Park City, Utah — Chris Cushing is kind of a big deal in the ski industry. He’s the Principal of Mountain Planning for the SE Group, which has helped design ski resorts worldwide. His father, the company’s founder, helped design the original Deer Valley Resort, which opened in 1981.
In the latest episode of OverHerd at Deer Valley (it’s a deer pun), former pro skier Kaylin Richardson chats with Chris Cushing. In the episode, he discusses how his father designed the original ski resort, the factors in craeting the East Village expansion, and misconceptions about this new terrain. It’s an interesting look at a complex project.
Another good watch regarding Deer Valley’s expansion is this interview with Deer Valley’s leadership team.
About Deer Valley’s Expansion
This ski season, Deer Valley is opening the second phase of Expanded Excellence. During the 2024-25 season, Deer Valley opened the East Village, a new base area that connects to many new trails and lifts. The 2024-25 season saw the addition of 19 trails, one run extension, and 3 lifts. This included Deer Valley’s first-ever bubble chairlift. This ski season will see the debut of nearly 80 trails and 7 new lifts. Over the past two ski seasons, Deer Valley has added 100 trails and 10 lifts to its terrain network. In the base village, there are 1,200 parking spots, a temporary skier services building, and a Grand Hyatt hotel. More buildings will be constructed in the years ahead, including a new base lodge.
The names of the new runs and lifts were inspired by old mining claims, Park City’s history, and surrounding natural features.
The 2026-27 season will see the introduction of Hail Peak, which will be serviced by a new high-speed chairlift. Another future expansion planned is on South Peak, which will cater to advanced and expert skiers.
Image/Video Credits: Deer Valley Resort, Ski Utah
