What is the experience like in one of the best ski centers in the United States?

On a December or January day, a hat, gloves and scarf are essential for walking through the snowy streets of Park Citya town in the United States, whose history is linked to mining and winter sports.

The life of the town is divided between its two ski centersPark City Mountain y Deer Valley Resort, y la Historic Main Streetthe main street of this town in the state of Utah.

On this avenue of a few blocks and in this time, you breathe Christmas: There are lights outside each restaurant, decorated trees, mailboxes to leave letters to Santa Claus (Santa Claus here) and different representations of this character and his reindeer.

No tourist hesitates to take off their gloves despite the cold, to have their hands free and take photos of the colorful facades of the houses, the urban landscape with the white mountains in the background or the old bus that carries for free to those who prefer to avoid the uphill walk.

On this avenue there are 200 shops and 50 restaurants, our guide assures.

Additionally, here are some of the main attractives, such as Park City History Museum, an interactive museum that explains the origins of this destination; three graffiti by the famous artist Banksy hidden among so much business and the famous Egyptian theater, where the renowned Sundance festival takes place every year, which brings together celebrities from all over the world.

During the winter, Park City is reborn. It is the most anticipated time for locals, because the town of 8,500 inhabitants comes to life: tourists from all over the world arrive and the ski centers become the protagonists of each experience.

A curious fact about the place is that it is more related to our country than one could imagine: Argentina is the main foreign supplier of seasonal workers. There are Argentines in bars, restaurants, hotels, in ski equipment rental stores or as instructors in the hills.

There are Argentines everywhere. The majority are young people who arrive thanks to the program Work & Travel.

We stuck our poles into the snow and braked with our skis, making the famous “little house” or “pizza”, as they call the technique for reducing speed in the United States. We stop for a few minutes after going down “a blue”, the color with which the slopes for intermediate level skiers are identified.

It is not because of physical fatigue, because someone in the group has fallen or because someone has lost a glove or cane. We do it because view is imposed.

The landscapes of Park City Mountain They are impressive; makes you want to take photos all the time. Mountain ranges, snow-covered trees, the town houses that can be seen in the distance and the incredible hotels a few meters away: stopping for a moment to contemplate all of this is a central part of the experience.

Park City Mountain is one of the ski hills bigger of the United States.

In 2015, Vail Resorts, the company in charge of the complex, invested $50 million to connect Park City and Canyons Resorts, two ski resorts that became one.

Has 3,000 hectares to practice skiing or snowboarding and there is fun for all levels. This center has two bases where you can find more than 25 restaurants.

The suggestion for beginners is to stay in Canyons, where the easiest slopes are, and thus avoid wasting time on transfers.

On the other hand, for a more exclusive experience, it is recommended to go to Deer Valley, the other ski center in this town, considered a 5-star resort. The hotels are a few meters from the slopes and from several you can go skiing.

This center was awarded as “Best ski resort in the United States” by the World Ski Awards for ten consecutive years. The difference with its competitors is in the high quality guest service.

Para standar: Deer Valley limit the number of skiers on the mountain and stops the sale of passes once the maximum is reached. That’s why there are no queues at the lifts and no need to dodge people on the slopes.

These 800 hectares, spread across six mountains, are not only an area of ​​great fun for visitors, but also home to deer, typical animals of the place, which travelers long to encounter.

Everyone in Park City is proud of the Olympic legacy and is elated at the possibility of being again Seat of the Olympic Games winter in 2034. Official confirmation is missing, but everyone in the town already takes it for granted.

The Olympic park is located 13 kilometers from the center and was created especially for the event that took place here in 2002.

In the 160 hectares there are six Nordic ski jumps, a very interesting museum about different winter Olympic disciplines and one of the four sliding tracks of North America, the main reason why we are here.

Additionally, the park offers a rare experience: it allows visitors to practice bobsledan Olympic discipline that consists of sliding down an ice track in a sled at 90 km/hour.

The sleigh seats four people: the expert driver and three passengers. To enjoy the tour it is important to comply with all the safety measures.

“Those who sit in the first seat after the driver will feel fewer movements. Those looking for more adrenaline should go in the last one,” they warn. The one in the middle is our place, neither very calm, nor so bold.

With helmets on, they explain to us what our position on the sled should be: legs stretched forward or slightly bent, hands on the inside ropes, and most importantly? raise your shoulders to prevent the head from moving from one side to the other when cornering at high speed.

“Don’t be afraid, drivers do it all the time, they are trained and undergo technical inspection twice a year. “We have the best here,” says the man who explained to us everything we should do in an unsuccessful attempt to lower the prices. nerves of the group.

Once the sleigh is placed on the track, we all put into practice what we have learned and before we have time to regret it, two men push the cart and begin this adventure of just a few minutes. 47 seconds.

Screams, body tickling and curves at full speed. The emotions are the same as those felt on a roller coaster.

The United States is probably not the country that first comes to mind when we talk about good food. However, this town is a paradise for meat loversand stands out for its great gastronomic variety.

One of the typical dishes is elk, deer meatwhich can be found in almost all restaurants and in different formats, such as grilled or stewed.

Another recommendation from locals is troutthe trout, which is obtained in the rivers of the area. There is also food from all over the world – including a Argentine pastry– and many vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options.

Many restaurants are located on Main Street. We decided to take a food tour, or progressive dinneras our guide tells you, to have a feast of flavors and be able to visit as many places as possible.

The first place we visited, at 5 p.m., is Grappa, located at the highest end of this avenue. It is a mansion that is more than 100 years old that was the home of miners, then it functioned as a hotel and is now one of the most elegant restaurants in the city. The unmissable? The mushroom soup.

The second stop is at 350 Main, a restaurant that defines its menu as “modern American”: here the recommendation is seafood. The last dish is at Kaneo, one of the most recentwhere peppery beef won our hearts.

After the three steps -and now without the guide-, we continued doing a tour of bars in search of a hot toddy and a shot skiof the typical drinks here.

The first, also called winter toddy, is a hot drink based on bourbon, cinnamon and lemon; the second is a shot of the drink of your choice, served on a ski.

Old Town Cellars, Park City Social Aid & Pleasure Club, The Spur Bar & Grill are some of our visits.

Our favorite is No name saloon, a bar that stands out for its excessive and unique decor on its walls. It is the one chosen to watch any sporting event and is a must-see stop to get to know the nightlife of this destination.

To end the night, we choose a high table, with stools and place our order: “a shot ski For four people, please.” We already feel local.

The trip could not end any other way: a great ritual to crown a week full of adventures and food in abundance.

A girl brings a small wooden ski that has four glasses full of who knows what attached to it. Four members of the group grabbed the board and coordinated to turn around at the same time and not tip over. The trick of the drink is to drink it without taking the glasses off the ski and all at the same time.

Other diners approach, intrigued, to watch and film. Together, we count down: 3, 2, 1, in. Health!

By Delta Airlines to Salt Lake City, via Atlanta, from US$2,075. Canyon Transportation from the airport to Park City, US$59.

● Black Diamond Lodge (condos with breakfast), US$2,800 per night (has four rooms).

● The Lowell (furnished condominiums). For 6 people, from US$700 per night.

● Deer Valley: day pass, $199 to $299. Half-day private ski lessons, $840 (www.deervalley.com).

● Park City Mountain: day pass, $199 to $299. Half-day private lessons, $860 (www.parkcitymountain.com).

● Park City Museum: entrada, US$ 15 (parkcityhistory.org).

● Bobsled: US$225 per person (utaholympiclegacy.org).

● Gastronomic tour: US$ 85; with alcoholic beverages, US$159 (www.gourmandtours.com).

● Shopping at Outlet Park City.