Utah Ski Opener Makes News

Several Utah resorts are now open, and more will open lifts to skiers and boarders this weekend. Conditions are good, with new snow on the ground and more in the forecast. Comments so far indicate skiers and resort operators are all happy.

The early opening has generated a favorable buzz in the media. Here are excerpts from three interesting reports:

Park City Mountain Resort Unveils Unique Family Programs to Improve the Guest Experience
Park City Mountain Resort announces its exclusive Kids Signature 5 Program that guarantees five children or less in each ski and snowboard lesson for those ages 6-14, even during the Resort's busiest times. Park City Mountain Resort's Kids Signature 5 Program will offer unparalleled personal attention, a choice of lunches in one of the on-mountain restaurants and increased self-confidence on the slopes.

Utah is talking tunnels
The Snowbird Resort blasted a 600-foot-long tunnel through a mountaintop at the summit of the Peruvian Chairlift this summer to give skiers and snowboaders easy access to intermediate slopes in Mineral Basin.

But that tube pales in comparison to the mammoth, $400 million tunnel project Utah is considering to improve access between the four Cottonwood Canyons ski resorts of Alta, Brighton, Solitude and Snowbird and the three Park City resorts of Deer Valley, Park City Mountain and The Canyons.

Snowbird, Alta charm the masses in Tribune ski poll
Salt Lake Tribune readers decidedly expressed their devotion to Little Cottonwood Canyon, overwhelmingly selecting Alta and Snowbird as the state's premium resorts for skiing or snowboarding.