PARK CITY, Utah — As a challenging winter tests businesses that rely on snowfall, one longtime Park City Mountain staple is proving that resilience runs deep.
Mother Nature hasn’t delivered the snowpack this family-owned restaurant typically depends on. But thanks to creativity, community support, and decades of tradition, Snowed Inn Sleigh Company is still welcoming guests for a one-of-a-kind winter experience.
Customers from all over the world make the trip here, drawn by an experience that hasn’t changed much in nearly 40 years.
“It’s a little snow, which we love. I love the cold,” said one visitor from Florida, Cristina Tumbarello.
For families like theirs, the sleigh ride itself is part of the memory.
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so I wanted to share it with my family,” Christine Andrilus from Florida said as she smiled, bundled in a blanket and surrounded by her family on the sleigh heading to dinner.
WATCH: Park City businesses work to keep their doors open during warmer temperatures
Guests can only reach the restaurant by horse-drawn sleigh — a tradition that goes back decades.
Cowboy Justin has been helping make that happen since 2010, returning year after year to drive the team of horses up and down the mountain.
“I keep coming back,” he said. “I enjoy the people.”
That sense of connection extends to the staff and the guests alike. Along the ride, sleigh drivers slow at a scenic overlook locals call the “romantic lookout,” giving riders a moment to take in sweeping views above Park City.
Inside, the warmth continues, from friendly greetings to hearty meals served in rustic Western ware filled with high-end cuisine.
“People come back year after year,” said owner Mary Ann Pack. “Our repeat customer business is really huge.”
House manager Robyn Halverson and her husband, Kent, the property and maintenance manager, help keep everything running smoothly behind the scenes. The couple could be seen smiling as they worked to help guests celebrate birthdays and special occasions, stoking the fire and keeping the lodge warm and welcoming.
“Mostly, it’s magical,” Halvorson said. “That’s why we get return customers from all around the world. They make it a priority to come while on vacation and they make it a tradition.”
But this season has tested that tradition.
“This has been a really difficult year, like nothing I’ve ever seen before,” Pack said. “I hope we never see it again.”
A lack of snowpack is visible along the sleigh route, especially on slopes that are typically blanketed by this time of year. Snowed Inn says without help, they wouldn’t have been able to operate this season.
That help has come from Park City Mountain Resort, which has worked with the family-owned business for more than 25 years.
Resort officials say they provide operational support by grooming and maintaining the access routes needed for the sleighs to travel safely up and down the mountain.
“It’s a win-win situation for everybody,” said John Kanaly with Park City Mountain Resort. “We want people to have experiences they’ll remember for a long time.”
Kanaly says the resort’s long-term investment in snowmaking has been especially important this year.
“It’s no secret the snow hasn’t been what we expect this time of year,” he said. “But we’ve been investing in snowmaking for many seasons, and it’s paying off.”
Back inside the lodge, dinner service continues — a tradition kept in the family.
“My kids were raised here,” Pack said. “They skied on the mountain, came in and helped with dinners. It’s magical.”
Even in a tough snow year, Snowed Inn Sleigh Company is a reminder that community — and a little help from neighbors — can keep the magic alive.
As for the family visiting from Florida, they say they’ll be back again — snow or no snow.
Snowed Inn Sleigh Company offers multiple dinner seatings and nightly sleigh rides from November through March.
