My legs are unsteady. I slowly stand, flexing my knees, sure to keep my feet apart for stability. A slight ripple in the water shakes my standup paddleboard, and I get a thrill of anxious fear of falling into the drink, but the board stays upright. With that assurance, I begin to paddle, first one stroke, then two. The board cuts through the water, faster than expected. My back muscles begin to burn, my core tightens, and my shoulders loosen as I float on Pebble Beach Pond at Deer Valley with Park City SUP.
We are there with our good friends, Daniel and Rebecca, who came to visit from Colorado. In an effort to escape the summer heat in Salt Lake, we, along with my wife, Callista, found our way to Park City, where we rented standup paddleboards from Park City SUP. Neither of them had ever been on a SUP before, so the small lake at Pebble Beach near the Snow Park Lodge at Deer Valley was the perfect place to initiate them. PCSUP has a small rental operation right on the beach, with a canopy tent and rows of paddleboards lined up for rent. After a safety briefing and strapping on our floatation fanny packs, we wade into the water with our boards and proceed to do the hardest part – actually stand.
After finding my lake legs and making an uncertain lap across the pond, I gain confidence and up my paddle strokes. My quads begin to shake and my shoulders complain. Images of standup paddleboarding in magazines and on videos make the sport seem like a peaceful, serene activity. Truth be told, SUP is one hell of a workout, and I’m sure I will feel it for days afterward.
Looking behind me, I see Daniel and Rebecca getting the hang of it; paddling like pros around the small island that splits the lake. They are having a great time, alternating from paddling on their feet, to sitting on the boards while enjoying the cool, mountain air. After a couple of hours, we paddle in, exhausted from the workout and too much sun. Daniel plays a game of Corn Hole on the grass while Callista relaxes on lawn chairs and watches the mountain-beach-goers play in the water. Afterward, we pack up, return our boards, then head to High West Distillery in Park City for apre’ SUP drinks. It is a perfect summer day on the water in Utah’s mountains.
About Park City SUP: In June 2014, Park City SUP started offering Standup Paddleboard Yoga and Paddle Fit classes seven days a week at Deer Valley Resort’s Snow Park Ponds, in addition to rentals and demos. Park City SUP is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily and classes are $20 per hour. Classes begin at 10 a.m. every day. Rentals available daily from 10 AM – 6 PM at the Deer Valley Pebble Beach location for $20/hour. Rentals include board, paddle and PFD.
For more info or to make a reservation, check them out at supstats.com