Sundance is located on the slopes of the imposing Mt.Timpanogos just east of Provo, Utah. Skiing in the area dates back as early as 1941 when slalom race was held up on the Timp glacier. Skiing developed on the lower slopes with the first modern chairlift installed in 1964. Robert Redford purchased the entirety of the land that is now Sundance resort in 1968 (named after Redford’s famous role in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid).Having a lower elevation and thus shorter season than some other competing Utah resorts, arts and culture were used as a way to lure in tourists and Hollywood stars alike. While Park City is the current home of the Sundance Film Festival, its original concept and iteration was held here at Sundance resort in 1979.
This place is a wonder year round and not just for skiing. The spring opens the trails to the peak of Mt.Timpanogos, one of the highest in the Wasatch range. With gorgeous waterfalls, mountain ponds, wildflowers and billy goats the climb to this 11,700’ peak is stunning. On years where the snow is deep you will often see fanatics getting some august turns up on the snow that covers Utah’s last glacier, buried in the rock field near the summit. The view looking west when you reach the saddle and see the sun rise over the Oquirrh mountains and Utah Lake is spectacular. And the views of endless golden aspen groves as fall summer turns to fall as you climb back down into American Fork Canyon simply cannot be described in text.
Sundance and the area is nothing if not magical and if you find yourself in Utah take a day to explore here. There truly is something for everyone. From horseback riding at the ranch, fly fishing in the river, hiking to the falls or to the summit or mountain biking in the summer to skiing in the winter. Sundance is a marvel.
