Recently I had the pleasure of visiting Sundance Mountain Resort in Sundance, Utah. This stunning location is world-renowned for the iconic film festival that attracts the best indie filmmakers from around the globe.
Robert Redford became inspired by the remote mountain in Provo, Utah, and decided to open the Sundance Institute as a creative space for filmmakers to escape the hectic day-to-day of Hollywood. The first film festival was held in 1985, showcasing independent and international films and documentaries. In the early 90s, stars like Quentin Tarantino and Steve Buscemi took notice of the film haven and helped the Sundance name flourish to a wider audience, becoming a worldwide name for independent creatives and filmmakers.
Sundance has a commitment to Native American filmmakers and Indigenous artists to showcase their work in a dedicated category. Native American influence can be seen throughout the resort, from the Ute tribes in art and architecture.
When I arrived on site after a long day of travel, I was warmly greeted by the front desk personnel who gave me a quick rundown of the resort. She let me know we were able to get dinner at on-site Owl Bar as it was almost 9 p.m. by the time we arrived. We headed to our cabin to drop off our bags and were in awe of the accommodations.
The cabin was large with a comfortable living room space that flowed into the kitchen, complete with a stove, refrigerator and all the supplies you need to cook a meal after a long day of exploring. Off of the living room was a porch with a beautiful view of the mountain — the perfect spot to enjoy a fresh, hot cup of coffee. A separate room held a comfortable, king-sized bed with another balcony that opened to a creek down below. We slept with the door open to fall asleep to the sounds of nature. It was perfect.
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- Photos by Audrey Lee – Sundance Mountain Resort, Utah
After we checked out our place, we headed to Owl Bar and ordered the trio of dips with baba ghanoush, gazpacho and a pea and leek rillette, accompanied by crudité and an assortment of bread and crackers; and the charcuterie with the chef’s choice of meat, cheese, house-made mustard and honey from the mountain. We enjoyed these two plates with a glass of Sundance Sauvignon Blanc before heading to bed.
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- Photos by Audrey Lee – Charcuterie Board and Trio of Dips from Owl Bar
We slept comfortably with the chill of the mountain air and plush blankets and pillows surrounding us, giving us energy for the next day. In the morning, we grabbed breakfast sandwiches and coffee from the on-site deli and headed over to the zip-tour hut to sign in. The zip line experts went over training and briefed us on what to expect. They were friendly and funny, making the experience feel like we were hanging out with a group of adventurous friends.
We were taken on a scenic chairlift ride up the mountain and enjoyed a thrilling, four-span zip line excursion through the sky and trees. With more than 2,100 feet of vertical drop, this tour is the steepest in the United States. We had a blast! This tour is a must when visiting the resort.
Ending the tour around 2 p.m., we wanted to take in the views from the top of the mountain so we headed back up to the top on the chairlift to Bear Claw Cabin — Utah’s only mountaintop lodge. Boasting a 360-degree view of the Wasactch Mountains, we grabbed a sweet pork burrito for lunch with local brews from Uinta Brewing. The views were stunning, so we stayed for a couple hours until they closed before returning to our cabin to take showers and get ready for dinner.
Thankfully, we made reservations for the on-site Foundry Grill earlier in the day as they were fully booked by the time we arrived for dinner around 6:30 p.m. We opted to sit outside, next to a water feature making the experience relaxing and serene. I ordered the Niman Ranch pork chop and my boyfriend went for the filet mignon. Both dishes were beautifully presented and the perfect portion size.
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- Photos by Audrey Lee – Filet mignon and Niman Ranch pork chop
We took a stroll around the property to see all of the different buildings that hold filmmaking workshops and screening rooms, as well as a beautiful event space with the perfect landscape for a wedding. We wanted to catch the sunset so we popped into Owl Bar to purchase a bottle of Riesling and then over to the deli to for desserts. I went for the mango-raspberry cheesecake and my boyfriend picked the lemon meringue pie. We headed back to our room to enjoy the wine and desserts on our porch with the mountain view.
The next morning, we checked out of our room and made a quick stop in the gift shop to purchase some Sundance Mountain Resort swag. The stay was amazing, relaxing and a great way to recharge, surrounded by nature. I am already planning my return in the winter months to enjoy skiing with friends.
8841 N. Alpine Loop Road
Sundance, UT 84604
tel 801 225 410
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