Deer Valley Continues to Impress World Class Competitors and Mere Mortals

The amount of snow generated this winter at most ski resorts has been prodigious. Deer Valley was no exception. We found ourselves at the resort on the weekend of the FIS Freestyle Ski World Cup.
One day while skiing I noticed the gondola had stopped, and I felt badly for those trapped. Ten minutes later I came out after getting a quick cup of coffee and saw that the gondola was uncharacteristically still stopped. What I discovered, however, was that it was closed because the snow accumulation coupled with the prowess of the practicing freestylers made collision with the gondola a dangerous possibility.
The world’s best freestylers were competing at Deer Valley. All competitors with whom I spoke confirmed that Deer Valley was by far the best stop on the tour. When I asked for more detail, the responses were uniform: the crowd, the conditions, the easy access and the hospitality made Deer Valley the most desirable stop on the tour. The crowd gathered to watch the competition was indeed in awe of the of the mogul competitors, whose piston-like legs made many of us shudder just watching. The aerial gymnastics were eye-popping. The fireworks after the competition were an added bonus.
The runs used for the competition were the same runs used during the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. This is the 19^th year of international competition hosted at Deer Valley.

(photo courtesy of Deer Valley)

(photo courtesy of Deer Valley)

(photo courtesy of Deer Valley)

(photo courtesy of Deer Valley)

As always the conditions for we mere civilian skiers at Deer Valley were remarkable. I was able to test a few new pieces of equipment, such as the Bollé Synergy helmet. Constructed as a hybrid shell (ABS at the top for maximum resistance and In-Mold at the bottom for lightness), the air extractor and adjustable ventilation kept me dry and comfortable. The adjustments system was simple and elegant, so I was quickly underway.

Similarly, goggle technology has undergone some amazing advances. The Smith I/O7 Snow Goggles come with two interchangeable lenses, so I was able to achieve clear vision through evolving light conditions. Fog protection was equally effective.

As the 2017 ski season winds down at Deer Valley, many skiers (professional and otherwise)  are looking forward to next year.

Ladies’ Mogul Competition Results

Men’s Mogul Competition Results

Ladies’ Aerial Competition Results

 Men’s Aerial Competition Results

Ladies’ Dual Mogul Competition Results

Men’s Dual Mogul Competition Results