Park City in the summer is still very much a winter playground. Wheeled bobsleds clatter down bone-rattling runs, aerial freestylers boot it off of plastic ramps and into a handy swimming pool. It's a ski town, sure, but there's still plenty to do in summer. Utah Olympic Park, the site of 14 events during the 2002 Winter Games, serves as an athletic training ground that doubles as a fantasy camp for flatlanders and wannabe Olympians. Real Olympians come to hone their skills while the weekend warriors come to try their hand at sports like bobsled and luge.

It was Silver, not Olympic gold, that drew the first explorers to Park City, arriving in droves during the 1800s. They came for the silver in the nearby Wasatch mountain range, but ask a local why they live in "PC" and they'll tell you: "I came for the winters, but stayed for the summers."

Summers are beguiling in this mining-town-turned-ski resort, recognized by the world after the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. Daytime temperatures hover around 85 degrees, with nights a cool 40 to 50 degrees. Afternoon rains are perfect for washing the dust off the deep green aspens and pines. Everyone who lives in Park City seems to glow with the healthy buzz of outdoor recreational enthusiasm. Local mountains cry out to be climbed - and appraised for winter skiing possibilities.

PC is an easy 30-minute drive east on I-80 from the Salt Lake International Airport. Take the Park City exit and follow the signs on Hwy 224 to Old Town (Main Street). The outlet mall, fast food chains, Petco, and urban housing developments belie the rustic ambiance of inner Park City.

As you approach Park City Mountain Resort, modern convenience gives way to narrow roads and multi-colored, renovated miners' shacks. First, you'll pass Park City's premier skateboard park located in City Park. It operates every day from 9 a.m. until dusk. It is the largest outdoor, concrete facility in Utah.

This medium-sized resort plays host to an array of activities missed during winter. There's hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing, boating, golf, music, dining, and more. More than 325 miles of trails peppered on, and between, Park City Mountain Resort, Deer Valley, and The Canyons ski resorts.

Deer Valley Overview

Experience the thrill of mountain biking on more than 50 miles of panoramic trails at Deer Valley. Enjoy riding downhill and catch the lift again or explore the mountain on arterial routes. "Hard-core" riders looking for a workout can take the "Summer Road" and bypass the uphill lift assist. Enjoy spectacular mountain scenery from a comfortable, padded chairlift to the top and explore many hiking trails or simply reboard the chairlift and descend.

Deer Valley's lift-served mountain biking and hiking season begins mid-June and continues through Labor Day, Wednesdays through Sundays and holidays (conditions permitting). Mountain biking is offered weekends only from Labor Day through September (conditions permitting).

Park City Mountain Resort Overview

Park City Mountain Resort converts into a playground of adventure for young and old with their Alpine Slide. The summertime toboggan-on-wheels tips the scales on the wahoo factor. All four lanes open Memorial Day weekend, after which the schedule is extended for daily operations. Take a lift to the top of the mountain and bike or hike back down an extensive network of single- and double-tracked trails. You can also race friends on the four-line zipline or rent a Mountain Sled, motorized go-carts which begin their descent from 8,178 feet to the resort base.

The larger-than-life Human Maze adjacent to the Resort Plaza, the Legacy Launcher, a circus-style trampoline that has the added feature of bungee-assisted control, a climbing wall, and The Little Miner's Park make PCMR a great playtime source for kids of all ages.

The Canyons Overview

Ride the gondola to an alpine paradise at 8,000 feet. Lift-served mountain biking, hiking, and a horseback ride/lunch at the

Lookout Cafe (Red Pine Lodge) allows all ages and ability levels the opportunity to explore the wilderness at The Canyons. Hiking trails summit the Ninety-Nine 90 peak, Tombstone peak and the High Meadows area. Each hike affords spectacular views of The Canyons and surrounding Park City area.

Guided tours for hot air ballooning, fly-fishing, kayaking, canoeing can be booked through the Adventures Desk at the Grand Summit Resort (435-649-9619.) Also, the Farmer's Market opens on Wednesday afternoons in The Canyons' main parking lot and live concerts happen in the forum every weekend.