For Kylie McKinnon, Park City is both a proving ground and a return point. The former Olympian and co-founder of women-led skiwear brand Halfdays first cut her teeth on these slopes—long before she began reimagining what women wear on the mountain.
With the launch of Halfdays’ Storm colorway and the Winter Olympics on the horizon, McKinnon shares her personal guide to Park City: where she skis, how she unwinds, and why this town continues to shape her approach to sport, style, and community.
You grew up skiing in Park City and later competed as an Olympian. What does coming back to this town feel like now?
“Coming back to a place where I spent so much time as an athlete, now getting to host public events as a founder, really feels full circle. Going from building my personal brand as an athlete to being seen in a different light has been really special.”
How has Park City changed since your early competition days?
“A lot of Park City still feels exactly the same to me—Main Street especially, even though some of the stores have come and gone. At the same time, so much has changed, with all the expansion happening at Deer Valley and Canyons Village.”
With the Winter Olympics on the horizon, how do you think global attention shifts the way people experience ski towns like Park City?
“With the Winter Olympics coming up, I think people use ski towns as a way to feel connected to winter sports, especially in a place like Park City that’s hosted the Games before. People want to be in the environment. The global attention shifts the experience from a local getaway to something that feels much more collective and shared.”
When you’re skiing for fun, where are your favorite runs or areas in Park City to spend a full day?
Some of my favorite runs in Park City are on the Canyons side near the Ninety-Nine 90 lift, or Jupiter Bowl on the Park City side. That said, I’d have to say Deer Valley is probably my favorite mountain to ski overall. When I’m not skiing, I love walking around Main Street, popping into all the cute shops, and ending the day by taking the funicular up to the St. Regis for one of their specialty cocktails!
Every ski town has its rituals. Where do you go for après, a long lunch, or a cozy night out after a full day on the mountain?
“For après, I’d probably say Après lounge at The Montage, The Vintage Room at the St. Regis, or the rooftop at the Pendry (which is where we hosted our Halfdays event!). For lunch, I love stopping into Silver Lake Lodge for Deer Valley's famous turkey chilly or if I'm not skiing, Five5eeds is always a good option. For dinner, Grappa, Firewood, or Nelson Cottage would be my top choices!”
When friends visit Park City for the first time, what are the first places you always take them?
“I love taking my friends to the Utah Olympic Park because it’s a place that I spent so much of my time when I was an athlete, plus it’s fun for them to see aerial jumps in real life if they never done so before. Also, taking the funicular up to the st regis is always a fun experience, and the drinks are great. If it's summertime, driving up Guardsman Pass is great for the views. For bars, you can never go wrong with No Name, the Spur, and Palomino. And then of course any of the restaurants I've mentioned above!”
The new Halfdays colorway, Storm, feels especially fitting for winter in the mountains. What inspired it?
“Storm, which is a light grey, is a color we’ve never done before. When we were choosing the color, it felt fresh and unique and really reminded us of a winter snowstorm that you would experience in a place like Park City.”
Lastly, you just wrapped a brand trip in Park City—how did the gear come to life in that environment?
A couple of things really stood out: first, the amazing weather we had the entire time, and second, the short lift lines, which let us make the most of every run. The product really popped on the mountain, and it was so fun skiing with a group of girls all in our matching sets!
Park City, Utah, United States
