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Utah Ski Area Opening Dates

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park city with snow

Park City and the upper Wasatch range finally have snow! Utah ski area opening dates feel late even though it’s pretty much happening right on time. We’ve rarely had enough snow for decent skiing before Thanksgiving. Early is Halloween. Normal is now. Yet, for the first time- ever- Deer Valley moved their opening day up a week. Does that mean we’ve got a lot of snow? No, not at all; this one’s a headscratcher. Feel free to offer your explanation for this in the comment section.

I took a spin today at Canyons Resort and have to report that the experience was quite typical. High Meadow (the beginner area) and two intermediate runs, Kokopelli and Snowdancer. After five runs, the manmade was getting scraped off and we called it. The good news is that the weather forecasters are calling for 10-25 inches by Wednesday which would set up Utah resorts for a white Thanksgiving weekend and the ability to open up additional terrain.

Utah's ski area opening dates
Mayflower side of Park City- photo courtesy Bonnie Maclaurin

Sadly, a high pressure moves in for next weekend and possibly through the first week of December.

The moral? Don’t blow the confetti and horns just yet. Two seasons ago, those two or three early season, manmade, groomed trails, catering to thousands of hungry passholders 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 films have 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

OPEN (Estimated close April 20, 2025)

Beaver Mountain

TBD

Brian Head Resort

OPEN (estimated close May 11, 2025)

Brighton Resort

OPEN (Estimated close May 18, 2025)

Cherry Peak Resort

TBD

Deer Valley Resort

November 30, 2024 (Estimated close April 28, 2025)

Eagle Point Resort

December 20, 2024 (estimated close April 3, 2025)

Nordic Valley

December 7, 2024

Park City Mountain

OPEN (estimated opening April 10, 2025)

Powder Mountain

December 6, 2024

Snowbasin Resort

November 29, 2024

Snowbird

November 28, 2024

Solitude Mountain Resort

OPEN

Sundance Mountain Resort

December 4, 2024

Woodward Park City

November 28, 2024

SKI UTAH PASSPORT – Prices Rise Nov. 30, 2024 so Buy Now!

The Ski Utah Passport program for 4th, 5th, and 6th graders is on sale now for $69. The pass is in its 26th year of offering three days at each of the 15 resorts in the state but there are some big changes this season.  Every kiddo, no matter if they live in Utah or Australia will get THREE days of skiing- even the 6th graders- at each resort but nine resorts will black out: Dec. 26, 2024 – Dec. 31, 2024 | Jan. 18-19, 2025 | Feb. 15-16, 2025. Six have no restrictions! Brian Head, Cherry Peak, Eagle Point, Nordic Valley, Snowbasin and Solitude Mountain Resort. For more information, check out 4th, 5th and 6th Grade Ski Utah Passport – Ski Utah.

Final Runs: Utah Ski Resorts Closing!

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traffic jam on 244 to park city winter 23/24

We’re coming into the homestretch for 2023/24 ski season! Season passes for 2024/25 went on sale a month ago while we were still arcing in the white room but, hey, what better time for folks to plunk down $1200-$2000 than when they are floating in euphoric winter bliss? So now that we are on the brink of Utah ski resorts closing, you need to make those last turns of the season count. Did you hit 30 days, 50 days, 100 days?

Sunday is your final chance to carve those last few slushy trails at Alta, Deer Valley and Canyons while Park City will keep a handful of lifts spinning until Monday (First Time, 3 Kings, Crescent, and Silverload). Park City began limiting their terrain a few weeks ago as seasonal workers headed home.

For those of you with an Ikon Pass, you’ll still be able to turn at Snowbasin Resort and Brighton until April 28, Solitude until May 6 and Snowbird until May 12. Brian Head Resort down south will close on Cinco de Mayo.

The 2023/2024 ski season in Utah has been nothing short of awesome. While it didn’t create the massive dumps that collapsed roofs and overwhelmed snowplow drivers like last season, and it started off miserably, Mother Nature blew in (eventually) to keep a consistent blanket of freshness on the slopes. Alta Ski Area received approximately 550 inches of snow, leading the pack with one of its strongest performances in a decade. Not far behind, Brighton Resort recorded over 500 inches, Snowbird tallied around 530 inches, and even Park City Mountain amassed a commendable 420 inches. Most of the state’s major water basins have reported snowpack figures ranging from 130% to 160% of the historical average.

Make the most of the dwindling ski days and then get ready for climbing and biking season! And make sure you plan ahead for next winter by buying those season ski passes while they’re still selling at “early bird” prices. Here are the links to save you time hunting them down individually-

Ikon Pass

  • In Utah- The Ikon Pass offers access to Snowbasin, Snowbird/Alta, Solitude, Deer Valley and Brighton. $969-1359

Epic Pass

  • Managed by Vail Resorts, in Utah, the Epic Pass offers skiing and riding at Park City and Canyons resorts. $731-982

Mountain Collective

  • The Mountain Collective offers a different take on ski passes, giving skiers access to 2 days at each participating resort (in Utah that’s Snowbird/Alta and Snowbasin), and then 50% off for each additional day. $605

Indy Pass

  • The Indy Pass is designed for independent and lesser-known ski resorts like Powder Mountain, Eagle Point and Beaver in Utah. If you’re looking for a more local or less crowded experience, this might be the pass for you. SOLD OUT for 24/25 but you can join their waitlist.

Power Pass

  • The Power Pass provides access to multiple resorts in the Southwest and beyond, including popular locations like Arizona Snowbowl and Purgatory Resort and Brian Head and Nordic Valley in Utah. $549-$749

Powder Alliance

  • With a qualifying season pass from a member resort, the Powder Alliance adds the ability to ski three days free at the other PA resorts (none in Utah). Free with your area season pass.

Utah’s Big Gear Show Concludes

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big gear show overlook

And that’s a wrap for the second annual (?) Big Gear Show. The outside off shoot that sprung up at Deer Valley last year after the Outdoor Retailer Show in Denver drove major outdoors brands to flee the Colorado Convention Center is starting to find its footing. Even more brands than last year turned out to appreciate the ability to connect with outdoor shop buyers and media.

big gear show booths

Brands like Mountain Hardwear and Black Diamond joined more than 200 gear manufacturers in the lower parking lot of Deer Valley to showcase their 2023 lines to prospective and current retailers. It was an opportunity not only to see what will be in stores like REI and Sportsmans Warehouse but to feel them as well. You could demo trail running shoes from Adidas by jogging the singletrack above the Lodges, take eBikes to Main Street or float a kayak in the Deer Valley pond. Paddle brands like Aquaglide and Solstice settled along the edge of the water just like in days past when the Utah Outdoor Retailer Show hosted their “demo day” at Pineview Reservoir.

deer valley pond

Attendees to this year’s BGS noted the relaxed atmosphere, the bigger selection of gear brands over the inaugural year and the congruency of hosting an outdoors experience outdoors instead of in a convention center. It certainly wasn’t busier than the ghost-like aisles of the OR convention but organizers are taking feedback and making changes to move in that direction. Parking, however, could be an issue in the future if that happens. This year, the lots of DV filled up by 10 a.m. and people took to the sides of public streets.

Several Utah-connected brands made a showing for the two-day event including Camp Chef, Petzl, Magnum Bikes, Uncharted Supply Company, Hydrapak, Goal Zero, Liberty Mountain, Scott Sports, POC, Klymit, Peak Refuel, Black Diamond Equipment, Chums. Missing from the roster though were Altra, Lowa Boots, Coalatree, Kuhl, Cotopaxi, Gregory Mountain Products, Lizard Skins, Lone Peak Packs, Cypher Climbing, and Salomon.

utah beer at the big gear show

Like the OR Show demo day (which is coming back to Utah this January!), the Big Gear Show gives attendees that hands-on session with the brands. We took a sunrise trail run with Uncharted Supply Co’s Christian Schauf and Utah Olympic Nordic gold medalist Billy Demong off Guardsman’s Pass to test Uncharted’s Park Pack hip back and hiked to DV’s Royal Street Cafe with wearing Mountain Hardwear’s butter-soft Crater Lake Tank and Scarpa’s Ribelle Run trail runners.

scarpa trail running shoes

No one’s pontificating on the future of the BGS now that the OR is returning but those who attended seemed to enjoy the slower pace, the less-hurried meets with buyer and the mountain breezes wiggling their tents. I do have to say that for an outdoor event I was sadly sunburned after expecting at least a dozen sunscreen brands to attend and not a one could be found. Really, Guys, how can you play outside without sunscreen? Perhaps next year.

Ski Play Live TV at the Big Gear Show

Let’s meet some of the brands who attended-