PARK CITY, Utah -- Oh, woe is me....the beautiful snow that has draped these gorgeous mountains here for about eight months has just about all melted into history, not to be replenished until October-November.
So what do Park Citians and visitors to Utah do in the meantime -- sit around and wring their hands in despair, looking wistfully skyward awaiting the return of those beautiful little white flakes?
Not so, my friends, though the snow is gone the fun remains around these parts as visitors and natives alike revel in the dozens of summer activities available hereabouts.
First, and perhaps foremost to many, is the plethora of great scenic golf courses that adorn this lofty region.
The mountains may not be covered with snow, but they are blanketed with immaculate fairways and greens that provide majestic panoramic views all over the place.
Mountain golf in Utah is one of the most pleasurable things any duffer could ever imagine.
And, the price is right. There are many highly-regarded golf courses in the Park City area charging green/cart fees of $30-80. More on golf a bit later.
Park City's variety of fun things to do, its lack of overcrowded venues and its economical offerings prompted the prestigious Orbitz firm to select Park City as one of its top picks for its "Summer Fun -- Off Season Savings" category.
Park City has festivals, music, outdoor entertainment and plenty of family activities to keep residents and visitors busy all summer.
This once little mining town has grown up to become one of America's most popular ski locations and in recent years has started to attract thousands of people for summer visits.
Blessed with dozens of unique boutiques, restaurants and general shopping, Park City in the summer is quickly gaining fame as a must-see warm-weather site.
The big events include the Park City Kimball Arts Festival the weekend of August 5-6, with the Kimball Art Auction & Gala held on Thursday, Aug., 3 and the year’s most popular Gallery Stroll on Friday, Aug. 4. in honor of Kimball’s 30th birthday!
Saturday, Aug. 5, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday, Aug. 6, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., the festival begins with 220 artists including potters, painters, jewelry designers and more! The artwork is different every year! There will be live music, all kinds of food from Greek to burgers, Budweiser beer gardens and face painting for kids.
The Park City Performing Arts Foundation, the Utah symphony and the Park City Jazz Foundation regularly hold music events at the Deer Valley Resort's slopeside amphitheater.
Mountain biking in the Park City area has become a favorite summer sport for thousands.
Bikers can buy ski lift tickets and sit in comfort as their two-wheelers are hoisted to the mountaintops, where they can coast downhill on a variety of trails. With three major ski resorts (Canyons, Deer Valley and Park City Mountain) within a snowball's throw of Park City, cyclists (and hikers, too, for that matter) find they can have an easy ride to the top, where majestic views abound. Nature-lovers find a natural paradise to explore all over the mountains.
Also in the immediate Park City area is the 389-acre Olympic Winter Park, where several 2002 Winter Olympic Games ski jumping, bobsled, luge and skeleton events were held. Summer visitors are treated to a ski jumping show each weekend as skiers work on their aerial skills by sailing down the specially-treated plastic surface long jump and landing in a 750,000-gallon training pool (which has a unique system of using air bubbles to pop the skiers right back to the surface). Plans have also been approved to build a 400-meter oval ice training rink, which will also be open to the public at various times.
Summer is also a great time to visit Park City's business district, with its many top restaurants and unique shops uncrowded. And, unlike some winter periods, parking space in the business district is not hard to find in the warm months.
Golf is a huge attraction here in the summer.
Not many places are like this, where you can play golf in near-air conditioned comfort and enjoy panoramic views at the same time.
Here's a small sampling of some of the courses I recently had the pleasure of visiting:
PARK CITY MUNICIPAL:
The course is very close to all the business activities of Park City, yet offers great mountain views as well.
The course winds its way along the backside of the Wasatch Mountains at the base of Park City Mountain Resort. The mountains are beautiful in the summer and during the middle of spring you may catch a glimpse of a bald eagle circling above.
Walking is allowed, but spikeless shoes are mandatory.
This tree-lined course was built on rolling terrain and features water hazards coming into play on every hole. There are sand bunkers on most holes, and the surrounding countryside is breathtakingly beautiful. Press Maxwell added nine new holes and redesigned the course in 1972, and William Howard Neff redesigned the course again in 1985.
If you play, try to get a partner with some local knowledge of the course and the property alongside. Several rich and famous people have homes on the course and the chance to see how millionaires design unique homes is worth the price of the green fees.

HOMESTEAD RESORT & GOLF COURSE

What a great place to stay and play golf.
Located in the Midway community some 15-20 minutes east of Park City, the Homestead Resort offers tons of amenities (from spa to fine and casual dining) in a wonderful tree-adorned resort covering several dozen acres.
The resort has lots of great housing, with rooms in several multi-story buildings (many with beautiful mountain views).
The resort has one unique feature that is a must-see when visiting the Salt Lake-Park City area: A huge hot mineral springs swimming area located inside a volcano-like mini-mountain cone.
The hot springs over the years bubbled over, leaving a mineral residue that gradually built to about a four-story height.
Guests and visitors can now stroll inside the mountain (with a tunnel having been bored out years ago) and swim in the 98-degree sky-blue waters (believe it or not, the water is a beautiful natural blue color).
This is truly one of Utah's wonders.
The resort's golf course front nine meanders up a mountain and through a beautiful valley. Numerous oak trees line the fairways and several streams come into play on many holes. There is more water on the back nine, but fewer trees.
The last nine holes afford many beautiful mountain views and wonderful golf challenges. A true duffer's delight.
"Golf Digest" rated this course as the 5th "Best Public Course" in the state for 1996. They also rated it the 7th "Best in State" course for 1995-96, and the 8th best for 1997-98. Monday is Ladies' Day. Golf lessons are offered through the John Jacobs Golf School.

WASATCH MOUNTAIN STATE PARK

Also located in the Midway community only minutes from the Homestead, this park offers two 18-hole courses: A lake course and a mountain course.
Nine new holes were added to the Mountain Course in 1998, giving the park two 18-hole layouts. The Mountain Course is a true mountain design with plenty of up, down and sidehill lies. This course also offers beautiful views of the Heber Valley. A very challenging hole is number 12, a long par 5, featuring an 80-foot drop in elevation from the tee to green. The Lake Course is very picturesque with many trees and eight lakes that come into play on several holes. All the fairways are narrow, and the greens are medium-sized and plush. "Golf Digest" rated the Lake Course as the 7th "Best Public Course" in the state for 1996.
Also near the Homestead and Wasatch State Park is another marvelous-looking golf course which I, unfortunately, did not have time to play. Soldier Hollow Golf Course has a fantastic large glass-empaneled clubhouse (providing panoramic views of the golf course and mountains). The course is a sort of a cross between a parkland and links course, offering lots of fun challenges for all levels of golfers.
The Midway and Heber Valley areas not only have several outstanding golf courses and resorts, but the region is also one of the favorite flyfishing locations for famed golfer Tiger Woods, who has often visited (staying at the unique Blue Boar bed and breakfast).

SOUTH MOUNTAIN

Talk about your mountain views, this golf course just south of Salt Lake City provides unparalleled vistas from every hole.
You drive several miles up the mountain overlooking the city and find yourself in a true mountain golf course setting.
The course winds all around the mountain, with the views rivalling the pristine course itself,
Plenty of elevated tees providing golfers lots of chances to really bust a long one. But you want to keep the ball in play (fairways are pretty generous) and out of the rocks and cactus dominating the rough all over the course.
This links-style course is in the picturesque town of Draper, with South Mountain scenery as its backdrop and views of the entire Salt Lake Valley. Every hole has its own unique character and a each offers a splendid view. The undulating greens are the most challenging characteristic in the design, but the downhill par 3's, several of which feature major elevation changes, promise to tantalize even the most seasoned players. The course calls for sound shots and expertise to navigate a series of heavily-bunkered holes.

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Homestead Course Rating and Slope


Tees Yardage Rating Slope Par
Back Tees 7017 73.0 135 72
Middle Tees 6525 70.5 126 72
Forward Tees 5091 68.8 118 72


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Park City Course Rating and Slope
Tees Yardage Rating Slope Par
Men's Ladies' Men's Ladies'
Blue 6754 71.7 N/A 127 N/A 72
White 6400 69.9 N/A 124 N/A 72
Red 5600 71.4 N/A 123 N/A 72

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Wasatch State Park Course Rating and Slope
Tees Yardage Rating Slope Par
Men's Ladies' Men's Ladies'
Ladies' 5009 N/A 69.4 N/A 123 36
Championship 3289 71.0 N/A 128 N/A 36
Regular 3021 69.2 N/A 123 N/A 36




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South Mountain Course Rating and Slope

Tees Yardage Rating Slope Par
Men's Ladies' Men's Ladies'
Gold 7080 73.4 N/A 130 N/A 72
Black 6645 71.3 N/A 125 N/A 72
Blue 6145 69.3 N/A 121 N/A 72
White 5730 72.1 N/A 127 N/A 72
Red 5165 69.8 N/A 118 N/A 72



For information about the Park City area, Midway or Heber Valley areas or the Salt Lake City region here are some phone numbers and web sites:

Park City Chamber of Commerce
Convention & Visitors Bureau
(800) 453-1360
(435) 649-6100
(435) 649-4132 Fax
PO Box 1630
Park City, UT 84060


Park City Visitor Information Center
435-658-9616
1826 Olympic Parkway
Open 9 a.m.-6 p.m., seven days a week

Internet: www.parkcityinfo.com.

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Draper, Utah, Information Center
Location: 1020 East Pioneer Road, Draper, UT 84020.

Hours of Operation: Monday - Friday 8am-5pm
General Information: (801) 576-6500

Internet: www.travelutah.gov

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Heber Valley Information

Heber Valley Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center
475 North Main, Heber City, Utah 84032
Phone: 1-435-654-3666

Internet: www.travelutah.gov
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Salt Lake City Convention & Visitors Bureau

90 S. West Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah 84401

phone: 801-521-2822

Internet: www.slctravel.com

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State of Utah Tourism

Utah Travel Council
Council Hall
Salt Lake City, UT 84114
801-538-1030

internet: www.goutah.com

This story was published on 29 Jul 2006.