Park City and the upper Wasatch range finally have snow! It feels early and not just because we’ve had this colorful, record-warm fall that swiftly ended with one storm. The clouds passed over us Sunday leaving up to 25 inches in the higher elevations. We went from yellow to white in a finger snap. Even the streets of Salt Lake City saw a dusting. Utah’s ski area opening dates have been some of the earliest on record. Is this La Nina toying with us? Lots of early snow only to strip us of everything from the holidays to March? Let’s be optimistic instead and believe that we have a entered a neutral phase.

There’s another little storm coming tomorrow but then sadly a high pressure moves in. According to local snowcasters, there does happen to be a storm brewing off the Pacific for Halloween and the first weekend in November but, honestly, that’s so far out that the predictions are bound to change. Suffice to say that the ski season is but a month or so away.

Don’t blow the confetti and horns just yet. Last season’s opening was beyond lackluster. That infamous “white ribbon of death” on those two or three manmade, groomed trails, catering to thousands of hungry season pass holders became brown ribbons of death from exposed dirt and rocks that pretty much lasted through the Christmas holiday. Still, the ski stoke is running high in these parts now that the annual ski porn has premiered, Park City has a white cap and most resorts have announced their “official” opening dates.

Utah’s Ski Area Opening Dates

Alta Ski Area

November 18, 2022 (Estimated close April 23, 2023)

Beaver Mountain

Dec. 8, 2022

Brian Head Resort

November 04, 2022 (estimated close April 16, 2023)

Brighton Resort

November 11, 2022

Cherry Peak Resort

Dec. 8, 2022

Deer Valley Resort

November 29, 2022

Eagle Point Resort

December 10, 2022 (estimated close April 2, 2023)

Nordic Valley

November 23, 2022

Park City Mountain

November 18, 2022 (estimated opening April 9, 2023)

Powder Mountain

December 9, 2022

Snowbasin Resort

November 18, 2022

Snowbird

November 18, 2022

Solitude Mountain Resort

November 11, 2022

Sundance Mountain Resort

December 3, 2022

Woodward Park City

November 18, 2022

SKI UTAH PASSPORT

The Ski Utah Passport program for 4th, 5th, and 6th graders is on sale now for $49. The pass is in its 24th year of offering three days at each of the 15 resorts in the state but there are some big changes this season.  Every participant will get THREE days of skiing- even the 6th graders- at each resort but all resorts will black out: Dec. 26, 2022 – Dec. 31, 2022 | Jan. 14-15, 2023 | Feb. 18-19, 2023. For more information, check out 4th, 5th and 6th Grade Ski Utah Passport – Ski Utah.