Deer Valley Cancels January Freestyle World Cup, Events Shift East
Deer Valley Resort and U.S. Ski & Snowboard announced the cancellation and relocation of the January freestyle World Cup after officials concluded there was not enough snow to build aerial and dual mogul venues to competition standards. The move preserves Olympic qualifying opportunities by shifting aerial events to Lake Placid and moguls and dual moguls to Waterville Valley, New Hampshire, but it removes a marquee Park City event that typically brings significant visitor spending.
On December 23, 2025 Deer Valley Resort and U.S. Ski & Snowboard said the Deer Valley freestyle World Cup originally scheduled for January could not proceed in Park City because organizers could not build the aerial jumps and the Champion Run for moguls and dual moguls to the safety and competition standards athletes expect. Officials cited a midwinter warm stretch and an earlier than usual schedule as reasons that made venue preparation unsafe and impractical.
The decision shifts aerials to the Lake Placid venue, while moguls and dual moguls will be contested at Waterville Valley in New Hampshire. Organizers emphasized that moving the competitions preserves athletes ability to earn Olympic qualifying results this season. Athletes expressed disappointment at losing the Park City stop but appreciation that results will still count toward qualification.
The cancellation affects Summit County beyond the immediate competition calendar. The Deer Valley World Cup has long been a marquee stop on the freestyle circuit, drawing large crowds to Park City and generating substantial visitor spending for hotels restaurants and local retailers during what is otherwise a peak winter month. Resort and local officials are now refocusing promotional and operational efforts on the broader winter season and on planned resort expansions to sustain visitation and spending through the holidays and into the new year.
Resort leaders framed the move as temporary and pledged to return the World Cup to Deer Valley next season. They also pointed to the logistical realities of modern competition scheduling and climate variability, noting that course building for aerials and dual moguls requires sustained cold and consistent snow to meet technical standards and athlete safety requirements.
For Summit County residents and winter tourism businesses the loss of a single marquee event can have measurable short term effects on bookings and retail activity. Local leaders will be watching booking data and resort operations closely as Deer Valley works to maintain momentum for the winter season while planning for the World Cup return.
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