Trail repairs ramp up across Park City as riders navigate spring closures

Multiple trail closures are in effect as crews prepare for spring and summer season. Photo: Mountain Trails Foundation

PARK CITY, Utah — Spring trail season has arrived early in Park City, bringing a mix of fresh maintenance projects, major construction work, and temporary trail closures across some of the area’s most popular riding routes.

Local trail crews and resort operators are urging riders and hikers to pay close attention to closures and detours as unusually dry conditions move the timeline up on both trail use and seasonal work schedules.

According to updates from Park City Mountain and local trail crews, riders should expect rolling closures and changing trail access across portions of the network as spring construction and maintenance continue.

Avalanche control tower construction near the Quicksilver Gondola is impacting sections of Mid Mountain, Armstrong, Spiro and Pinecone Ridge trails. Officials warned trail users about the possibility of rolling rocks and boulders during active construction periods.

Mid Mountain from the top of Armstrong to the top of Spiro, along with Lower Seldom Seen, are open for the holiday weekend but are scheduled to close again Tuesday, May 26 as work resumes.

Lower CMG downhill trail remains closed through June 5 due to heavy machinery activity tied to summer operations preparation.

Park City Mountain’s summer lift service is scheduled to open June 13.

Early season trail maintenance

Meanwhile, crews from the Mountain Trails Foundation are already deep into what Executive Director Lora Anthony described as an unusually early and intense maintenance season.

In the organization’s May newsletter, Anthony said this winter’s historically low snowpack caused trails to dry out nearly six weeks earlier than normal, forcing the nonprofit to hire its seasonal trail crew in early April instead of May.

“As moondust rose from March trails, we looked out upon the trail system and determined the window of time in which the soil contained moisture enough to do major trail maintenance projects had arrived,” Anthony wrote.

The early start came with added costs but allowed crews to tackle major projects before summer heat dries out the soil further and limits construction opportunities.

Current projects include work on Pulp Friction, Big Easy, Hall Pass/Seldom Seen, and the Slate Creek trail system near Mirror Lake Highway. Construction is also restarting on the Silver Queen/Loose Moose extension after dry conditions stalled progress last summer.

Mountain Trails trail manager Emil Harry said spring is traditionally one of the busiest times of year for trail crews, as they race to clear winter damage before peak trail season begins.

“Winter’s downed trees must be removed with haste, tread damage from runoff and compaction must be remediated, and crews trained in proper technique,” Harry wrote in a seasonal update.

Recent trail work updates from Mountain Trails announced that Pulp Friction has officially reopened after maintenance work, while adaptive-friendly drainage improvements were completed on Coyote and Porcuclimb following feedback from adaptive riders.

Crews also completed new drainage and berm improvements on White Fir and Ponderosa, though officials cautioned some new trail features may still be soft.

Despite the dry conditions, Mountain Trails officials said many higher elevation trails are already riding well.

Trail users are encouraged to obey all posted closures and detour signage as construction and maintenance continue throughout the spring season.