Resorts and snow lovers prepare for 2021-2022 Utah ski season

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. 

Utah’s #Openingday is one month away. Get your ski and snowboard gear ready for those first glorious days on the hill!

Tips from a local expert –> https://t.co/ry8W4LNXUI pic.twitter.com/gLllT3Xfsd

— SkiUtah (@SkiUtah) October 20, 2021

Winter is coming

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.

With temperatures dropping and winter closing in, the excitement for the ski and ride season is high! Are you ready for winter? pic.twitter.com/X0K1c5YHbi

— Park City (@PCski) October 23, 2021

10 inches of snow in the last 24 hours with a total of 51 inches in October. Okay October, we see you! 👀 pic.twitter.com/JOWhaRrrKQ

— Solitude Mountain Resort (@SolitudeMTN) October 19, 2021

October views from last week ❄️ 😍 There’s more snow in the forecast for tonight—how much do you think will fall?

Photo: Shane Charlebois pic.twitter.com/GoQ8XjbZzH

— Snowbird (@Snowbird) October 25, 2021

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. 

Upgrades and updates for the 2021-2022 Utah ski season

“Almost all of our resorts have made major capital improvements this year, ” Palmintere says. 

• Snowbasin announced in July an upgraded ski lift, as well as parking updates. 
• Brighton Resort has installed lights along its Snake Creek lift to expand night skiing higher up on the mountain. 
• Alta is moving to a parking reservation system.
• Snowbird announced a $69 fast pass that allows visitors to skip to the front of lines.
• Solitude is opening three chairlifts an hour earlier at 8 a.m. on weekends and holidays. Starting next year, the whole mountain will stay open until 5 p.m. 
• Sundance has a new lift or two and is also expanding parking. 

COVID-19 restrictions

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. 

Related reading:

• Ski resorts in northern Utah shutting down due to heavy snow, avalanche danger

• UDOT presents two choices to alleviate Little Cottonwood Canyon traffic

• Clean up in Big Cottonwood Canyon continues