Upgrading Park City Mountain?

After a failed attempt a few years ago to upgrade its 6-pack SilverLode lift into an 8 passenger chair, and replacing the Eagle/Eaglet fixed grip lifts by a 6-pack detachable, Park City Mountain (PCM) is returning to the Park City council for an authorization, emphasizing that these improvement won’t increase vehicular traffic in town. 

It’s true that with the terrible snow season we just had, Park City needs all the help it can get to make up for its low altitude in view of continuing climate warming. Given the extremely poor snow season we just experienced and the resort’s relatively low elevation, which makes it more vulnerable to ongoing climate warming (the woolly Mammoth in the room) —Park City needs every operational advantage it can get. Hopefully, the City will at approve the Eagle upgrade. 

The most urgent need is to increase morning uphill capacity so skiers can access the mountain quickly, without long lines. Failing to address this continues to hurt the Park City brand, especially if we put in the mix the number of outdated lifts still in operation. A faster, higher‑capacity Eagle lift connecting the base to the top of King Con would significantly address the morning bottleneck. 

However, the proposed upgrade of Silverlode to an 8‑pack won’t be enough to resolve the crowding at the base of that lift. Unlike its predecessors, PCM has developed a habit of frequently slowing or stropping its chairlifts, which significantly reduces their nominal capacity. Adding two more seats per chair may lead to even more stoppages, offsetting much of the theoretical 33% capacity increase. This won’t make the difference needed to resolve the current long lines and massive overcrowding at the base of Silverlode.

Instead, I return to a proposal I’ve advocated since this discussion began: Lower the base terminal of Motherlode down the Thaynes drainage to roughly 7,500 feet. This would allow a ski cut-off to be created from the top of Broadway, wrapping around and below Miner’s Camp, descending directly into the new Motherlode loading area. 

The cherry on the cake would be to extend the top terminal by moving it to the edge of Puma Ridge, near the timberline below Jupiter Peak, at up to 9,500 feet. This would open a much easier access to the entire Jupiter area, including Puma Bowl, Pioneer and McConkey lifts, and any terrain currently served by Motherlode. 

Many skiers coming from the upgraded Eagle lift would have the option to ski into Broadway and then turn left toward the new Motherlode cut-off, reducing pressure on both Silverlode and King Con. Removing Motherlode’s top station from the congested Summit area would also reduce crowding there. A redesigned Motherlode would offer roughly 2,000 vertical feet of skiing and distribute skiers more effectively across the entire Park City side of the resort. 

Even those skiing the bowl from the top of the Quicksilver Gondola could directly access Motherlode without having to reach King Con. This could reduce or eliminate the need for the aging Thaynes double chair. In addition, the current Motherlode 4‑pack could be relocated to Jupiter, with its base lowered near the Thaynes mine shaft, improving access and spreading skiers into currently underutilized terrain. 

Overall, this approach would improve circulation, reduce congestion, and make far better use of existing terrain than simply upgrading Silverlode to an 8‑pack.

The end of a forgettable ski season

Last Friday was for me the end of the most forgettable ski season in my entire life. The good snow never really came and for the first time ever, I had to literally force myself to go out and hit the slopes. My skis got regularly ruined so I had to work many times to fix them, and except for two or three good times, skiing was just terrible.

The times I skied (58) and the quantity of ski I logged 662,611 vertical feet (201 294 vertical meters) was similar to what I did 25 years ago when I was still working and a quarter of what I achieved 3 years ago (admittedly, I’m older, but still) ...

This is not to say that I didn’t try hard. I did my very best to ski the best I could in conditions that were the worst ever, but over me and inside my head, I couldn’t remove the specter that this season was a sample of the shape of things to come in a changing world of warming climate. 

That is, as I like to say, “The woolly Mammoth in the room” that no one wants to even acknowledge and hear about, shrugging one bad season off and forcing themselves to believe that next year will be much better. Oh, how much do I wish these folks were right!

Don’t worry, be happy! (Part Four)

Since I was born and grew up in France, I’d be remiss not to include my native country into that analysis. In France, this kind of review is based on a combination of statistical data from INSEE and satisfaction surveys. For 2025–2026, a clear distinction is observed between departments offering a "healthy" living environment and those offering the highest levels of overall satisfaction. 

If we look at the “Top Regions” (Those standing at the top of the "Happiness Podium"), recent rankings often place coastal and mountain regions at the forefront, driven by a balance between the natural environment and access to services. These regions include Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur that emerges as the leader for perceived happiness in 2025. It benefits from high satisfaction rates regarding transportation and—naturally—sunshine. 

Then there are Pays de la Loire and Brittany, these two regions dominating the overall satisfaction indicators. They are highly appreciated for their balance of air quality, and the vibrancy of cities like Angers—regularly voted the most pleasant city in France, just before Annecy, in Haute-Savoie. 

The Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes follows as it’s the benchmark region for health and active living. It combines state-of-the-art medical infrastructure (in Lyon and Grenoble) with unparalleled access to outdoor recreational activities. Below, the analysis of “Happiness” by region in France is broken down by one’s priorities, namely health, safety, or vibrancy. There is also a satisfaction criteria survey in 2026 based on studies by OpinionWay/Ipsos in 2026.

Those are priorities French folks use to define a "happy" area. These include Quality of Life (82%) with factors like pollution, green spaces, and climate. Safety & Security (73%), an important measure rising in importance when selecting a place of residence. Health (56%) based on easy and rapid access to medical doctors and hospital facilities. 

In conclusion, we’ll mention France’s Parisian Paradox, the Île-de-France region—and Seine-Saint-Denis in particular, that often records the lowest satisfaction levels, despite having higher average incomes. Housing costs, commuting times, and a lack of proximity to nature weigh heavily on the perceived happiness index of residents in the capital region. 

Conversely, rural departments such as Cantal (15) or Lozère (48)—though less well-equipped in terms of transport infrastructure, post high satisfaction scores, thanks to a strong sense of security and the quality of social relationships. Knowing what I learned about France, I think I’ll stay put in Park City!

Don’t worry, be happy! (Part Three)

Like we’ve seen it for the entire world, we’ll try today to apply that same "macro" lens to the "micro" level of our 50 United States. In fact, organizations like Gallup and the Sustainable Development Solutions Network do this yearly. When we break down the US using those same six pillars—Wealth, Support, Health, Freedom, Generosity, and Trust—the "United" States starts to look like a collection of very different countries. 

Here is how that extrapolation would look across the US. First, there’s the "Healthy Life Expectancy" divide in which the Mountain West (Utah, Colorado) and New England (Vermont, Massachusetts) would consistently take the top spots. This comes from the "Active" Effect: High-altitude states with strong outdoor cultures (like those with major ski industries) show significantly higher healthy life expectancy. 

These regions benefit from a "virtuous cycle" where climate and environment encourages physical activity, which in turn boosts mental well-being. In contrast, the "Stroke Belt" (so-called because of its higher stroke mortality rates) in the Southeast often scores lower on this pillar, not just due to healthcare access, but because of systemic dietary and lifestyle factors. 

Then there’s the social support region where "Community wins over Anonymity", where the Midwest and the Intermountain West (Nevada, Utah, and Idaho) often outshine the coastal powerhouses. States with high civic engagement and religious or community-based networks (think Utah, Minnesota, or Nebraska) score remarkably high on "having someone to count on." 

On the other side, high-GDP states like New York or California often suffer from "social fragmentation." People move there for work, leaving their support networks behind, which lowers their overall "Happiness Score" despite higher salaries. Another regional trait is driven by freedom to make life choices. In the American context, this pillar is often a battle between Economic Freedom and Personal Freedom. 

We’re currently seeing a massive internal migration driven by this pillar. Some move to states like Texas or Florida for "Economic Freedom" (lower taxes, fewer regulations), while others move to states like Oregon or Washington for "Personal/Social Freedom" (environmental policies, social liberties). This is where the rankings become most "arbitrary." 

If the "Happiness Index" weights "Low Taxes" heavily, Texas wins. If it weighs "Public Services" heavily, Vermont wins. Now, there are the outliers. If we follow the World Population Review's metric for generosity (charitable giving and volunteering), the "Hit Parade" looks very different from the "Wealth" list. Wealthiest states (Connecticut, Maryland) are not always the most generous. Utah consistently ranks #1 in the US for both volunteering and charitable giving as a percentage of income.

This metric is highly meaningful because it measures "Social Cohesion." A state where people give their time and money to neighbors is generally more resilient to economic shocks. Finally, there is the perception of Corruption (Are we trusting our institutions?) This is perhaps the most "meaningless" pillar at the state level because it is so heavily influenced by the news cycle. 

States with long-standing political "machines" (like Illinois or New Jersey) often score low on trust. On the opposite side, there’s the "Small State" advantage in smaller, more homogeneous states (like New Hampshire or Wyoming), they tend to have higher trust scores because the government feels "closer" to the people. When I review this, I realize that Utah isn’t so bad! 

Tomorrow, we’ll explore France, just like we just did for the US...

Don’t worry, be happy! (Part Two)

After introducing the concept of happiness as presented by the World Population Review, here is the report. A pragmatic person could see it as a good indicator if looking for a better spot in which to spend the rest of their life. 

If we want the best, we need to look at Northern European countries that dominate the top of this 2025 happiness rankings, reflecting strong social support systems and high standards of living. Finland is ranked as the happiest country in the world in 2024, with Denmark and Iceland following closely behind.

The least happy country in the world for 2024 was Afghanistan, whose 143rd and last place ranking can be attributed in part to a low life expectancy rate, low gross domestic product rates per capita, and perhaps most importantly, the recent Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. Rounding out the bottom five are Lebanon, Lesotho, Sierra Leone, and Democratic Republic of Congo. 

If you live in another country, like me in the US, we can see how happy our countrymen are and how much room is left for progress! Happiness rankings are determined by analyzing comprehensive Gallup polling data from close to 150 countries in six particular categories: gross domestic product per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom to make one’s own life choices, generosity of the general population, and perceptions of internal and external corruption levels. 

I don’t recommend going to Afghanistan, but Finland is okay. How’s your Finnish and have you packed up your suitcases yet?

Don’t worry, be happy! (Part One)

You certainly remember the song and you’ll agree with me that happiness is a very important yardstick in measuring our human condition. Organizations like the world population review try to establish a yearly hit parade. Is its definition of happiness valid and is it something meaningful or arbitrary? 

The World Population Review typically aggregates data from the World Happiness Report (published by the UN). While these rankings are statistically rigorous, whether they are "valid" depends entirely on how we define happiness. To a philosopher, they might seem arbitrary; to an economist, they are a vital metric of societal health. Here is the breakdown of the "validity" of the hit parade.

This type of study is more "Evaluative" than it is "Affective". It doesn’t measure how much people smile or laugh, instead it uses the Cantril Ladder. It works like this by asking a question, "On a ladder (or scale) from 0 to 10, where 10 is the best possible life for you and 0 is the worst, where do you stand?" It’s evaluative (Life Satisfaction), and measures how happy one is about their life upon reflection. 

Conversely, it often ignores Affective Happiness (Day-to-day Joy). You could have a "10" on the ladder because you are wealthy, safe, and healthy, yet still feel bored or lonely on a Tuesday afternoon. Still the report is highly meaningful because it identifies the six pillars that correlate with a stable, thriving society: 

• GDP per capita (Financial security) Social support (Having someone to count on) 
• Healthy life expectancy 
• Freedom to make life choices 
• Generosity (Donating to charity/volunteering) 
• Perceptions of corruption 

For governments, it’s a "valid" dashboard. It tells them that if trust in institutions (corruption) drops, the citizens' sense of well-being will plummet, even if the economy is booming. This is why the Nordic countries (Finland, Denmark) consistently win: they have "high-floor" societies where the fear of falling into poverty or illness is almost non-existent. 

The next question is whether such a report is arbitrary (based on cultural bias). From a Western culture viewpoint, the metrics prioritize our values like individual "freedom of choice" and "wealth. On the other hand, many Eastern or indigenous cultures define happiness as equanimity, harmony, or the absence of conflict, rather than the "pursuit" of a high-rung life. 

A person in a communal culture might feel "happy" through duty and sacrifice—things the Cantril Ladder isn't designed to capture. Then there’s what’s called the "U-Curve" of Age. For instance, at 78 and 74, me and my wife are statistically in the "happiness peak." 

Research shows that happiness tends to follow a U-curve: it’s high in youth, hits a rock-bottom "mid-life crisis" in the 40s, and then climbs steadily after 60 as we shed the stress of "becoming" and embrace the peace of "being." As a result, this is valid as a measure of "Human Flourishing," but it is arbitrary as a measure of "Human Emotion." If you look at the top of the list, you find the most secure countries. 

If you looked for the most passionate or joyful countries, you might see Latin American or African nations jump to the top, despite their lower GDP or higher corruption. Tomorrow, we’ll go over the real numbers... 

Skiing north of Hell…

In the past couple of days, I made a distinct effort to go skiing to really see how the conditions were like at Park City Mountain. On Sunday, I skied the Park City side and had some good runs around the Thaynes chairlift, and on Monday decided to check out the Canyons side and was disappointed when I realized that Ninety-nine-90 had just been shut down for avalanche danger. 

Disappointed I returned home, skiing to some of the worst slush snow ever experienced. This was almost hell, that’s why I called this episode “Slightly north of hell!” Frankly, I feel terrible for our visitors that had to ski in such terrible conditions. I looked at the Ski Utah calendar and saw that Park City was still planning to stay open for skiing until April 20, just to beat its Deer Valley neighbor by one day (it plans to shut down on April 19).

The best I can guess is that skiing will be on virtual snow (at least in Park City, that spreads the artificial white stuff as thin as it can to save money!) I also noticed that Snowbasin, out of respect for its ski patrons, already closed on April 22. 

On my last chair ride that day, I chatted with an older Indian gentleman who, based on the current conditions, thought that he wasn’t seeing much more than 5 more years of skiing in Park City, adding that “When the earth will be doomed, there will be voices saying that it took only 2,000 years for the human specie to destroy the planet… What a shame!”