It has hosted many sporting events, including the Winter Olympics, and is vastly respected by those who love the sport.
We all know you can ski at Deer Valley – after all, it is a ski resort – but, can you snowboard there?
Continue reading to find out.
All You Need To Know About Deer Valley
Deer Valley is an alpine ski resort that is part of the Wasatch Range. It is found in Park City, Utah, around 36 miles east of Salt Lake City.
It has a skiable surface of 2,026 acres, with its longest vertical drop being 3,000 feet (0.91 kilometers). The longest run is 2.8 miles (4.51 kilometers) long, and there are 103 total.
The resort, which is renowned for its opulent luxuries, is frequently listed as one of the greatest ski areas in North America. It served as a platform for the freestyle moguls, aerial, and alpine slalom events during the 2002 Winter Olympics.
It was the very first American venue to hold the FIS Freestyle World Ski Championships twice when it conducted the events in 2003 and 2011.
Additionally, it served as the venue for the 2019 FIS Freestyle Ski and Snowboarding World Championships’ men’s and women’s moguls and aerials competitions.
With several other sizable ski resorts close by, Deer Valley thrives by targeting a more affluent clientele than its competitors and providing services like complimentary ski valets and parking transfers.
Are You Allowed To Snowboard At Deep Valley?
Unfortunately, no, Deer Valley does not allow snowboarding.
Only three resorts in the entirety of the US still forbid snowboarders from using their slopes, and it just so happens that Deer Valley is one of them.
There is only skiing allowed at Deer Valley’s slopes. This means that if you wear skis, and you actually plan on skiing, you will be allowed to descend any hill without facing any issues.
However, if you try to use the slopes while using a snowboard instead, expect to be asked to leave the area. In fact, it is unlikely that you will be allowed anywhere near the slopes with a snowboard in hand.
This regulation has been strictly enforced by the resort for a long time, and it doesn’t appear that circumstances will ever change.
So, if you ever go to Deer Valley, don’t anticipate being able to bring a snowboard with you (see also “What To Bring Snowboarding“).
Why Can’t You Snowboard At Deer Valley?
Strangely enough, Deer Valley itself has not gone into great detail on why people are not allowed to snowboard on their slopes. They have simply stated that it is not allowed, and that is that.
As we said earlier, only two other ski slopes around the country (see also “Is Cross Country Skiing Hard?“) also prohibit snowboarders on their ski slopes.
Again, it is difficult to give a straightforward answer as to why this is the case, or even a correct answer.
Some believe that snowboarders frequently provide a risk to individuals who are there to ski, which seems to make the most sense as an explanation.
Some skiers think that snowboarders’ right-side spins cause a blind area that can result in perilous circumstances on the slopes.
Others, however, contend that because skiers view snowboarding as more of a ‘fad’ than snowboarding, skiers do not like snowboarders.
This may be why certain ski resorts do not want snowboarders sharing their slopes.
When it was formally included in the Winter Olympics in 1998, snowboarding merely started to gain recognition as a sport. Snowboarding was still around prior to this time, but it wasn’t taken nearly as seriously.
Skiing, on the other hand, is viewed as a more prestigious sport, and has been respected for a much longer time.
Due to this, it is conceivable that skiers want to keep their resorts clear of snowboarders, since they don’t believe they should have to share their slopes with those who practice a less ‘serious’ sport as them.
When snowboarding first became popular, there were hundreds of ski resorts that banned the sport.
However, over the years, almost all of them reversed these rules, and they now allow snowboarders to share the slopes with their skiers.
Only three ski resorts refused to change their rules: Alta Ski Resort, Mad River Glen, and, of course, Deer Valley.
Unfortunately, we may never know exactly why Deer Valley won’t allow snowboarders at their resort, as well as the two other resorts that have also banned snowboarding.
Our best guess is, perhaps, the safety issue. However, as we said, this may not actually be the case, and we may never receive a genuine reason.
Final Thoughts
Deer Valley is a world renowned ski resort, and many individuals love to spend their time practicing their favorite sport there… providing that the sport in question is ‘skiing’.
It really is unfortunate that snowboarders can’t enjoy practicing their sport at Deer Valley, but those are the rules, and they must be enforced and followed.
Perhaps one day those rules will change. One day, skiers and snowboarders will glide down those snowy slopes in harmony, respecting each other’s safety and preferences.
Who knows? One day, Deer Valley may decide to change their rules, and accept everyone.
However, until then, the rules are clear. Snowboarding is strictly prohibited from their grounds.
Hi, my name is Jamie Andreas and I am a workaholic. I spent the best part of a decade climbing the corporate ladder, focusing on one thing and one thing only - my career.
Since then, I’ve stepped back in my job so that I have more free time to explore the wild. My mental health, clarity, and well-being have all improved by incredible amounts.
I now have a healthy work-life balance, and I want that for you too.
Life is too short to think of work only. Please enjoy my website and use it for inspiration for your next adventure. Maybe I’ll see you out there!
