DC in Park City
Photography: Nate Christensen
You may not know Ken Block, but chances are, you may be a lot like him in the way that you discovered Utah.
Block first came to Park City three decades ago on a ski vacation with his family. Now, as a successful businessman from Southern California, he splits his time between Encinitas and the mountains of Utah. “I realized how convenient it was to make the trip between San Diego and Salt Lake City. Once I got here, I discovered that there were eight great ski resorts within an hour’s drive,” remembers Block.
In the mid-’90s, Block and partners successfully launched DC Shoes — a skateboard shoe and clothing company that many say has revolutionized the action sports industry. As DC Shoes branched into snowboard boots and apparel, frequenting Park City made more and more sense to Block. By 1997, he had purchased 22 acres of land with a 360-degree view overlooking Park City and the Uinta Mountains. Within a few years, the “DC Mountain Lab” was born.
“Because of my marketing background, this structure started off as a home and turned into a marketing piece for us,” explains Block. The “marketing piece” is a two-story, 3,000-square-foot home, with a warm, hip, comfortable and streamlined feel. Within a year of completing the house, the concept for building a private terrain park was also underway. “We are just so involved in the snowboard industry, that having our own small resort and snowboard park really made sense,” says Block.
Block’s home and the terrain park are surrounded by aspen fields in a semi-remote development 20 minutes from Park City’s Main Street, providing the space and privacy Block was after. What looks like a luxurious mountain home to the untrained eye, is a multi-purpose headquarters for DC Shoes and Ken Block. The home is visited by dozens of DC’s professional athletes throughout the year and is also a center for research and development and various industry workshops.
How did this modest, 37-year-old skateboarder reach this level of success? Through dedication, hard work and being passionate about the industry. Those who know Block know that he likes to do everything at the highest quality level possible. His home in Park City is just another example. He says his work ethic was passed down to him from his parents. “I learned at a very early age that if you want to get somewhere, you have to do it yourself. Success can’t be handed to you.”
No one handed Block DC Shoes, or a map to Utah, but in the past 10 years, the company and the mountain lifestyle have merged together seamlessly. Block didn’t intend to be an official ambassador for Park City, but it’s turned out that way. “People wonder why I spend so much time here, but usually it just takes them one visit and I don’t have to explain anymore.”
After years of visiting friends in Park City, Katie Eldridge left a career in television broadcasting to be a full-time ski/snowboard bum in Utah. Now, as the communications director of The Canyons Resort, she combines her love for media and mountains. She met Block four years ago at The Canyons.
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