Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
BRIGHTON — Brighton Ski Resort prepared Monday to become the third Utah ski resort to open so far this season, as the state navigates through a sluggish start to winter.
According to Brighton Ski Resort vice president of marketing and public relations Jared Winkler, Tuesday’s Dec. 2 official opening is believed to be the latest at the resort since the 1970s.
“It’s been long-awaited — a little slower start than we’re used to — but we’re going to make the best of it,” Winkler said Monday during an interview with KSL TV.
The resort said it planned to open the Majestic and Explorer lifts for day one, providing access to two runs.
The Bonezone Terrain Park will also be open, Winkler said.
“It’ll be a majority of manmade snow and (we) encourage people to stay on the manmade snow and let the natural stuff settle a little bit,” Winkler said. “Hopefully, we get more snow, and they’re going to keep making snow if the weather stays. If it’s cold, we’re going to keep making snow, try to open more lifts, open more trails and get us to where we really want to be and ready for the holidays.”
Elsewhere, the weather has meant some tougher sledding in the very early season.
Solitude Mountain Resort and Brian Head Resort were already officially open as of Monday.
With Brighton’s anticipated opening on Tuesday, the next openings are expected on Friday at Alta Ski Area and Park City Mountain.
Snowbasin Resort also announced Monday that it would open this weekend.
According to the Ski Utah Snow Report, the remaining resorts in the state were planning openings on Dec. 12 or later, with others listed as “TBA,” or to be announced.
“I don’t think anybody is particularly worried, per se,” said Alison Palmintere with Ski Utah. “I think everybody is excited that it’s finally cold enough.”
Palmintere suggested there may be something of a recency bias with early starts to winter still in memory over the past five years that led to earlier than normal openings at resorts.
“I think over the past couple seasons, the resorts have opened earlier than they have ever before, and I think we’ve gotten really used to that,” she said. “We’re right on track and excited to be out there.”
Winkler was hopeful the early season narrative would change quickly this year.
“We could have a storm cycle that dumps 4 or 5 feet, and then we’re set from then on, and the week or two that we missed out on — it’ll be easily forgotten,” he said.
Michael Scollick was part of a group of snowboarders that hoped to get out at Brighton early Monday, but instead opted for some backcountry terrain.
“Usually, Brighton is the best snowboard mountain to go to,” Scollick said. “We get really good snow no matter what.”
He, too, was hopeful that December would bring more favorable winter weather.
“When it happens in December, you know you’re going to get a great season,” Scollick said. “It makes it amazing.”
