Good Snow Allows Ski Resorts To Push Up Opening Days

Heavy early snow has allowed some Utah Ski Resorts to push up their opening dates.

Brighton is opening today. Because today is Veterans Day, all veterans and active military personnel can ski or board today for free.

Solitude will open tomorrow. Snowbird will open Saturday - 1 week earlier than scheduled.

Heavy snow fell earlier this week, creating a good base. Forecasters say more snow could fall this weekend. If the expected weather pattern holds, we cold see the best early-season conditions ever.

The Salt Lake Tribune has this article about the resort openings. Below are excerpts.

“We definitely go for it as soon as we can,” said Brighton spokesman Jared Winkler. “Because we’ve gotten the snow, it takes only a day or two to prepare the lifts. And our customers are ready. Nobody is upset we’re pushing forward.”

With an 18-inch base and a solid snowpack at higher elevations, Brighton is opening the Majestic and Snake Creek Express chairlifts Thursday. An adult all-day lift ticket costs $62.

Accordingly, Alta is scheduled to begin operations Nov. 19, followed the next day by Park City Mountain Resort and Wolf Creek Utah in Ogden Valley.

By the important Thanksgiving weekend, the ranks of open resorts will expand to include Ogden’s Snowbasin and Powder Mountain resorts, and The Canyons resort outside Park City.

Solitude’s opening-day lineup includes the Moonbeam, Apex and Link lifts. Adult passes cost $49, said spokesman Nick Como.

At Snowbird, resort President Bob Bonar said “the wait is over for what is sure to be a fantastic 40th season. The combination of recent snowfall, cold temperatures and a promising forecast should help us work toward opening additional terrain leading up to Thanksgiving week.”