File photo of skiers and riding the ski lift at Brighton Resort. Photo: Laura Seitz, Deseret News
SALT LAKE CITY — The Greatest Snow on Earth, as Utah famously proclaims, has already started to fall and that means ski season is right around the corner.
Skiers and snowboarders around Utah are feeling that familiar exhilaration as they look to the mountains blanketed in snow by recent storms. For them, and the Utah ski industry, the 2021/2022 winter season is essentially here.
“We are so excited for ski season to start and can’t wait to get out there,” said Alison Palmintere, spokesperson for Ski Utah, the marketing arm of the Utah Ski and Snowboard Association.
While some die-hards have already packed their shovels, beacons, and skins for some backcountry action, most enthusiasts will hit the groomed slopes of Utah’s world-class resorts. And, many of those resorts are just weeks from turning on the lifts.
Solitude, Park City, and Woodward all officially plan to open Friday, November 19. The skiers-only Alta will spin the chairs the following day on Saturday, November 20. Brian Head is also considering a November 19 open date.
“Almost all of our resorts have made major capital improvements this year, ” Palmintere says.
Palmintere recommends packing a mask in your ski jacket this year for when you step into a lodge to eat or use the restroom.
She says outdoor skiing will likely look more normal than last year, but she urges people to check with their resort about indoor restrictions and requirements.