On the other hand, skiers have said, “Deer Valley pampers you in places and in ways you didn’t even know you needed pampering.” The implication is that they would put up with some hassle and relative austerity to save a few dollars on a lift ticket—that red flag of ski costs.
Certainly the extras at Deer Valley are costly and other ski area managers must weigh the cost-benefits and skier resistance to such services on their own terms and locales. But for the record, here is a run-down of some of the “value components” that Jim Whitteron refers to in his article.
Personnel is the biggest on-going amenity expense at Deer Valley with about 30 customer service people wearing green jackets. They move around the resort as needed beginning with the ski valet service for the morning crowds. At the main entrance, these service people unload skis from guests’ cars and place them in a temporary storage area while skiers park. The service people also work the ski corrals at the base of the mountain and at the mid-mountain Silver Lake Lodge. The corrals are fenced-off areas for temporary free ski storage.
Maintaining this personalized service, Deer Valley has basket checking for $1 for 24 hours, allowing skiers unlimited access to their stored gear. In the base lodge this service takes up about 1,200 square feet of space, while at Silver Lake it is 500 square feet.
Skiers coming from the paved parking lots are driven in quiet, swift trams. Before going up the lifts, they can get a good idea of trail conditions and lift line and restaurant waiting times, from a large sign. The resort has three of these signs, which cost over $25,000 each and are controlled from the base lodge. For information not on the signs, there is an information booth near the base lodge entrance which is staffed by a person who can answer just about every question concerning the ski resort as well as describe and recommend restaurants.
Much has been written in the press of the tissue dispensers at Deer Valley’s lift mazes, and it is frequently pointed out that other ski areas also have such tissue holders. The difference is that Deer Valley’s tissue boxes are always filled—at a cost of over $2,000 per year. Furthermore, just past the tissue dispensers—about the time it takes to blow a nose while moving on skis—are wooden garbage cans.
To help with mountain orientation, there are boxes of trail maps at every lift and attractive trail signs at most junctions where skiers might ponder. On the mountain there are phones from which one can call for weather information, restaurant reservations or a broker’s services. The telephone booths also come equipped with pencils and pads to aid in message taking.
The buildings have unusual extras such as automatic doors, fireplaces and benches and seats for boot changing. The restrooms can only be described as elegant with marble counters, gold-toned fixtures and genuine paper towels (no air drying here) for a satisfying hand wipe.
The emphasis all around Deer Valley is away from machines and on to personal touch. Where signs are inappropriate, there are people to ask. Where a locker might be used, there are people to stand guard. Where there is a human need, there is a personalized solution.
