Last winter I was riding a chairlift with Heidi Voelker, former U.S. Ski Team three time Olympian and now Deer Valley Ambassador of Skiing. and we were talking about Park City skiing. Like me, Heidi was raised in the northeast, and when I asked her what brought her to make her home in Park City she said, "I came for the winter and skiing, but the summers kept me."

This seems to be the reason a lot of transplant "Parkites" put down their roots and stash their ski boots here year round. So when I had the opportunity to visit Park City in the summer I didn't need anybody to twist my arm except my wife who wanted to come along - Park City is a great family or romantic place to visit.

From hiking and mountain biking at the ski resorts, the Olympic Park, the USSA Center for Excellence, slides and rides, swimming, fishing, and boating at nearby state parks, the Farmer's Market at the Canyons, concerts, and shopping, to the Park Silly Market which takes place every Sunday on downtown on Main Street, with music, entertainment, activities for kids, and an open-air market, there is something for everyone at Park City.

Read what Park City is like in the good ol' summer time.

Summer in Park City: Deer Valley | The Canyons | Park City Mountain Resort | Backcountry Day Trip Over Guardsman Pass

I recently visited Park City, Utah, to experience some of the summer events and activities at this family ski destination hub. While I was in town I was able to get a preview tour of the USSA Center of Excellence in its full operational mode.

All skiing and snowboarding fans who come to the dedication and open house on July 17th will be escorted on a tour of the facilities. Attendees to the ceremonies will receive an added bonus - you can meet and greet our athletes during an afternoon autograph session.

The 85,000 sq. ft. Center of Excellence, home for the USSA's top athletes, is a world-class training and education facility that will benefit the over 400 clubs of developing athletes affiliated with the USSA.

The Center opened its doors to the nation's top ski and snowboarding athletes in May and those athletes working out while I was there were definitely enjoying themselves. While the facility is open and airy with live rock music piped in, this is still the place for hard core, although highly individualized, workout routines.

If you can make it to the open house, you will see the Sports Science Center where data of every aspect of an athletes workouts are collected and analyzed. This analysis develops a base training routine for Marco Sullivan, based on strengths and weaknesses, that will differ from a base training routine for Ted Ligety, yet bring both athletes to top of their game.

The Sports Medicine department provides state-of-the-art equipment for injured athletes to work back to 100% under the watchful eyes of specially trained and certified physical therapist and physicians.

There is even a full scale kitchen where sports nutritionists teach these young athletes how to prepare healthy meals. This is most helpful especially when out on the racing circuit, where a foreign delicacy may be just the thing to kick off intestinal difficulties the night before a World Cup race.

What will really catch your eye is a unique "ramps and tramps" area. There is an actual skateboarding bowl and ramps to practice snowboarding and freestyle tricks, and even a ski and snowboardcross starting gate and ramp. While I was there the two bungee trampolines for high flying aerial training were getting a workout.

The dedication ceremony will take place outside the Center of Excellence from 12:00-12:30 p.m. Public tours of the Center will follow from 12:30-3:00 p.m. Car pooling is encouraged. Detailed information is available here.

You can see a lot of the Center of Excellence in a few of the USSA photo galleries. I didn't think to ask if a virtual tour of the facility may be in the works - nice idea though. Why don't you ask USSA President and CEO Bill Marolt about it on July 17th?

_{Center of Excellence training area © Mike Doyle}

Even though it's summer, not many people have all day, or every day, to get outside for a full day of exercise activities. That's especially true with all the rain we're getting in some parts of the country.

Hiking and biking can take up much of a summer day, but, you can do a gym workout in a short time before or after work, or even on a lunch break.

It doesn’t take a lot of strength training to work off extra calories, add some ski muscle, and tone little used skiing muscles. To cool off and stay in skiing shape try to hit the air conditioned gym a couple of times a week.

• Strength Training for Better Skiing
• Hiking To Keep Your Ski Muscles Strong
• Skiing and Biking

_{Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images© Getty Images}

The votes are in and the U. S. Olympic Committee (USOC) has announced that U.S. Ski Team's, three time Olympian Picabo Street, four time Paralympian Sarah Will, and skiing legend Andrea Mead Lawrence will be members of the Class of 2009, the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame presented by Allstate.

"Andrea, Picabo and Sarah are three of the greatest ski racers of all time," said USSA President and CEO Bill Marolt. "Their accomplishments as athletes have inspired generations of aspiring Olympians. It is a great honor for them, as well as for our sport, to be recognized in the Olympic Hall of Fame."

Nominees for the Class of 2009 were selected by a seven-person nominating committee consisting of Olympians, members of the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame, an NGB executive director, and a USOC representative.

As I announced here fan votes could be submitted at www.teamusa.org. Fan votes numbered more than 112,000 votes cast during the voting period and played an important role in the selection process. In fact, the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame is the only national sports hall of fame that uses fan voting as part of its selection process.

Andrea Mead Lawrence will be inducted through the veteran category. Andrea skied at three Olympic Winter Games, including the 1952 Oslo Games where she won gold medals in slalom and giant slalom.

The U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame Class of 2009 will be formally introduced and honored August 12 at a banquet-style induction ceremony at McCormick Place in Chicago. The induction ceremony will air in a nationally-televised broadcast on NBC on September 5 at 2:00 p.m. ET.

Everyone who took the time to cast your votes for Picabo and Sarah can pat yourself on the back and take great pride in getting two great athletes recognized forever in the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame.

_{Picabo Street photo © Mike Powell/Getty Images}

In my Father's Day Trip To Ski Country blog post I said "...surprise him with a nice card with airline tickets and hotel reservations for a summer weekend at a neat destination resort. No hint intended to my loving children." Guess what? I'm in Park City, Utah.

After a late evening arrival into Salt Lake City International Airport less than an hours drive put me in Park City, Utah and a good night sleeping in clean mountain air. I've got three days and four nights to experience as much as I can of all that Park City offers for a family summer ski area vacation.

As a ski resort hub Park City is center to three world class ski areas, all within a short bus ride of each other. So with all the summer activities at Deer Valley, The Canyons, and Park City Mountain Resort there is certainly a lot to do and see.

From Park City street level you can see patches of snow up on the mountain tops and one of the first things I wanted to do was find some snow up close and personal.

My first bluebird sunny morning found me riding a few lifts at Deer Valley, hiking a bit when, as you can see, I found a lingering snowpile on 9400' Bald Mountain. If you remember I was digging my toes in Florida sand about 3 weeks back and 9,400' lower, so hiking here can be a tad tiring.

It only takes a day or two to adjust to the elevation and hiking and mountain biking are very popular all around Park City but still a morning of either can make an afternoon lounge by the pool very welcome.

There are a lot more activities and events to fill days and evenings during summer ski destination resort vacations and I'll be telling you more about what Park City has to offer.

Oh, and thanks again, kids, for searching out a great summer vacation package in ski country. As always, I'll bring you all a t-shirt.

More: Park City, Utah

_{Photo Copyright Mike Doyle}

Bike riding and hiking are great ways to keep fit for skiing during the summer and fall. Both get you in the great outdoors and both are relatively inexpensive activities, although you can spend a lot of money on both if you really get into it. If you like to hike just put one foot in front of the other and head out - just be prepared if you head into wilderness areas.

Generally, bicycle riding is either road biking or mountain biking, with mountain biking being the most challenging. Mountain biking is done on mountain trails and terrain where there are no trails. Many ski areas around the country offer mountain bike access and rentals.

For general fitness purposes I ride only on roads and smooth, maintained trails. Even if you live in the flatlands and travel long distances to ski country you can keep in top ski condition by adding road biking to your exercise routine.

Does some hard biking really work for skiing? After his near career ending accident, Hermann Maier spent six to eight hours a day on a stationary bike for rehab. For now, during the summer, concentrate on riding outdoors. Here are some techniques and tips for safe and effective biking and hiking.

_{Bike to Work Day Copyright Justin Sullivan/Getty Images}

When you are looking for things to do this summer, don’t forget your favorite ski resort. Many resorts offer four season activities and the support we give our local and favorite destination resorts in the off-season can only help the area expand and improve winter facilities. Here are this week’s featured resorts and a little of what’s happening on the mountains:

Northeast

• Smugglers' Notch Resort, VT - Summer at Smugglers' Notch Resort in the heart of Vermont's Green Mountains features 8 pools and 4 waterslides, daily, guided mountain hikes and walks, and a wide choice of children's programs for all ages. Customize your family vacation with individual programs on the FamilyFest Vacation Package.

• Holiday Valley Ski Resort, NY - Home to one of Western New York’s finest golf courses, Holiday Valley's summer also features the Sunrise Massage and Spa Services, the International Bowhunters Championship, and trails for hiking and mountain biking. Facilities are also available for weddings and banquets.

Mid-Atlantic

• Shawnee Mountain Ski Area, PA - Enjoy the many Festivals and Events all summer at Shawnee Mountain in the Poconos. Mark your calendar -this year at Shawnee the Shawnee Celtic Festival is on June 27th and 28th!
• Wisp Resort Ski Area, MD - Summer at Wisp Resort offers activities including golf, watersports, mountain biking, horseback riding, and children's programs. Wisp's calendar of summer events includes the return of Sushi Night every Wednesday - noon until 10pm.

Midwest

• Frost Fire, ND - If you're in the North Dakota Pembina River Gorge area this summer be sure to catch the Summer Theatre presentation at Frost Fire Ski Area. This summer's production is Fiddler On The Roof, an international smash hit musical. Performances are at the resort's covered amphitheater, Sunday, Wednesday, and Saturday, through August 2nd.

• Lutsen Mountains, MN - Sawtooth Mountain Park at Lutsen Mountains offers activities for everyone. hiking trails, the Alpine Slide and the Mountain Tram each provide a different approach to enjoying summer in the mountains.

Rockies

• Grand Targhee, WY - Summer time at Grand Targhee is mountain living at its best, activities include mountain biking, hiking and music in the open air. Among the music festivals for 2009 is the 5th Annual Targhee Fest, July 17 -19 featuring The Wallflowers and the 22st Annual Bluegrass Festival, August 21 - 23.

• Sundance Resort, UT - Summer activities at Sundance vary from a moonlight chairlift ride to 10 miles of alpine hiking trails, an additional 25+ miles of lift served single track biking trails and horseback riding in some of the most beautiful mountains in the world.

Far West

• Brundage Mountain Resort, ID - Summer at Brundage Mountain is a hub of activities including lift-served mountain biking, whitewater rafting on the Salmon River, and the 18th annual Brundage Mountain Bike Festival - July 11 - 12. Brundage Mountain also provides the perfect environment and facilities for a company picnic, family reunion, or elegant wedding.

• Mammoth Mountain, CA - This summer at Mammoth Mountain visit the Bike Park - 70 plus miles of dirt single-track descending 3000'. Play a round at Sierra Star Golf Course, the highest course in California. Also on the event calendar is the August 14 -16 Mammoth Festival featuring live music, wine tasting, regional fare and local artist expo.

More:
Summer Ski Resort Activities 6/14
Summer Ski Resort Activities 6/4
Summer Ski Resort Activities

_{Smuggler's Notch in summer © Smuggler's Notch Resort}

Michele Fait, friend, and climbing and skiing partner of Swedish professional "ski adventurer" Fredrik Ericsson has died from a fall while skiing on K2.

Reports out of Pakistan are that Michele and Fredrik were on a second day of acclimating and skiing the lower environs of of K2 from Camp 2 back to base camp on the SSE spur (Cesen route) when Michele fell at about 6400m. His skis slipped on ice and then he hit rocks, falling 1000 meters.

Vinicio Stefanello, PlanetMountain.com, writes In Memory of Michele Fait: "Michele was a good man and he had a dream. A dream which he desired intensely. Skiing down K2 with his skis was what he desired most, even if he knew it was an absolute achievement, an extremely difficult and aleatory world first."

Lindsey Vonn, Ted Ligety, and Julia Mancuso lead a talent filled group of athletes named to the 2010 U.S. Alpine Ski Team. Vonn, two-time World Cup overall champion and double World Championships gold medalist, joins Olympic gold winner Julia Mancuso, on the A Team. For the men on the A team, 2006 Olympic combined gold medalist Ted Ligety and World Cup winners Marco Sullivan and Steven Nyman will lead the way.

"This is a larger Team than we've had in the past, but it's still a very young Team" said Men's Alpine Head Coach Sasha Rearick. "The average age of the A Team is 26 and that says a lot about the future of this program."

Here are the complete team placements as announced today:

2010 U.S. Alpine Ski Team (including birthdate, hometown and club program; * indicates Olympian):

A TEAM - Men
Erik Fisher (3/21/85; Middleton, ID; Bogus Basin)
Tim Jitloff (1/11/85; Reno, NV; Park City Ski Team)
TJ Lanning (8/27/84; Park City, UT; Park City Ski Team)
Ted Ligety (8/31/84; Park City, UT; Park City Ski Team)*
Scott Macartney (1/19/78; Crystal Mountain, WA; Crystal Mountain Alpine Club)*
Steven Nyman (2/12/82; Provo, UT; Park City Ski Team/Sundance)*
Marco Sullivan (4/27/80; Squaw Valley, CA; Squaw Valley Ski Team)*
Andrew Weibrecht (2/10/86; Lake Placid, NY; New York Ski Education Foundation)

A TEAM - Women
Julia Mancuso (9/9/84; Olympic Valley, CA; Squaw Valley Ski Team)*
Lindsey Vonn (10/18/84; Vail, CO; Ski and Snowboard Club Vail/Buck Hill Ski Team)*

B TEAM - Men
Thomas Biesemeyer (1/30/89; Keene, NY; New York Ski Education Foundation)
Will Brandenburg (1/1/87; Spokane, WA; Schweitzer Alpine Racing)
Jimmy Cochran (5/29/81; Keene, NH; Cochran's/Mount Mansfield Ski and Snowboard Club)*
David Chodounsky (6/25/84; Crested Butte, CO; Dartmouth Ski Team)
Tim Kelley (5/20/86; Starksboro, VT; Cochran's/Mount Mansfield Ski and Snowboard Club)
Cody Marshall (11/15/82; Pittsfield, VT; Burke Mountain Academy)
Paul McDonald (6/25/84; Bellevue, WA; Crystal Mountain Alpine Club)
Jeremy Transue (6/1/83; Hunter, NY; Green Mountain Valley School)
Jake Zamansky (6/26/81; Park City, UT; Aspen Valley Ski/Snowboard Club)

B TEAM - Women
Stacey Cook (7/3/84; Mammoth, CA; Mammoth Mountain Ski Team)*
Hailey Duke (9/17/85; Boise, ID; Park City Ski Education Foundation/McCall Ski Team)
Sterling Grant (6/1/87; Amery, WI; Buck Hill Ski Team)
Keely Kelleher (8/12/84; Big Sky, MT; Rowmark Ski Academy)
Jessica Kelley (10/5/82; Starksboro, VT; Cochran's/Mount Mansfield Ski and Snowboard Club)
Chelsea Marshall (8/14/86; Pittsfield, VT; Green Mountain Valley School)
Megan McJames (9/24/87; Park City, UT; Park City Ski Education Foundation)
Kaylin Richardson (9/28/84; Edina, MN; Team Gilboa)*
Sarah Schleper (2/19/79; Vail, CO; Ski and Snowboard Club Vail)*
Leanne Smith (5/28/87; Conway, NH; Mt. Washington Valley Ski Team)
Resi Stiegler (11/14/85; Jackson Hole, WY; Park City Ski Team/Jackson Hole)*

Also announced today were the C Team and the U.S. Alpine Development Team.

_{Photos Vonn and Ligety Copyright Agence Zoom/Getty Images}

Yesterday was the first day of summer and the Fat Lady sang out the USA 2008-09 spring skiing last weekend at Mammoth Mountain, but the summer skiing season on Mount Hood, Oregon is alive and well.

Timberline ski area accesses the Palmer Snowfield, which at 8,500 feet above sea level, holds good skiing snow all summer long. Throughout the summer Timberline offers a series of race camps and a family camp, tailored to families with younger children with activities modified to be age specific. However, be advised that the summer terrain is pretty much at the advanced-intermediate level.

Another camp oriented venue based on Mt. Hood is Windells summer freeski camps, founded in 1988 by nine-time National Champion and two-time Vice World Champion snowboarder Tim Windell.

New this year at Windell's is a portable rope tow, the 730-T wire rope tow. Yes, it is on it's own sled and can be moved around to access the best snow. Portable handle tows have been in use around Europe but this is the first in the U.S.

"Summer conditions are always changing," said Tim Windell, "this new lift will allow us to use the best snow everyday and maximize the experience for every camper at Windells all summer long."

Windell's is the world's only privately owned 53 acre campus and features a permanent, year round half-pipe and ski runs as well as BMX dirt bike paths, indoor skate park with foam pit and on-site housing and accommodations for campers.

Windell's freeskiing camps and Timberline race camps run through the summer, usually into September. So, stay home and save money skiing in the USA at Mount Hood this summer where there's also a good chance to catch some World Cup skiers up there.

_{Freeskiing Copyright Windell's Camp}