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BRIAN HEAD — Utah has 14 ski resorts, but only three are still open for business this week. Both Southern Utah resorts are now closed.
But there was time for one last run of the season. That's why Joe Grossman and Jeff Snyder came to Brian Head this past weekend for the final day of the season.
"This place is just awesome, man," said Grossman, who is from Las Vegas. "The people here, the snow - it's the Utah snow."
Not just the Utah snow, but the Southern Utah snow. Folks say it is different from Northern Utah powder.
"Absolutely, it's dryer down here than it is up north," said Brian Head spokesperson John Christoffersen.
Yes, it's been a decent year for the resort, but just like in Northern Utah, the snow didn't quite stack up this season. That meant less business for the resort.
"We noticed less business, definitely less business, but we made enough money to keep going, so we're good there," Christoffersen said.
Brian Head usually closes in mid-April anyway so they're right at about average as far as length of season, but things didn't quite measure up in terms of total snowfall. Last year, Brian Head had 500-plus inches. They average about 400 inches. But this year, they only had 252 inches fall, half what they had last season.
"Brian Head's biggest market for skiers and snowboarders is the Las Vegas market, which doesn't get any snow. So even though people in Northern Utah noticed the lower snow totals this year, those from Nevada say they don't care. They're just happy to be skiing at all.
"This could stay all year, and it would be just fine with me," said Las Vegas resident Jeff Snyder. He's sad this weekend was the last weekend for the season, but is still happy he's boarding in the springtime.
"It's absolutely crazy we're here in the middle of April," he said.
