As the “hit-and-run ski crash” case between Gwyneth Paltrow and Terry Sanderson continues, all eyes have been focused on the luxury Utah ski resort at the scene of the alleged collision.
The Goop CEO has been accused by retired optometrist Terry Sanderson of crashing into him on the slopes at the high-end Deer Valley Resort near Park City, Utah, in February 2016. Sanderson claims he was left with permanent traumatic brain injury and is seeking $300,000 in compensation for the injuries he sustained. The actor has filed a countersuit for just $1.
Deer Valley Resort sits just 40 miles outside Salt Lake City, Utah. Since before the alleged incident occurred, the ski resort has been known for its picturesque views, upscale atmosphere, and luxury amenities. Deer Valley Resort has also been named one of the most expensive ski resorts in the country.
A 2021 study by HomeToGo found that guests on average spend $515.28 per person per night at Deer Valley Resort, with accommodations costing an average of $286.28 per person plus a $229 lift ticket. Although a December 2022 survey by TravelMag ranked Deer Valley 12th out of the most expensive ski resorts in North America, it still found the average cost of lodging and ski lift tickets for two people sharing a room at the ski resort to be $2,456. In 2019, Deer Valley was also named the most expensive ski resort by CheapHotels.org, with the most affordable room averaging $543 per night.
The Deer Valley Resort first opened in 1981, after founders Edgar and Polly Stern purchased what is now Park City Mountain 10 years prior, along with the land that would later become Deer Valley. It opened with five chairlifts, 35 ski runs, and two day lodges, but expanded over the next 38 years to 21 chairlifts, 103 runs, and 2,026 acres of skiable terrain. In 2017, the resort was sold to the Alterra Mountain Company, a group controlled by affiliates of KSL Capital Partners and Henry Crown and Company.
Deer Valley’s luxury accommodations range from hotels to private homes located on the mountain. The least expensive option is The Lodges, located at the base area of Snow Park, with accommodations ranging from classic hotel rooms to three-bedroom condominiums with outdoor decks. There, hotel rooms with one bed can cost just under $300 a night.
At the family-friendly Silver Baron Lodge, where a three-bedroom condominium is priced at almost $1,000 a night, guests can take advantage of the heated outdoor pool with a water slide, yoga classes, and massage treatments.
Meanwhile, one of the most expensive lodging is the Stag Lodge with easy ski-in-ski-out access to the slopes. A seven-bedroom stay at the Stag Lodge starts at $4,263 per night. Each residence comes fully equipped with a kitchen, fireplace, and a private deck. Additional amenities include a year-round outdoor heated pool and a guest-only restaurant. In fact, all of the lodges at Deer Valley contain dining options, including the Mariposa at Silver Lake Lodge, which was rated the number one restaurant in Utah.
The jaw-dropping price tags at Deer Valley aren’t just limited to its lodging. Skiing at the luxury resort also comes at a cost. Deer Valley offers a ski school for children as well as private ski lessons, for which Paltrow paid nearly $9,000 for each of her kids’ instructors on the day of the collision, her attorneys said.
The lifestyle guru isn’t the only celebrity to ski the slopes at Deer Valley Resort. Actors Tony Danza, Lisa Kudrow, and former president Bill Clinton and his family have all frequented the luxury ski resort. A number of sporting events, such as freestyle skiing, aerials, and alpine skiing, were held at Deer Valley during the 2002 Winter Olympics.
The highly-publicised trial between Paltrow and the retired optometrist comes to a close this week as the jury in the 2016 ski crash collision will prepare to hear closing arguments. On Thursday, each side will have roughly one hour to give the jury their closing arguments.
Although the trial will soon be over, rest assured the alleged ski collision case will go down in history for its bizarre moments, impeccable fashion, and memorable quotes.
The Independent has contacted Deer Valley Resort for comment.
