Some Utah ski resorts adding new terrain this winter

PAROWAN — As skiers and snowboarders dream about the possibilities a Super El Niño could bring, resorts across Utah are gearing up with upgraded lifts, expanded terrain and enhanced mountainside amenities.

There's something new at nearly all of the state's ski and snowboard areas.

Brian Head has set a Nov. 6 opening date, the earliest in Utah. Several others have also targeted November dates. Ski Utah compiled a list of new features at the state's resorts along with projected opening dates.

Here's how things are shaping up for the 2026-27 season:

Alta Ski Area

The Albion Day Lodge renovation and expansion will provide 3,400 square feet of additional dining space and more patio seating for the Albion Grill. The new east wing has 12 employee housing units and administrative offices. The lower level offers a new lounge with a fireplace, cubbies for day use, additional lockers for seasonal rental and a new, larger space for the Alta Java café with indoor/outdoor service.

An additional Wyssen Tower unit — Alta now has 19 total — was installed in the Devil's Castle area to help with avalanche mitigation and efficiency in opening powder terrain.

Opening date: Nov. 20

Beaver Mountain

Opening date: TBD

Brian Head Resort

Brian Head Resort is investing more than $2 million in snowmaking, lift infrastructure and guest services. A new pipeline will improve snowmaking efficiency and allow crews to operate up to 24 snow guns simultaneously on Navajo Mountain, compared with 16 to 18 previously. The upgrade supports faster snowmaking on the Paradise trail and beginner terrain near the Kids Camp Conveyor and Pioneer lift.

Opening date: Nov. 6

Cherry Peak

Opening date: TBD

Deer Valley Resort

Deer Valley has more than doubled in size since December 2024, marking the largest resort expansion in ski industry history with 11 new chairlifts and 4,500 skiable acres.

The resort's newest lift, Hail Peak Express, will add 200 skiable acres and seven new runs, bringing snowmaking coverage up to 932 acres and 32 total lifts. One of the new runs, called Hill Yeah, pays tribute to Hill Air Force Base in northern Utah. The Salute to Service program honors military families with exclusive lodging, lift ticket and resort offerings.

A new 10 million-gallon reservoir, along with the existing Summit Pump House, will pump 10,000 gallons of water per minute for increased snowmaking. The pond will have the ability to send water to every snowmaking gun on the resort's east side, plus an additional 10,000 gallons per minute from Ventana, for a total of 20,000 gallons per minute for the entire east system. According to the resort, 80% to 90% of the water will return to its source, either the Jordanelle Reservoir or the Provo River.

Opening date: Dec. 5

Eagle Point Resort

Due to the Cottonwood Fire, which destroyed the resort's lodge and affected four of its five lifts, as well as the subsequent flooding that washed out state Route 153, Eagle Point will not be open this season.

Those who would like to support the area's recovery can donate at BeaverTUF.org. Beaver TUF is a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation established following the Cottonwood Fire to support long-term recovery, restoration and resilience efforts throughout Beaver County.

Nordic Valley Ski Resort

Nordic Valley's newest high-speed six-person chair, Nordic Express, nearly doubles the number of available ski runs and features terrain for all skill levels. Season passes will now feature radio-frequency identification, or RFID, technology for scanning and faster access to lifts.

Opening date: TBD

Park City Mountain

The new Canyons Village Skyway Gondola transports skiers and snowboarders from the new Canyons Village Parking Structure to the Canyons Village Forum.

The remote avalanche control system in Limelight Bowl on lower Pinecone Ridge lets the ski patrol safely and efficiently trigger avalanche mitigation with the push of a button. The new system will also allow patrollers to open the Quicksilver Gondola connection sooner.

Over the summer, Park City Mountain rebuilt the superpipe's dirt foundation using 3D terrain modeling to help shape the finished pipe, significantly reducing the amount of snow required to build and open it each winter. The superpipe will host the world's best halfpipe skiers and riders during The Snow League event in January.

Opening date: Nov. 20

Powder Mountain

A new Skytrac fixed-grip triple chair will serve a zone known locally as DMI, which stands for Don't Mention It. The lift will provide public access to more than 1,000 acres of advanced terrain, 900 of which is lift-served, with 2,200 feet of vertical drop.

This zone sits beneath James Peak, the resort's highest point. It's an expansive area on the eastern shoulder of the mountain, dropping toward Ogden Valley. DMI is the steepest lift Skytrac has constructed to date, turning terrain of wide-open alpine bowls and spines, tight chutes and cliff bands into a lift-accessible area with 25 named trails.

Sundown Express is a new high-speed quad replacing the old Sundown fixed-grip quad. The lift will cut down ride time and increase uphill capacity, enhancing both the day and night skiing and riding.

Opening date: Dec. 11

Snowbasin Resort

The Meadow Pavilion will give skiers and snowboarders more room to spread out during après-ski, whether that's grabbing a table for lunch, catching up or taking a break before the next run. It's also a home base for ski school students, giving them a comfortable spot to gather and regroup between lessons, and it's now home to the resort's ticketing office.

Opening date: Nov. 27

Snowbird

The Chickadee chairlift, Snowbird's beginner chairlift, was replaced with a four-passenger lift. Built by SkyTrac, the fixed-grip quad, along with expanded terrain under the lift, has been better aligned to improve the learning area.

Snowbird invested in 11 new fully automated snowmaking guns and the overall infrastructure, enhancing the early-season skiing and riding.

Opening date: Nov. 27

Read the full story at deseret.com.

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