Lone Wolf — Former Nordic Valley ski area emerges as a family-friendly resort

In 2005, Wolf Creek Resort, a nearby community of upscale condominium lodging, golf course, clubhouse, restaurant, tennis and family activity center, completed negotiations to buy the resort. The intent is not only to open the ski runs to the public but also to offer owners and those staying at the resort skiing or snowboarding privileges through its Residents Club. Property owners, for example, ski free. Guests pay a discounted rate.

After signing papers, the first move was to change the name. Wolf Mountain was a perfect fit.

"Nordic Valley really didn't explain what the resort was all about. There is no nordic skiing, and what resort is located in a valley? This is a mountain," she explained.

The name Wolf Mountain was available, without any strings attached to what was Wolf Mountain but is now The Canyons Ski Resort.

Next, it changed the name of its lifts to better fit its image. Viking lift became Howling Wolf Chair and Trol became Wolfdeedo Chair. Then came name changes on the runs. Upper Odin, for example, became Bayot's Boulevard and Upper Valhalla became Wandering Wolf.

A terrain park was also built on the lower slope and a yurt was built for the learning center.

The new owners also went after more lifts. A triple chairlift and a beginners lift were purchased from Deer Valley. Those lifts will be installed next season.

There are also plans to replace the old day lodge. That, said Seraphin, will require some proper timing ... "Which will mean tearing the old lodge down at the end of the season and then getting the new one built before the next season," she said. "For this winter we went in and remodeled the old lodge."

One of the hurdles the resort faced this past year was access. There is an in-village shuttle system that included transportation to Powder Mountain.

Expected to open up soon will be a bus system that will make two stops in the Ogden area before heading for Wolf Creek Resort. From there a shuttle system will take skiers to Wolf Mountain, Snowbasin or Powder Mountain.

This, said Seraphin, will be very appealing to parents.

"They can have the kids go to Wolf Mountain, where they know they'll be taken care of, while they go off skiing or snowboarding to Powder Mountain or Snowbasin, then come back at the end of the day and pick the kids up."

Wolf Mountain can be reached either by taking the Trapper's Loop Road or driving up Ogden Canyon, then driving over the Pineview Dam to Eden. A hard left leads to Wolf Mountain; going straight at the junction leads to Wolf Creek Resort and on to Powder Mountain.

Wolf Mountain

• Number of lifts: Two