Deer Valley Music Festival 2014

My last evening in Utah was spent at Deer Valley Resort, the summer home of the Utah Symphony and Utah Opera. On our way to Park City, where the resort is located, we passed Utah Olympic Village, home of the 2002 Winter Olympics.

We arrived early, knowing that we would be hiking a bit from one of the three parking lots at Deer Valley to the outdoor amphitheater. There are several resort hotels nestled in the valley.

I got especially excited when I saw the funicular track climbing a very steep mountain slope. The last funicular I rode on was decades ago at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California. Mostly, I remember the yodeling and polka music that was playing as our car took us up the mountain. After all, most funiculars are built in Switzerland. Janice did not believe any of that stuff about Magic Mountain and the polka music.

 Back to Deer Valley. The funicular was installed at the St. Regis Deer Crest Resort in 2009 is the first and only one at a North American ski resort. It starts at the resort's Snow Building and climbs 230 vertical feet in 90 seconds. The two 15 passenger cars provide a panoramic view during the ride to the top of the mountain and the St. Regis Hotel.



 

It was a short hike to the grassy knoll in front of the amphitheater where we spread a quilt and set up low lawn chairs. That's where we ate our picnic dinner and hung out while we waited for the sun to set and the concert to begin.

 

Thank goodness some nice person took this picture of us three adventurers with Kathy's camera because I did not get one.

 

 

Thanks, Kathy, for this sweet picture of Janice and me!

 

 

Kathy also got a great snapshot of the amphitheater in daylight. You can see the funicular track in the background

 

 

Eventually the sun began to go down, and we pulled on our jackets.

 

 

Kathy found out where the concession stand was located and hiked all the way down the knoll and back for a Snicker's bar. She said she REALLY needed that chocolate.

It was not long until our star performers took the stage: The Mormon Tabernacle Choir on the Utah Symphony. What a treat to listen to a full program of show tunes written by Rodgers & Hammerstein!  Dallyn Vail Bayles made a fantastic guest appearance as the tenor soloist.

 

 

 It was truly a memorable evening. Good music, a great venue, and the best of friends.