Discovering Mountain Majesty

Montage Deer Valley - Part 2

Park City, Utah

Dec. 1 - 3, 2012

My first time to go snowshoeing. Woo-hoo!

When I found out that one of the winter activities offered in Montage Deer Valley is snowshoeing, I was thrilled! I have never tried that before and I was determined to experience it. Thankfully, I found several video tutorials available on YouTube. I was able to take a crash course online before my trip. I even learned tips on what to wear.

Tip #1: Wear layered clothing.  I wore a moisture-wicking long sleeve shirt -- the ideal first clothing layer. Then I threw on the snow jacket that I bought for a steal from Sports Authority.  It has a waterproof/breathable shell with a reversible fleece lining. Then of course I had thermals, ski pants, ski socks, gloves and all. 

I brought along my fanny pack too so I could bring a bottle of water and stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water is tip #2. 

I also remembered to prevent my socked feet from getting wet by protecting them with saran wrap. That's tip #3. I read about that a while ago and it's a very helpful tip especially when engaging in winter sports. ;-)

"If you can walk, you can snowshoe." I'm ready to go!

The view in front of me as I headed towards the snow-laden trail.

Being a guest in Montage Deer Valley gave me access to snowshoes. Compass Sports, the resort's sports center, has everything. The friendly staff member helped me strap them on. He even showed me how to easily take them off by myself -- just in case he wasn't readily available to help me out of my gear when I returned from my adventure. He then pointed to some recommended trails, handed me a map, and sent me on my merry way.

In no time, I was comfortable in these snowshoes.

Surprisingly, the temperature wasn’t freezing cold even with all that snow.  It was a clear day with no strong winds. The cool crisp air felt good on my face.  I pulled down my beanie to make sure my ears were covered. I was comfortable and ready to take on this winter activity.

I took a snapshot of myself before an uphill climb.

I was surrounded by towering trees and a sea of fresh powder. Serenity was my welcome companion.

Snowshoeing is really just hiking in the snow. The long uphill climb was exhausting. For a while I was just sucking air.  I had to keep a comfortable pace and took as many stops as I needed.  At one point, I stopped and looked around me. I was amazed with the incredible view. The silence that blanketed the woods…the stillness…was just heavenly.  I realized that the only tracks in the snow were those I created. I had the entire trail all to myself. I paused to close my eyes.  Then with outstretched arms, I took a deep breath to absorb everything about that moment. I was so grateful I had the chance to experience this alpine adventure.

Here's a short video clip of my experience. 

Montage Deer Valley resort looked just as wonderful from up the hill as it is up close.

So you might ask: "Why didn’t you ski in Deer Valley which is North America’s #1 ski resort?" Well, miss curious adventurer here always wants to try something new.  I’ve already tried skiing in the past.  On a bunny hill. LOL! I’m just not very good at it.  I think it has to do with my fear of heights and not having enough control.

Here's something totally random. When I got back to Compass Sports after snowshoeing, I noticed this bobsled display. The staff member explained to me that it is the exact replica of the "night train" which won gold in the 2010 Winter Olympics. Steve Holcomb, who is from Park City, led the four-man bobsled team in that competition. You guessed it right. I couldn't resist the photo opp. 

Riding the "night train" replica.  The four-man bobsled that won gold in the 2010 Winter Olympics.
The full explanation is on the photo below.