Deer Valley Ski Lifts

Ski Lifts in Deer Valley

Deer Valley has an efficient lift system of 21 lifts transporting over 50,000 riders per hour. To ensure a quality skiing experience, and avoid overcrowded trails, the number of lift tickets sold is limited, avoiding long lift lines as well as long lunch lines.

Deer Valley Lift System

Deer Valley was one of the first U.S. ski resorts to implement a lift system designed to allow for all-mountain accessibility, with movable lift towers and terminals, which translates into a consistent fall line and minimum traversing. Constant assessment makes the system work even better and because lift towers and terminals can be moved to improve the flow of the lifts, lift lines are kept to a minimum.

Deer Valley has 20 chairlifts and one gondola with a capacity of 50,470 riders per hour and is staffed by an especially attentive crew of lift attendants who ensure a 5-star guest experience.

Gondola x 1
Quad Chair x 14
Triple Chair x 5
Double Chair x 1

Surprisingly, given the resort’s 5-star reputation, chairlifts are not state-of-the-art, so no bubble covers or heated seats here yet. Deer Valley’s chairlifts are mostly older fixed-grip lifts, but the lift system is well-managed so lift lines are seldom an issue. With ride time between 3-9 minutes and an elevation of 200-1,400 vertical feet, the lift experience is as enjoyable as it is scenic.

The lifts mostly run from 9:00 am to 4:15 pm, but with exceptions so check locally for more information or view Deer Valley Lift and Trail Status online. Deer Valley’s website even lets you check chairlift waiting times!

To ensure a quality skiing experience, and avoid overcrowded trails, the number of skiers is limited, avoiding long lift lines as well as long lunch lines, so pre-book your lift ticket online or get there early to reserve a lift pass!

Deer Valley Lift Tickets

Deer Valley manages the number of people on the mountain at any one time, and lift tickets are expensive if bought on arrival at the resort. However, significant price reductions (10-30%) are available if you buy your lift ticket or season pass in advance including multi-resort lift passes available from Ikon, Ski Utah Passport and Mountain Collective. It’s also worth checking for special offers through the resort or tour operators as part of a vacation package.

While Deer Valley and Park City Mountain Resort ski areas are right next to each other, and both ski areas fall within the municipality of Park City, you cannot ski from one to the other. Deer Valley lift tickets are not valid for Park City and vice versa, which is inconvenient and costly, but understandable given Deer Valley’s smaller ski area and commitment to delivering a more exclusive guest experience.

Deer Valley Lift Tickets and Season Passes >

Ski Utah Resort Season Passes >

Ikon Pass

Ikon Pass is valid at over 50 ski resorts worldwide including unlimited skiing and riding at 15 destinations and up to 7 days at 40 destinations including 7 days at Deer Valley. Over 40 destinations in North America, 10+ iconic ski resorts in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Chile, and no black-out dates. European resorts include Kitzbuhel, Chamonix and Zermatt.

Ikon Pass more info and prices >

Deer Valley Snow Conditions & Snowmaking

Deer Valley receives over 300 inches of natural snowfall (usually 20-30cm per week) between December and March each year, partly due to the “lake effect” as cold winter storms collide with warmer air over the Great Salt Lake. The 2022/23 ski season was Deer Valley’s best season with over 600 inches of snowfall, more often than not falling as light and fluffy “champagne powder” thanks to the dryness of the high-altitude desert environment. You can easily find fresh tracks long after the last snowfall despite Deer Valley’s reputation for immaculately well-manicured corduroy trails across much of the ski area.

Importantly in times of climate change, Deer Valley’s snowmaking is among the best in the West, with snowmaking covering 76% of 101 trails. In a typical year, snowmaking runs 24 hours a day from the beginning of November until the end of January. For sustainability reasons, water for snowmaking is sourced from purpose-built catchment ponds on Deer Valley Drive and the Jordanelle Reservoir and is powered by 100% renewable energy.

Deer Valley & Sustainability

Deer Valley is committed to a culture of environmental sustainability across all aspects of its operations including investment in renewable energy, energy reduction, resort-wide recycling, sustainable purchasing and working towards carbon neutrality by 2030.