New Brian Head ski lift honors 93-year-old community icon Stefanie Hartlmaier

BRIAN HEAD, Iron County — A new ski lift in Brian Head will pay homage to a 92-year-old woman who has spent more than 60 years building the popular southern Utah ski community.

"Stefanie's Lift" is the first ski lift that is part of an expansion in the resort 30 years in the making. It is named after Stefanie Hartlmaier, owner of Gerog's Ski Shop in Brian Head, who came to the town from Germany in 1964 with her husband Goerg Hartlmaier.

The lift is part of the Aspen Meadows Resort community, and will be opened to the public during the 2027-2028 ski season. President Flint Decker said, however, that bringing in a ski lift is a "really exciting day," adding that it was an "honor" to name the lift after Stefanie Hartlmaier.

"We wanted to have a community viewing event of the ski lift towers being flown in because it's a really exciting day when new ski lifts are flown in because it's a signal of yet another experience coming to the ski town," Decker said. "It's a big moment."

"The inspiration to name the lift after Stefanie really came from all her incredible community service and her involvement in the community that she's had for over 60 years."

Stefanie and Georg Hartlmaier were the town's first full-time residents. Georg Hartlmaier, who passed away in 2008, was the resort's first mountain manager and ski school director, and Stefanie Hartlmaier spent countless hours on community engagement.

"She gave back to the community with so many different events over many years," Decker said. "She personally created and helped run and cook meals at Oktoberfest every fall for the ski area. She's just given so much to that community, and it was just a great opportunity and a great honor to ask her for permission if we could name our first ski lift after her."

An event to bring in the ski lift will be held Friday, Sept. 25, at 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at 1036 Steam Engine Drive, and is open to the Brian Head Town community.

Decker said that Stefanie Hartlmaier will be there, adding that as a way to honor her hospitality over the years, there will be a special treat for visitors of the event.

"My wife Gail-Marie will make whoopie pies to bring in some of our New England roots," Decker said. "The official Aspen Meadows ski cookie is a whoopie pie.

"Our vision is to build community," he added. "When you have the opportunity to help with the vision of a 30-year legacy master plan like we have with Aspen Meadows, this is the part that's the most exciting; it's where the inspiration has come from. It always comes from being authentic and really honoring the past and the future of Brian Head and what it has been and what it will be."

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