Soldier Hollow

Soldier Hollow
The resort during the 2002 Winter Olympics
Location	Wasatch Mountain State Park, Utah,  United States
Nearest city	Midway, Utah
Coordinates	40°28′45″N 111°29′50″W / 40.47917°N 111.49722°W / 40.47917; -111.49722Coordinates: 40°28′45″N 111°29′50″W / 40.47917°N 111.49722°W / 40.47917; -111.49722
Vertical	419 ft (128 m)
Top elevation	5,882 ft (1,793 m)
Base elevation	5,463 ft (1,665 m)
Skiable area	19 mi (31 km) of trails spread out over 134 acres (54 ha)
Runs	14
Longest run	Olympic 3.1 mi (5.0 km)
Lift system	1 - surface tow (tubing hill)
Terrain parks	No
Snowmaking	Yes (along 3.1 mi (5.0 km) of trails)
Night skiing	No
Website	Soldier Hollow Resort

Soldier Hollow is a cross-country ski resort located 53 miles (85 km) southeast of Salt Lake City in Wasatch Mountain State Park, Utah, United States. The resort was created for the 2002 Winter Olympics, and during the games it hosted the biathlon, cross-country skiing and the cross country skiing portion of the Nordic combined events. Since hosting the Olympics, it has been developed as a cross-country skiing, tubing, and snowshoeing resort, while featuring mountain biking and golfing in the summer. On May 1, 2016, the venue operation contract transferred from the Soldier Hollow Legacy Foundation to the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation, which owns and operates several Olympic and Paralympic legacy venues elsewhere in the state.

Soldier Hollow is located in the southeastern-most part of Wasatch Mountain State Park, a 21,592 acres (8,738 ha) nature preserve created in 1961, which became a state park in 1968. Soldier Hollow's location within the state park did not carry a name until Olympic organizers coined it Soldier Hollow. This name was chosen because of its proximity to Soldier Springs, which were thought to have been used by U.S. Troops originally sent to Utah to quell a supposed Mormon uprising, in an incident known as the Utah War. Prior to becoming a state park certain locations within the park were used for farming and grazing activities, while much of the remainder was used recreationally by locals. In the last quarter of the 20th century the state park service had been approached by private developers hoping to build luxury hotels, golf courses and other attractions within the park, but none of these plans ever came to fruition.

The Soldier Hollow venue was one of only three which was built and designed by the Salt Lake Organizing Committee (SLOC) specifically for the 2002 Winter Olympics; with the others being the Utah Olympic Park and Utah Olympic Oval. The Soldier Hollow location was chosen by SLOC as an Olympic venue in October 1997, over several other possible locations including Sherwood Hills near Logan, Utah. Preliminary work began soon after the venue site was chosen, but major construction didn't start until 1999. Work at the venue had been completed enough (80% complete) to host its first major event, U.S. Cross Country Championships, on January 8, 2000. Construction on the venue's day lodge began with a groundbreaking ceremony on July 5, 2000. The lodge was completed in December 2000 and dedicated on January 5, 2001. The venue cost SLOC $22 million USD to construct.