The 2022 Intermountain Healthcare FIS Freestyle Ski World Cup returns to Deer Valley for a 24th year January 12-14, 2022. Over the course of three days, the best mogul and aerial skiers will compete at the venue which hosted the Winter Olympic Games two decades ago in 2002. It is not a superlative to say these are hallowed grounds in the freestyle skiing world: Deer Valley hosted the 2003, 2011 and 2019 World Championships, plus 19 World Cups. This year’s World Cup is timed a few weeks prior to the Olympics and should get both athletes and spectators excited for the Games.

Skiing is one of the few sports where you can lay turns down the same runs as the pros – albeit not during the competition – but something fun to keep in mind later in the season when Champion is available to ski.

What’s New

This year’s World Cup will take place during daylight hours! The resort will be open during this time, and there a few ways to get up to the venue. Guests can walk up via the designated path from Snow Park. Alternatively,  spectators can take the three conveyor lifts up to the Snowflake chairlift, then walk up from there. Neither should take more than ten to fifteen minutes.

Competition Details

Aerials take place on Jan 12

Moguls take place on Jan 13, and 14

The mogul competition will be on Champion – a short walk or quick lift ride up from Snow Park. Newcomers to this event often marvel that the skiers compete side-by-side, skiing and launching into the air simultaneously, just a few dozen feet apart. It’s exhilarating to watch in person!

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The aerials are on White Owl – lookers right of the mogul course, not that you can miss the multi-story pair of kickers skiers will use to defy gravity.  Competitors launch up to 40 feet in the air off these ramps, flipping and twisting as many as four times before landing on the hill below.

Spectators can enjoy these events free of charge.

All events will be available to watch on TV, or via streaming, on NBC, CNBC, and Peacock. Some events are aired live, while others will be aired on a delay.

The viewing schedule is available here: Deer Valley World Cup TV Schedule

Two Cheers for the Locals

We’ll be rooting for mogul skiers Nick Page and Brad Wilson.

Page has been skiing Deer Valley since he was a “Bambi” in the ski school program, beginning at age two. Dialing in his tricks with the Wasatch Freestyle program landed him the opportunity to compete in the Deer Valley World Cup twice before. Learning to ski moguls on the same run (Champion) as the event is held on is a nice hometown advantage. Keep an eye out for other “Mogul Masters” skiing in jackets with Wasatch Freestyle across the back – they just might be the next big thing in skiing.

Hailing from Montana, Wilson is no stranger to Deer Valley – or the podium. This two-time Olympian and World Champion Silver medalist also has claimed five US Championship titles. He has the skills to land another title in 2022 at Deer Valley and as one of only three skiers to land a Cork 1440 in competition, Wilson is one to keep your eyes on.

Spectator Tips

Seeing professional athletes compete in person is a treat in any sport. While watching on the big screen at home is great, the camera doesn’t always do justice for the speed and skill these athletes possess.

Veteran spectators stay warm and comfortable in a few simple ways:

• Dress in layers. Usually, an extra layer or two more than your typical ski day is a wise choice. A puffy coat and an extra set of long johns/leggings go a long way in retaining body heat.
• Hands, Feet, Head. Fingers and toes are the first body parts to get cold, so save precious calories by keeping hands and feet warm in good boots, gloves, as well as heat packs. A winter knit hat is essential as well since most body heat is lost through your head.
• Hot tea or cocoa. Load up a thermos with a warm beverage to keep the cold at bay.
• Taking a few runs in between rounds is another great way to stay warm. Big Stick and Solid Muldoon are two intermediate runs ideal for quick laps that deposit skiers back near the viewing area.

Eat. Drink. Stay.

The other obvious way to stay warm is to head indoors during a break in the action. Snow Park Lodge is open, with several great dining options – including the new Fresh Tracks Kitchen, which is open until 6 PM for aprés nosh and drinks. Plus, Grab and Go options from Deer Valley, Etc. including sandwiches and snacks, as well as hot coffee and cocoa (poured into a thermos that fits in your coat) is a convenient way to stay warm and hydrated on the way up to the venue. Find out more about these new options, including how to order in via the Deer Valley app, on this blog post.

If time allows in between events, or after the competition has ended, there are multiple dinner choices in the Snow Park area, as well as Silver Lake. Our favorite: Mariposa (in Silver Lake Lodge, reservations are required)

For walk-in and take-away dinner options, check out The Brass Tag, located at The Lodges at Deer Valley: think pizzas, pastas as well as steaks. The property is just past the parking lots and is a perfect basecamp for those planning to spend a few nights at the resort.

Originally written by Nick and Laura Como for Deer Valley Resort.