Sundance Resort

Sundance Resort

Sundance in the fall.
Location Uinta National Forest
Utah County, Utah
Nearest city Provo - 13 miles (21 km)
Coordinates 40°23′31″N 111°34′44″W / 40.392°N 111.579°W / 40.392; -111.579Coordinates: 40°23′31″N 111°34′44″W / 40.392°N 111.579°W / 40.392; -111.579
Vertical 2,150 ft (655 m)
Top elevation 8,250 ft (2,515 m)
Base elevation 6,100 ft (1,859 m)
Skiable area 450 acres (1.8 km2)
Runs 44
Lift system 4 chairlifts (2 quad, 2 triple)
1 handle tow
Terrain parks 1
Night skiing limited
Website sundanceresort.com
Sundance
Resort
Location in the United States
Sundance
Resort
Location in Utah.

Sundance Mountain Resort is a ski resort located 13 miles (21 km) northeast of Provo, Utah. Spanning over 5,000 acres (2,000 ha) on the slopes of Mount Timpanogos in Utah's Wasatch Range, alpine skiing began on the site in 1944. Actor Robert Redford acquired the area in 1968,[1][2][3] and established a year-round resort which would later spawn the independent Sundance Film Festival and the non-profit Sundance Institute. Sundance is committed to the balance of art, nature and community.[4]

History

The ski area opened as Timp Haven in 1944 with a rope tow. It was owned by S. Paul Stewart and run with the help of his brother, Ray Stewart for over twenty years. A T-bar lift was added at the base in 1949 which was about 1,000 feet (300 m) in length,[5] and a single chairlift was added in the fall of 1953, with a length of about 2,500 feet (760 m).[6][7] The first double chairlift was installed in the fall of 1965 and replaced the lower single chair and an upper T-bar, vertically climbing 1,400 feet (430 m).[8] It had an accident the following July which resulted in two fatalities.[9] While owned by the Stewart family, the ski area was closed on Sundays.[10]

In August 1968, Robert Redford purchased the land that is now known as Sundance,[2][11] with the vision of the careful growth of a community devoted to the balance of art, nature and recreation. In 1981, the Sundance Institute was founded to foster and celebrate the diversity of American filmmaking.

The resort is not named after the role he played in the 1969 film, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.[11] Its name is derived from multiple associations of private importance to Redford. One is the respect given to the Native American Sun Dance, while another refers to how the sun dances around the rim of the mountains throughout the day. The resort of Sundance is not to be confused with the town of Sundance, Wyoming, the location from which the Sundance Kid received his name. Redford's 1972 film Jeremiah Johnson was filmed near the resort.[12]

The Mountain

Sundance Resort has skiing for every ability, with 20% beginner trails, 40% intermediate trails and 40% advanced trails. The resort terrain climbs 2,150 vertical feet (655 m) up the northeast slope of Mount Timpanogos, reaching the crest of the ridge at Bearclaw Cabin. This restaurant at the resort's apex of 8,250 feet (2,515 m) provides spectacular 360° views of the surrounding landscape, and of Mount Timpanogos as it rises to a height just short of 12,000 ft (3,660 m). The mountain is serviced by four chairlifts and a handle tow for beginners at the mountain's base. Sundance now offers the 3rd longest zip line in the United States which features the most vertical drop of any zip line on the North American Continent.

Panoramic view of Mt Timpanogos

Sundance Film Festival

The Sundance Film Festival, held primarily 30 miles (50 km) north in Park City, is a competition for independent film makers, which has become extremely well known and popular in the film industry and media. It is the largest independent film festival in the United States, and also one of the largest in the world. It features documentaries, large films and small films. The festival receives over 9,000 submissions, and around 200 are featured. More than 50,000 people attend the festival each year, from celebrities to average citizens.[13]

References

  1. ↑ Pearson, Howard (August 3, 1968). "Star, wife set up Utah businesses". Deseret News. p. 2B.
  2. 1 2 "Slope manicure for Timp Haven". Deseret News. August 31, 1968. p. B1.
  3. ↑ "Sundance Village and Ski Resort". Utah.com. Retrieved 2009-02-08.
  4. ↑ AuthorSeries. "Sundance Mountain Resort Founded by Robert Redford | Sundance, Utah". Sundanceresort.com. Retrieved 2016-01-22.
  5. ↑ "Timp Haven boasts new 'T' tow". Deseret News. December 7, 1949. p. A13.
  6. ↑ "New equipment put in at Provo's Timp Haven". Deseret News. November 18, 1953. p. 8B.
  7. ↑ Perry, Leo (January 15, 1960). "Timp Haven resort proves popularity". Deseret News. p. 8B.
  8. ↑ Perry, Leo (January 8, 1966). "Timp Haven adds chair lift". Deseret News. p. A5.
  9. ↑ Perry, Leo (July 15, 1966). "2 killed in ski lift plunge". Deseret News. p. 1B.
  10. ↑ Kadleck, Dave (January 23, 1965). "Busy place, fine resort". Deseret News. p. A5.
  11. 1 2 Rea, Dorothy O. (September 15, 1969). "Sundance readies year-round fun". Deseret News. p. 10B.
  12. ↑ "'Hot' show in a 'cool' setting". Deseret News. August 11, 1973. p. 6D.
  13. ↑ "Sundance Film Festival". Indiewire.com. 2013-01-27. Retrieved 2016-01-22.

External links

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