Ski resorts in Utah limiting lifts due to dangerously high winds
Jan 12, 2024, 3:29 PM
Snow falls by the John Paul Lodge at Snowbasin Resort in Huntsville. Snowbasin Resort has been selected as the host for alpine skiing for the 2034 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.(Snowbasin Resort)
(Snowbasin Resort)
SALT LAKE CITY — High winds and bad road conditions had several Utah ski resorts restricting their operations on Friday.
Related: Winter storms slated to hit much of Utah through the weekend
A lot of snow on a holiday weekend is usually a good thing. But Davy Ratchford, the general manager for Snowbasin Resort, said it’s not so good when high winds are involved.
“Certain lifts have a wind threshold that they can run in and not run in and we never mess with that.”
Ratchford said Snowbasin clocked winds at 55 miles per hour on Friday. The resort only had a third of its lifts running, with only four lifts open.
“On days where it’s impacted like this, it condenses people to one or two lifts at the base area. It makes it a bit more challenging for people,” he said.
Resorts like Powder Mountain and Beaver Mountain are completely closed thanks in part to dangerous road conditions. The entire Logan Canyon remains closed until at least midnight Friday.
“All the resorts are doing it the right way, just putting safety first,” Ratchford said.
