Oh, you've got a friend in Montage.

I had such a great time touring Montage Deer Valley a couple of weeks ago. Walking around with Tracy and Kurt in all the newly-opened splendor was a surprisingly casual, come-as-you-are experience.

In a literal sense, I wore jeans and my three-dollar Patagonia sweater I scored at a second-hand shop a few years ago.

In an atmospheric and social sense, we comfortably strolled about. Tracy felt no need to give a spiel, or to make up history as we went along. There were no overt statements of architectural intent, or heavy-handed brand teaching moments.

"What's that?" I point to a brassy apparatus in a display cabinet.

"I don't know." Untroubled, Tracy walks over to investigate. Pointing, "But that's a cover of one of the dynamite cases excavators found while digging the foundation."

Marcus, the General Manager, fills us in on the details and dollar amounts of the dynamite incident later.

Together we shrug and decide the original item must be a Geiger counter.

---

Speaking with staff, I piece together a story, taking place a few days before I arrive, of a locals-only Montage open house. Before the first check-ins, Park City business owners and residents were invited to have a look at the place.

"Afterall," Marcus explains, "They've put up with two years of construction dust, noise, and not to mention the increased traffic up Marsac Avenue now. . ."

Tracy and Kurt laugh about late-hours spent in the kitchen scooping cookies off of baking sheets. Andrew still can't believe the 4,000 people who toured the property in four hours.

They all speak about the sentiment of pride they felt hosting the town.

---

Earlier, in the lobby, Kurt tells us about a great photo-op just off the Vista Lounge. We discover it on our walk-round.

If you stand in just the right place, its almost as if antlers sprout from your head. Before I figured it out, I thought I might need a stool to stand on.

Me, posing: "Ah! It's a Leaning Tower of Pisa thing."

Lesley, taking the photo: "I wonder if this will become a thing."

Connie, observing: "Well, you've got to admit. It's a pretty cool thing."

We end the tour in the lobby by a bronze statue of venerable-looking skier. Tracy scouts around to make sure we are unsupervised.

"I'm trying to start a thing here, like the Trevi Fountain. I'm telling people that if they rub the ski just here when they leave," Tracy works her fingers in a circular motion and invites us to do the same, "they'll make it safely back to the Montage."

We stand a little taller. We've inaugurated something of mythic importance.

"Next time you come, that spot will look like a shiny penny."

We part. I return to the Vista Lounge to make progress on a research paper. Stephanie checks on me every 15-minutes or so to refresh my glass of water. An older gentleman, exploring the hotel, smiles at my pile of loose papers and laptop. 

"You've really got the best spot in the house for that kind of thing." 

I couldn't agree more.