Member of the Month

profa_212
July, 2025

Online

Welcome to the Newschoolers forums! You may read the forums as a guest, however you must be a registered member to post. Register to become a member today!

How Did PC Become The Park Skiing Mecca?

profile picture
BagOTricks
Posts: 819 - Karma: 3,377
Was just in PC for a few days last week for the second time and it's just wild how many pro skiers you will see there on any given weekday. The ski scene there in general is insanely good and much larger than anywhere else I've been. How did PC end up becoming the park skiing hub of North America? Is there any other resorts with a similar scene? (Copper?)

Just so cool rolling through a park with the likes of Wallisch, Vinny Cash, Quan, etc. and having it be the norm. How/why did all these pros end up calling PC home?
4 years ago
35 1
profile picture
yungcurv
Posts: 148 - Karma: 521
I think a decent amount of it has to do with the Olympic training facility if I'm not wrong. This led to lots of athletes coming there, then brands (ex: Armada) and now they have things like Woodward Park City that bring more and more people out there.
4 years ago
27 0
profile picture
BagOTricks
Posts: 819 - Karma: 3,377
yungcurvI think a decent amount of it has to do with the Olympic training facility if I'm not wrong. This led to lots of athletes coming there, then brands (ex: Armada) and now they have things like Woodward Park City that bring more and more people out there.


Yeah that was one of our theories. That and the fact that it's probably the best park within 30ish minutes to a major city. Plus PC itself is like the dream ski town haha.
4 years ago
11 0
profile picture
Lonely
Posts: 7214 - Karma: 70,817
I would agree with your claim that there is a high concentration of pros BUT...I would consider hood the ski mecca. The Islamic pilgrimage to mecca happens every summer, so I think the fact that almost every skier in our niche either wants to travel to hood over the summer or does travel to hood makes that the ski "Mecca". Plus, some of the best park skiing content in history has come out of hood, and everyone that I know that has traveled there has said it is a religious experience.
4 years ago
62 2
profile picture
WoFlowz
Posts: 8287 - Karma: 65,172
Lol wasn’t it the Mecca of park skiing for a while besides like breck and mammy?
4 years ago
13 0
profile picture
GrandThings
Posts: 3362 - Karma: 34,876
WoFlowzLol wasn’t it the Mecca of park skiing for a while besides like breck and mammy?


For snowboarding especially in the mid-late 00's it was certainly Mammoth. Every damn shot in the mags or on video was on one of those pink rails.
4 years ago
26 0
profile picture
CatdickBojangles
Posts: 6496 - Karma: 66,612
I mean it’s literally called Park City. Back in my young and uneducated days I thought it was called Park City because it was a resort of nothing but parks.
4 years ago
52 0
profile picture
KCoCM
Posts: 963 - Karma: 8,787
wait, it’s not?
CatdickBojanglesI mean it’s literally called Park City. Back in my young and uneducated days I thought it was called Park City because it was a resort of nothing but parks.
4 years ago
25 0
profile picture
r00kie
Posts: 5238 - Karma: 59,608
CatdickBojanglesI mean it’s literally called Park City. Back in my young and uneducated days I thought it was called Park City because it was a resort of nothing but parks.


Haha. I thought I was the only one to believe this back in middle school.
4 years ago
21 0
profile picture
eheath
Posts: 61978 - Karma: 126,982
US olympic team trains year round in utah, most of them live here.
4 years ago
20 2
profile picture
jakeordie
Posts: 665 - Karma: 3,281
When Utah had the Winter Olympics in '02, they made a big deal about the facilities being built for the long-term benefit of Utah residents. So there's a culture of breeding talent in the area that you can see & feel even if you're not into it. That's the gold in Utah, the styles and characters that develop in response to that mentality.
4 years ago
9 0
profile picture
skierman_jack
Posts: 1671 - Karma: 17,559
you don’t go to park city to get good you go to park city because you are good. Premier “big” park skiing in a convenient area centered in an area known for Olympic heritage. I think there are better parks and better communities but for a competent young skier it’s like the dream. Go to PC and make a name for yourself
4 years ago
9 0
profile picture
Jems
Posts: 7801 - Karma: 102,156
every time i see a park city edit i just don’t watch it idc who it is that park is boring asf to me

brighton another story though
4 years ago
22 9
profile picture
eheath
Posts: 61978 - Karma: 126,982
Jemsevery time i see a park city edit i just don’t watch it idc who it is that park is boring asf to me

brighton another story though


So the same milly tubes, kinked rails and srail isn't boring but really well build jumps and a familiar set of rails at PC is boring? Sounds a little bias to me.

Brighton's park is fun, the vibes there are all time, but you can't talk down on PCs park because its top 5 in NA. PC has been crushing it for years and will continue to have a top tier park.
4 years ago
17 6
profile picture
Jems
Posts: 7801 - Karma: 102,156
eheathSo the same milly tubes, kinked rails and srail isn't boring but really well build jumps and a familiar set of rails at PC is boring? Sounds a little bias to me.

Brighton's park is fun, the vibes there are all time, but you can't talk down on PCs park because its top 5 in NA. PC has been crushing it for years and will continue to have a top tier park.

i’ve never been to either i just hate watching PC edits since they all look the same

most ski content comes from PC aswell i’m just tired of seeing it
4 years ago
19 3
profile picture
r00kie
Posts: 5238 - Karma: 59,608
skierman_jackyou don’t go to park city to get good you go to park city because you are good. Premier “big” park skiing in a convenient area centered in an area known for Olympic heritage. I think there are better parks and better communities but for a competent young skier it’s like the dream. Go to PC and make a name for yourself


I graduated high school with three girls who did that except it was music and Nashville.
4 years ago
9 0
profile picture
SkiBum.
Posts: 3614 - Karma: 4,004
Jim Mangan put it on the map via unlimited budget and marketing. Cooper continued it. Legacy has stayed.
4 years ago
4 0
profile picture
GayWolf420
Posts: 38327 - Karma: 132,632
Damn I miss the era of those painted star wars-type rails that were most certainly some sort of copyright infringement but made the parks look dope back in the day before everything got painted green, but the parks still rip as always.....Just bring back Kings Crown please. Don't care if all that land is getting "developed", that run is the perfect venue for a large park and the opportunities to host bigger events/competitions.
4 years ago
2 0
profile picture
SkiBum.
Posts: 3614 - Karma: 4,004
I miss the crazy stuff from 10+ years back. The 1/4 pipe at the bottom of Hoist with the mine in the back. Bottom of Bonanza jump that Dumont almost died on. Cable cam down Kings Crown for Shawn White movie.
DeebieSkeebiesDamn I miss the era of those painted star wars-type rails that were most certainly some sort of copyright infringement but made the parks look dope back in the day before everything got painted green, but the parks still rip as always.....Just bring back Kings Crown please. Don't care if all that land is getting "developed", that run is the perfect venue for a large park and the opportunities to host bigger events/competitions.
4 years ago
3 0
profile picture
Saga.
Posts: 3812 - Karma: 45,341
yungcurvI think a decent amount of it has to do with the Olympic training facility if I'm not wrong. This led to lots of athletes coming there, then brands (ex: Armada) and now they have things like Woodward Park City that bring more and more people out there.


This plus Utah is extremely convenient for winter sports activities.
You have:
- Quite a few mountains with great terrain very close by
- A cost of living 1/2 to 1/3 that of other places as close to comparable terrain (this is a really big one)
- An airport 10 minutes from the SLC (45 from PC give or take weather)
- Centrally located in the west for mountain activities

Utah (slc/pc) is just incredibly convenient. You get enough progressive types in the same area you're going to see the parks change to meet their needs.
4 years ago
13 1
profile picture
J_Christoph
Posts: 2519 - Karma: 8,755
Money.
4 years ago
2 0
profile picture
asparagus
Posts: 2500 - Karma: 28,453
Jemsevery time i see a park city edit i just don’t watch it idc who it is that park is boring asf to me

brighton another story though


One exception
https://www.newschoolers.com/videos/watch/958004/-Resurrection--w--Simon-Dumont-and-Tom-Wallisch
4 years ago
11 0
profile picture
PeteMahn
Posts: 1317 - Karma: 3,377
Simple Salt Lake City it fucking cheap and pros don't make any money which is why the majority have left Colorado. You can live in Utah and easily travel to Colorado so there not missing much.
4 years ago
4 0
profile picture
Young_patty
Posts: 3355 - Karma: 39,481
How Mormon town USA blew up in park skiing is beyond me, like it’s a fun resort but the state of Utah makes me wanna vomit.
4 years ago
11 9
profile picture
SRNS
Posts: 39 - Karma: 673
skierman_jackyou don’t go to park city to get good you go to park city because you are good. Premier “big” park skiing in a convenient area centered in an area known for Olympic heritage. I think there are better parks and better communities but for a competent young skier it’s like the dream. Go to PC and make a name for yourself


So for the rest of us... where’s the best resort to get good until we’re cool enough to hang at PC?!
4 years ago
4 0
profile picture
K-Dot.
Posts: 3790 - Karma: 8,349
There are a few factors

- Generally good snow: The snow is typically great and there's a reason Utah advertises it as the "greatest snow on earth". Lots of snow means a long season and also urban skiing. Lots of amazing all mountain skiers are at Alta/bird too because of this

- Living costs aren't bad: Young people going to college or just looking to leave home move to the area because it is pretty affordable living compared to other similar sized cities

- Ski culture: Because of things like the Olympics/chads gap/endless film segments/etc, the area is seen by some as a place where skiing history has taken place and will continue to. People enjoy a sense of belonging and SLC/PC provides it for wintersport enthuasiasts. Because of this cultur,e there are legitimate economic opportunities for those good enough to make skiing a career as well as for those just interested in working in the ski industry in some form.

Specific to PC also, the weather is typically very nice. Geographically, it is on an edge of the Wasatch that doesn't get hit as violently by storms as the other resorts do. PC gets less snow but the weather often is beautiful and sunny and usually warmer than the other resorts.
4 years ago
8 0
profile picture
skierman
Posts: 8621 - Karma: 9,457
yungcurvI think a decent amount of it has to do with the Olympic training facility if I'm not wrong. This led to lots of athletes coming there, then brands (ex: Armada) and now they have things like Woodward Park City that bring more and more people out there.


LOL there was a big park skiing scene in PC well before it was an Olympic sport, you fucking idiot.
4 years ago
4 5
profile picture
freeskibum82
Posts: 6355 - Karma: 5,056
I honestly always thought Mammoth was the mecca because of Superpark in the 2000s
4 years ago
1 0
profile picture
1234567891011121
Posts: 1750 - Karma: 13,851
SRNSSo for the rest of us... where’s the best resort to get good until we’re cool enough to hang at PC?!


Midwest ropetows
4 years ago
11 0
profile picture
prince_polo
Posts: 127 - Karma: 644
r00kieHaha. I thought I was the only one to believe this back in middle school.


lol i use to think this as well
4 years ago
0 0
profile picture
SkiBum.
Posts: 3614 - Karma: 4,004
Park City probably has the lowest % of Mormons in Utah...
Young_pattyHow Mormon town USA blew up in park skiing is beyond me, like it’s a fun resort but the state of Utah makes me wanna vomit.
4 years ago
8 0
profile picture
Young_patty
Posts: 3355 - Karma: 39,481
SkiBum.Park City probably has the lowest % of Mormons in Utah...





One of the lowest yes! Still a disgusting amount also yes!
4 years ago
2 10
profile picture
GayWolf420
Posts: 38327 - Karma: 132,632
Young_pattyHow Mormon town USA blew up in park skiing is beyond me, like it’s a fun resort but the state of Utah makes me wanna vomit.


Young_patty


One of the lowest yes! Still a disgusting amount also yes!


Mormons love $$$$ and so do rich people who own houses at Deer Valley, so its a perfect storm. Its not entirely whitewashed with mormons anymore but they still call the shots in favor of those with money.
4 years ago
1 0
profile picture
SkiBum.
Posts: 3614 - Karma: 4,004
Cool. Stay where you are. Deff do not come here.
Young_patty


One of the lowest yes! Still a disgusting amount also yes!
4 years ago
0 0
profile picture
eheath
Posts: 61978 - Karma: 126,982
Young_patty


One of the lowest yes! Still a disgusting amount also yes!


Its alright, keep your clown ass in colorado or wherever you live, plenty of ppl here already.
4 years ago
5 1
profile picture
GrandThings
Posts: 3362 - Karma: 34,876
Not to derail this thread...any of you PC/Utah locs have any experience with Mormon soaking? Im curious if it real or just an urban myth.
4 years ago
4 1
profile picture
eheath
Posts: 61978 - Karma: 126,982
GrandThingsNot to derail this thread...any of you PC/Utah locs have any experience with Mormon soaking? Im curious if it real or just an urban myth.


As far as I know its just a weird Mormon rumor but im sure someone has done it, unlike the mormon underwear which is 100% a real thing.
4 years ago
3 0
profile picture
danbrown
Posts: 11939 - Karma: 21,834
GrandThingsNot to derail this thread...any of you PC/Utah locs have any experience with Mormon soaking? Im curious if it real or just an urban myth.


nope, not in 10 years here
4 years ago
2 0
profile picture
GrandThings
Posts: 3362 - Karma: 34,876
eheathAs far as I know its just a weird Mormon rumor but im sure someone has done it, unlike the mormon underwear which is 100% a real thing.


Yooooo this is wild hahah. Honestly...wouldn't mind some of these for skiing.
4 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Young_patty
Posts: 3355 - Karma: 39,481
SkiBum.Deff do not come here.


eheathIts alright, keep your clown ass in colorado

Y’all are chillin! I have no desire to ever move there- maybe if the jiberish vault was still a thing.
4 years ago
1 0
profile picture
Jabeboss
Posts: 16 - Karma: 442
GrandThingsYooooo this is wild hahah. Honestly...wouldn't mind some of these for skiing.


Hi @GrandThings

I’m so glad you have showed interest in one of the many unique features that the Church of Jesus Christ has to offer.


There sure is a lot that goes behind this “Magical Underwear” and if you’re interested in learning more please go to http://www.comeuntochrist.org

And please reach out if you have any further questions!
4 years ago
4 3
profile picture
SkiBum.
Posts: 3614 - Karma: 4,004
Because $75 t shirts on Main Street are cool.
Young_pattyY’all are chillin! I have no desire to ever move there- maybe if the jiberish vault was still a thing.
4 years ago
0 0
profile picture
danbrown
Posts: 11939 - Karma: 21,834
the mormon beef is always funny to me. despite what googling percentages says, PC is about as un-mormon as it gets. it's filled with people partying and vacationing, ton of bars and restaurants, liquor stores, you can still buy booze and drugs and its right at the bottom of pretty good skiing and great parks. its not like there are mormon missionaries knocking on your door and harassing you. they may make up some of the population but outside of liquor stores being closed on sundays youd never ever notice it
4 years ago
4 0
profile picture
GrandThings
Posts: 3362 - Karma: 34,876
JabebossHi @GrandThings

I’m so glad you have showed interest in one of the many unique features that the Church of Jesus Christ has to offer.


There sure is a lot that goes behind this “Magical Underwear” and if you’re interested in learning more please go to http://www.comeuntochrist.org

And please reach out if you have any further questions!


Do they come in black-lace?
4 years ago
1 0
profile picture
oldspicewalrus
Posts: 153 - Karma: 352
PC is sick but I miss the green rails and "I ride park city" I used to worship that as a kid. I would ask every kid who went to Park City if they saw Tom Wallisch when they went there, one time a girl said she did. I think she was lying.
4 years ago
2 0
profile picture
SofaKingSick
Posts: 9842 - Karma: 66,607
it took place before the olympics really. first it was mammoth that was the preeminent park mountain in the scene, then summit county, now it's park city. it's to do with locations of course but just as much on how much money and expertise the mountain puts into being a big dog in the park world in order to market themselves that way
4 years ago
2 0
profile picture
yungcurv
Posts: 148 - Karma: 521
skiermanLOL there was a big park skiing scene in PC well before it was an Olympic sport, you fucking idiot.


No Shit. I was saying that the Olympic Facility brought top skiers from other disciplines within skiing. So once freestyle/park/street became more accessible the best skiers were already there.
4 years ago
1 0
profile picture
skierman
Posts: 8621 - Karma: 9,457
yungcurvNo Shit. I was saying that the Olympic Facility brought top skiers from other disciplines within skiing. So once freestyle/park/street became more accessible the best skiers were already there.


"NO SHIT HUR DURRRPPPAAA DURRRRRRRRRRRRR"
4 years ago
0 2
profile picture
Pigeon.
Posts: 2367 - Karma: 3,998
CUS ALL THE RICH FUCKS LIVE THERE. FUCKING DUH
4 years ago
0 5
profile picture
cool_name
Posts: 4295 - Karma: 3,136
Because it’s called PARK fucking CITY...who wouldn’t want to ski park in PARK city?
4 years ago
1 0
profile picture
Pigeon.
Posts: 2367 - Karma: 3,998
Pigeon.CUS ALL THE RICH FUCKS LIVE THERE. FUCKING DUH


WHY ARE U DOWNVOTING ME IM RIGHT
4 years ago
0 4
All times are Eastern (-4); Currently it's 12:41PM