A lot of ski towns sprang from the rusting roots of old mining towns, especially in the West, some embracing the structures and stories of the past, while others transformed completely, so covered in mega-lodges and recreational paraphernalia that there’s nothing left of the towns’ former facades. Yes, Park City has experienced plenty of development, but the bones of the mining town still stitch the setting together, and the architecture of the past has become a cherished part of the town’s story.
At all the Park City resorts, you’ll find a run with a mining reference—Ore Cart and Nugget at Deer Valley; Tin Cup and Silver Streak at Canyons; Silverlode and Bonanza at Park City Mountain Resort—but at the latter you can ski past the hollow remains of windowless buildings, take a tour with a mountain host to view historic sites, or…if it’s lunchtime, enjoy some tasty on-mountain vittles (that’s miner talk) in a restored mining camp lodge.
At the Mid-Mountain Lodge, you can try the famous Mid-Mountain Burger while beefing up on your Park City history. The lodge was built in 1896 as the Silver King Boarding House and fed 1,000 miners a day. Until the decline of the industry, this is where employees of Silver King—mostly single—ate, slept and socialized. In 1987, the resort announced it would tear down the lodge as its original location was difficult for snow grooming machines to navigate, but townsfolk spearheaded a plan to move it. That fall, bulldozers pushed the 140-ton lodge uphill to its current location near the base of the Pioneer and McConkey lifts, where it was beautifully restored.
But blah blah blah, right? All this history talk makes one hungry as a muckman and didn’t I say something about a burger? Served on a local Stoneground Bakery bun, the Mid-Mountain Burger is a hefty patty marinated in a light mix of soy, basil and oregano, grilled to perfection then topped with caramelized onions, sautéed mushrooms, bacon (which miners called “sow bosom” by the way) and melty white cheddar. Served with crisp, skinny fries for $13.95. The menu also includes veggie burgers, a beer-marinated buffalo bratwurst, grilled cheese, roast turkey melt and hot soups. There’s an espresso bar for a buzz and snacks.
- Mid-Mountain Lodge: Open daily, 9:00 a.m. -3:30 p.m. Lunch available 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
- Complimentary Mountain Tours: Depart daily from the Resort Base area by the Eagle Statue at 10:00am and from the Summit Demo Center, near the top of Bonanza lift at 1:00pm. Tours are recommended for blue level skiers/riders and above.
