All Images: Courtesy of Snowbasin Resort
Salt Lake City, Utah was selected early this morning to host the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Games. When the day arrives, the Games will be making their return to the heart of America for the first time in over 30 years, as Salt Lake last hosted the Olympics in 2002.
Years of planning have gone into this effort, with Salt Lake still holding many pieces from the games of the past. The area is, of course, a world-renowned ski mecca, with the Utah Olympic Park in Park City, The Winter Sports School, Woodward, Park City, and of course the legendary likes of Alta and Snowbird resorts producing some of the best skiers on the planet.
Location is everything, and for Salt Lake, this was the backbone of their pitch, along with a passionate and growing winter sports community. CNN reported that, “In its final presentation to the Olympic committee Wednesday morning, the bid team was expected to outline its plan for one of the most compact layouts in Olympic history, with all venues within a one-hour drive of the athletes village on the University of Utah campus.” The close quarters are a huge advantage for planners, spectators and competitors. Plus, the Salt Lakes 2034 bid requires no new permanent construction. The 13 venues are already in place with infrastructure still viable from the 2002 Olympics.
While the news is exciting, there is much to unpack in terms of locations, disciplines, and what skiing will even look like in a decade. Because there are many avenues to poke into and plenty of time to do so, we’re going to specifically focus on the alpine ski racing events. The chosen spot might not be the first that comes to mind, but that’s part of what makes it one of FREESKIER’s favorite resorts in the area.
Snowbasin Resort has been selected to host the alpine ski racing. The resort previously held this honor in 2002, showing off their ideal terrain for the Downhill, Super-G and combined races.
The International Olympic Committee visits Snowbasin this past winter
A look back at the 2002 Winter Olympic Games downhill ski venues at Snowbasin Resort
“Snowbasin is honored to be chosen once again as a venue for the 2034 Winter Olympic Games,” said Davy Ratchford, General Manager of Snowbasin Resort. “Over the last four years we’ve been working with the Organizing Committee to provide our world-renowned terrain to the best Alpine athletes from around the globe. With Snowbasin now hosting all Alpine events for the 2034 games, we will once again showcase what makes this mountain special. Guests to Snowbasin have been skiing our famous downhill runs since the first games in 2002, and we are thrilled to host the world again in 2034.”
The Downhill, Super-G and combined race courses are still in place at Snowbasin. The stomach-turning courses were designed by famed Swiss Olympic champion and architect Bernhard Russi. Dropping nearly 3,000 vertical feet across two miles, the Grizzly Downhill is regarded as one of the most difficult downhills in the world, earning the nickname “Kitzbuhel of North America.” While the Wildflower Downhill drops 2,625 vertical feet and follows a similarly steep path.
We will be sure to dive into the other questions surrounding the games, especially detailing the Slopestyle and Big Air venues. There are many things that will take shape in the coming seasons. Who will the favorite riders be? How will the new X Games League and Snow League play into the selection process? Only time will tell.
Of course, now that Freeride is a FIS-sanctioned sport, incorporating an event structured similarly to the Freeride World Tour into the Olympics has actual potential. A lot can change in a decade, so to think that we’ll be a version of Marcus Goguen, 10 years old and wiser, ripping huge lines at Snowbird under the Olympic torch is incredibly exciting.
