet.

Programming

The resort has a ski and snowboard school for beginners or anyone hoping to expand their existing skills in group, private, or semi-private lessons. Other ski school offerings include Ladies Day Clinics and kids' programs.

One of the most popular programs the resort puts on is night skiing, from 4:30 to 9 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays throughout the season. Much of the front mountain and the terrain park are open for after-dark shredding.