Park City Mountain reopens uphill access from Mountain Village after delay

Park City Mountain resumed its uphill program from Mountain Village on Jan. 1, allowing skiers and snowboarders to ascend on designated runs beginning at 6 p.m. The access window runs nightly until 8 a.m., when all uphill users must be transitioned and skiing downhill, the resort said. The season’s uphill opening arrived later than in previous years after an unusually warm early season required coordination across mountain operations.

“We know many locals have been eager for its return,” Communications Manager Bailey Quinn said, noting that mountain operations equipment had until recently been using portions of the route. “Until recently, mountain operations equipment was required to use portions of the designated uphill route, which would not have allowed for safe uphill travel,” she said.

Uphill travel is permitted only on Homerun and Lower Silver Skis. No uphill travel is allowed beyond the Angle Station at the top of Town Lift, and other runs including Treasure Hollow, Crescent and Silver Skis are closed to both uphill and downhill travel during uphill access hours. The restrictions are meant to safeguard uphill users and teams working on the hill.

To make nighttime access clearer and safer, the resort has added improved reflective signage and affixed a stoplight to the operation shack of the magic carpet near the First Time lot. “Similar to other ski areas with uphill programs, we’ve affixed a stoplight to the operation shack of the magic carpet near First Time lot,” Quinn said. “The light will clearly display green when uphill travel is permitted, and red when uphill travel is closed.” Uphillers can also text “uphill” to 435-244-1769 for updates about closures, events and policy reminders, and the resort posts a full list of uphill access policies at ParkCityMountain.com.

Safety requirements include ascending on the climber’s left, descending toward the center of the trail while watching for uphill travelers, wearing a headlamp and bright or reflective clothing, and leaving animals at home except for service dogs. Quinn said the most common infractions involve traveling outside the designated route and bringing non-service dogs. “These actions create serious safety risks for both uphill users and mountain operations teams,” she said, adding that resort staff will monitor compliance and violations may lead to enforcement action.

The reopening has public-health benefits by restoring an outdoor exercise and transportation option for residents, but it also raises equity concerns. Nighttime travel requires headlamps and reflective gear that can be costly for low-income residents. Enforcement of rules and closures can disproportionately affect those who lack information or equipment. Community outreach, clear signage, real-time updates and accessible safety resources will be critical to ensuring uphill access remains both safe and inclusive as the season continues.