Shining Sundance Mountain Resort
Continuing a legacy of preservation and connection with nature
Winter/Spring 24-25
Written By: Ashley Brown | Images: Courtesy Sundance Mountain Resort
For millennia, the people of Utah have celebrated Mount Timpanogos, the second-highest peak in the Wasatch (11,752 feet).
Thousands of years before the arrival of pioneers, the Timpanogos people lived harmoniously on the land surrounding their namesake mountain. The ancient reverence is palpable when you’re gazing upon the sheer limestone and dolomite peaks and the east face of Timpanogos from Sundance Mountain Resort.
When conservationist and actor Robert Redford purchased 2,200 acres and a tiny ski resort named Timp Haven from the Stewart family, his vision was to preserve the land. “Our commitment to Sundance has always been to develop very little and preserve a great deal,” he is quoted as saying on the Sundance Mountain Resort website.
Conservation easements are the heart of Sundance Mountain Resort. Well over half of the now 5,000 acres is protected; Utah Open Lands holds 1,400 acres, and the Sundance Nature Alliance holds 1,547 acres. Meanwhile, the 10,518 acres of Mount Timpanogos Wilderness hug the resort’s boundaries. This commitment to preserving the land creates an unparalleled recreation experience for visitors.
“The ski mountain is 500 acres. We might add a new lift that would expand us up to 800 acres. That’s not even half of any of the other resorts,” explains Sundance Mountain Resort Vice President of Marketing Nick Como. “It’s smaller, but it skis a lot bigger. And the reason it skis a lot bigger is because you’re surrounded by wilderness; you’re skiing literally under Mount Timpanogos.”
When Robert Redford sold Sundance to Broadreach Capital Partners and Cedar Capital Partners in 2020, he signed the deal because he felt that they would continue the vision of preservation and stewardship.
“One of the first things the new group did was actually expand the [conservation easements] by another few hundred acres. … Everything Redford ever did here was aspirational and visionary, but also practical,” Nick states, explaining that the new owners share those ethos.
At Sundance, the commitment to nature takes many subtle forms — like eliminating single- use plastic water bottles, putting soap that is handmade in the art studio in the rooms and using upcycled glass centerpieces that are made on site. In fact, upcycling is a regular practice at Sundance. The Owl Bar, a genuine outlaw hangout
that was once frequented by Butch Cassidy, was moved to Sundance from Thermopolis, Wyoming, and is still used today.
The owners carefully consider every modification and addition to Sundance. The Inn at Sundance, which is currently under construction, is a long- anticipated project that reflects these values.
“It’s a small footprint and it costs more to do it this way. It’s 63 rooms, not 163 rooms. It’s not going to be taller than the tallest tree,” Nick explains. “One of the main reasons we are building the inn is to offer ADA-accessible rooms, something our current lodging does not have.” He says that their new veteran program is a big reason why they added the inn to the property.
The veteran program will take off in tandem with the inn’s opening (currently scheduled for the winter season of 2025/2026). “The idea is to bring wounded veterans on an all-expense-paid trip, including their flights and transportation and everything that happens here at Sundance, and get them on the mountain with adaptive lessons.”
Experiencing the awe of nature is at the heart of the activities available at Sundance. Their Nordic center hosts full moon snowshoe trips and new moon owl watching events. And their zipline can reach 65 miles per hour, providing an exhilarating aerial view of the landscape.
In addition, guests staying in one of the 90 cottages or seven mountain homes can access The Springs, a series of pools and an outdoor sauna that are nestled under the sheer expanse of Mount Timpanogos.
Excellent cuisine in an elegant mountain setting is another way guests can connect with the land surrounding Sundance. Dining options include the Owl Bar, Foundry Grill and Tree Room.
“The Owl Bar just won the USA Today’s Readers’ Choice award as the No. 3 hotel bar in the entire country. … In that same poll, the Tree Room was nominated as the best hotel restaurant, and that also came in at No. 3,” Nick exclaims.
The praise doesn’t end with Sundance’s culinary experiences either. “The Spa was just honored in Vogue as one of the top 100 spas in the world.”
For Utahns and visitors, Sundance offers a rare escape. The boutique accommodations and quiet ski traffic on Sundays make for a more solitary skiing experience. Tranquil skiing, combined with awe, atmosphere and commitment to preservation is where Sundance shines.
“The mountains have this unique power to heal people, and that’s our responsibility. … Let’s get people here and let them experience the mountains,” Nick says.
