11/21/2020
My 4 Favorite Things in Sundance, Utah
Early in his acting career, Robert Redford stumbled upon a secluded canyon while traveling through northern Utah. The intense natural beauty of North Fork Canyon quickly captured Mr. Redford’s heart and soul, and instantly fired his inspiration. The result was the Sundance Mountain Resort. The culture that he cultivated around this dream led to Sundance becoming more of an internationally recognized movement, than simply just another vacation location. As you may recognize, the Sundance name also manifests itself in the form of a film festival, an institute (dedicated to the advancement of independent film and it’s storytellers), a catalogue, a collective, and even a tv channel.
The resort itself is so much more than a world-class ski resort. It is also a premiere mountain biking destination, a haven for horseback riding, home of a mountain zip line tour, an entertainment venue, a hiker’s dream, an artistic enclave, a culinary delight, a fly-fisherman’s Mecca, as well as the birthplace of an international cinematic soirée. Personally, my wife and I love Sundance simply as the breathtaking mountain retreat that Mr. Redford envisioned it as. Well, with good food and drink, of course!
To sum this all up, Sundance is simply a place like no other. It is Robert Redford’s gift to both, humanity, and Mother Earth. He has very naturally, and cinematically, shown the path to the two’s very coexistence going forward. The true beauty of Sundance springs from Robert Redford’s desire to share his love for the mountain, while at the same time, working very diligently to preserve the health and heartbeat of the mountain. Sundance is about beauty, ecology, sustainability, artistry, community, appreciation and respect. It is simultaneously all of those things, because Sundance is life - as it should be lived.
So, narrowing down “My 4 Favorite Things” for Sundance, Utah is heavily dependent upon the time in which we arrived there. Obviously, the region’s seasons dictate what activities are available to you at any given time. Therefore, “My 4 Favorite Things” are based upon our early November retreat to Sundance. I hope you enjoy!
1. Thing to Eat: The Niman Ranch Pork Chop at the Foundry Grill. The lean, high quality pork cut is finished with farro, mushrooms, melted leeks, lemon butter, mostarda, and a blackberry garnish. A very close honorable mention goes to the bison meatloaf. If you’ve never had bison before, this dish is the place to start. Once you’ve powered through your main course, may I suggest capping off your meal with the Apple Cake topped with vanilla ice cream. Yum!!
2. Thing to Drink: “The Amaro Potente” served at the Owl Bar. The Amaro Potente is a whiskey based cocktail made with Sugar House Bourbon (found only in Utah - I believe), amaro, vermouth and bitters. This drink is uniquely balanced and will appeal to whiskey lovers, as well as cocktail aficionados. I certainly plan to attempt this drink at home. It’s made my top 5 list, and yes, I did manage to purchase a bottle of Sugar House. The Owl Bar itself is themed as an old west Saloon. Mr. Redford purchased the actual rosewood bar from a Wyoming tavern (along the Outlaw Trail) that was scheduled to be torn down. Legend has it that from this bar, drinks were served to the outlaws Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. That’s right, the real Butch and Sundance (well, and the movie versions too, I’m sure.) I recommend having cocktails in the back room close to the fireplace; or, step through the back door, and cozy up to the fire pit. Here you’ll be able to enjoy a view of the ski slopes and the mountain.
3. Thing to Do: Take the hike to Stewart Falls. You won’t be disappointed. Scenes of the Redford classic, “Jeremiah Johnson” were filmed here at Stewart Falls. This hike takes you on a path generally towards the summit of Mount Timpanogos. Don’t worry, you’ll reach the falls well before you reach the summit. Make no mistake though, this is a mountain path. Straight up, this hike was the high point (pun somewhat intended) of our Sundance getaway. The views you encounter will stay with you forever.
4. Thing to See: Mount Timpanogos. At 11,753 feet, Mount Timp (as the locals call it) towers above Provo and the North Fork Canyon that is home to Sundance. It’s massive presence can only be described as majestic and powerful. After you’ve soaked in all that the mountain has to offer, you can also take an afternoon trip up to Park City, Utah. That’s right, another great resort town that just happens to be home to High West Distillery! Hmm, I hear those wheels turning!
