Brighton opened yesterday to a boisterous crowd that flooded the Majestic Lift. It was either that or Explorer but if you wanted that extra vertical you had to wait in line for it. The skiing was on mostly manmade but it’s always worth getting out for the first day just to say you did.

So I yanked Sage out of school to play hooky.

Tickets are $37 until they’re not so take advantage of the discount. Quad Wednesdays are back for four dates in December. It’s one of the best deals in Utah. The event used to be that you would get four tickets for the price of one but the resort has made it easier on you. You no longer have to find three friends. You just need to bring something to support the designated charity for your $20 lift ticket.

Count Snowbird as the next resort to open. Season passholders will be able to turn it up this Thursday; then Solitude, Alta and Snowbird open to the public on Friday; PCMR on Saturday. Of course, the terrain will be limited and the runs covered in mostly man-made snow. The real stuff will come soon. How much and when is anyone’s guess but it will come just the same so hang in there. In fact, seven to 29 inches are predicted over the weekend so start dusting off your gear. Winter’s here.

Brighton Resort will try to beat Solitude to opening day this year. Get your ski gear ready for this Tuesday according to sources. Solitude’s date is Friday, Nov. 21, Alta will also open on Friday; Snowbird and Park City Mountain Resort on Saturday. In the past, it was always a race between the two Big Cottonwood ski areas for bragging rights in Utah but with new owners, Deer Valley, at the helm of Solitude it looks like that’s changed. Deer Valley is known for opening the first weekend of December and never sooner.

The fresh storm system that rolled through the Beehive State this weekend is expected to taper off by Saturday night and then nothing until Wednesday. Heading to Brighton before Friday gives everyone here bragging rights and it’s worth a few runs to get the kinks out on manmade-mixed-with-real snow but the goods usually don’t start piling up until the day after Thanksgiving traditionally. Later in the season you’ll notice better tree skiing off Milly, Great Western and Snake Creek. Wild land forest firefighters spent time this summer clearing out dead and fallen trees. There will be new terrain park features and refurbed old ones. But first grab a hot waffle, bagel or doughnut at the new Blind Miner Coffee Cafe in the Brighton Center  waiting area. For more info this season check out Brighton’s new ‘dynamic’ website and not a season too soon!

When Solitude opens you’ll have eight runs and four chairlifts (Eagle Express, Moonbeam, Link, Apex) to play on. And here’s an awesome deal: Find a season pass or ticketbook holder to ski free opening weekend!

Can’t find a date?

Lift tickets will cost $49 for adults and $29 for juniors. Kids under 7 ski free.

SheJumps at Solitude

The Utah non-profit established to coax young girls into the outdoors has partnered with Solitude for International Women’s Ski Day, Dudes, if you want to meet a skier chick, this is your shot. The ladies are meeting at Eagle Express at 11 a.m. to ‘girlbomb’ Sunshine Bowl. At 2 p.m., there’s prize giveaways, mingling and avalanche beacon drills. In between, test out the latest K2 gear. It happens December 13, 2014. You’ll get 50 percent off your lift ticket if you sign up in advance.