Home Care In Brian Head, UT

Last year, Brian Head Resort broke the seal on an exceptional ski and snowboard season when it started its lifts churning on Nov. 4 — the earliest ever for the resort and the estimated fifth earliest in Utah history.

If this season’s projected opening date is any indication, operators of the state’s southernmost ski area are optimistic that 2023-24 will be just about that good again.

Brian Head announced Thursday that it expects to begin winter operations on Friday, Nov. 10. That early opener, according to a news release, will be the product of “a forecasted El Niño weather pattern, combined with the highest base elevation of any Utah ski resort and improved snowmaking systems.”

To open Nov. 10 would likely match the Cedar City ski area’s earliest opening prior to last year. General manager Marilyn Butler last year told The Tribune she looked back through 22 years of data and couldn’t find an earlier opening date. The last time the resort opened Nov. 10 was in 2000.

When Brian Head beat Solitude Mountain Resort and Brighton Resort to the bell last year, it was the result of a gutsy move banking on an incoming storm after the resort received 17 inches of late-October snow.

Park City Mountain is the only other resort in Utah to have announced its predicted opening date. It is eyeing Nov. 18.

Lift tickets at the resort cost $29 in advance for opening day and various days throughout the season. Kids 12-under ski for free. New this season, first-time skiers and riders age 13 and older are free with the purchase of an adult ticket.

As part of $1 million in improvements, Brian Head has expanded snowmaking coverage on the Lower Aught trail and added a new snowcat for grooming. It also thinned trees to add gladed trails under the Wildflower lift and on the Shotgun trail located near the Giant Steps Express.

Construction has already begun on a new 2,000-acre ski-in, ski-out development at Brian Head that will add a third lodge and 850 acres of skiable terrain.

BRIAN HEAD — Brian Head’s newest residents, a quartet of metal bear sculptures, were officially welcomed to town on Monday.

The commissioned public art piece features a 12-foot-high steel sculpture of a bespectacled bruin reading a book. Surrounding him are three young cubs on benches who appear to be listening to the larger bear.

Brian the Bear’s storybook is titled “The Tales of Brian Head.” Its stainless steel cover has a shiny mirror-like finish that reflects the image of someone standing near the base of the sculpture.

“You literally see your reflection within the book, and that’s what it’s meant to do,” said sculptor Terrence Martin, who created the piece along with his wife and business partner, Mari. “Brian is meant to reflect the people in the community around him.”

Martin’s remarks came during the sculpture’s unveiling ceremony Monday morning, as a crowd of approximately 150 people gathered at Brian Head’s Bristlecone Park.

Town Manager Bret Howser said when he first came on the job a decade ago in 2013, there was “one big field” next to a pond and little else at the site.

“The mayor and I were talking the other day about how they came in here and stuck this pavilion in the middle of this giant field, and probably everybody thought that was a little nuts,” he said, adding, “Most of the projects we do in government are a little bit nuts, at first, and then people kind of start to see the value of it.”

Howser thanked all those who had been involved with the project from its conception to its completion, a process that spanned two years.

“The Town Council, of course, I’ve got to thank them for their vision, in taking that sort of leap of faith forward into the realm of public art,” Howser said. “You know, you can take some lumps for spending public dollars on art projects. A lot of people have philosophical differences with that. And so I want to thank them for their courage in taking that step forward.

“Hopefully, it’ll be so well received by the community that I think we’ll keep taking steps forward in the public art process,” he added.

Howser said the winning proposal emerged after a rigorous selection process, with more than 40 artists nationwide submitting their qualifications.

“The council did a great job of going out in the community, getting people’s opinions and coming back and deciding what would really fit in this space and what would really be a first great step into public art for the Brian Head community,” he said. “And we ultimately decided on Brian the Bear.”

Martin said the idea was to create an “iconic character” that would resonate with people.

“That’s what we like to do is give you something that when you walk away, you have something to remember,” he said. “That’s what we tried to do with Brian. We wanted to make him a character that reflects Brian Head and the activities and the things that you can do here.”

Martin also spoke of a planned interactive feature.

“As you can see the little baby bears that are engaged in listening to the story that Brian has to tell,” he said. “Eventually, the plan is to create a small pocketbook that can be found at local eateries and establishments, that children and adults can come back and sit down at the benches.”

On the back of the book will be a QR code visitors can scan with their phones, which will take them to a YouTube video, where the stories will be read aloud along with closed captions for the hearing impaired, he said.

“And the stories will be related to the community and from the community’s input, for everybody to enjoy,” he added. “So, it is an actual spot where you get to learn something about your community.”

Also speaking at the ceremony was R. Scott Phillips, a member of the Iron County Public Art Commission, who spoke of the importance and value of public art.

“The nice thing about public art is it can bring a sense of community understanding,” he said. “ It can illuminate its surroundings. It can work to cultivate an identity by setting the community apart, and attracting a stronger sense of place.”

“When a community sees themselves reflected in social settings, they feel a sense of respect, understanding and I hope pride,” he added. “Ultimately, this allows people to identify with the place they are from, where they live and/or are visiting.”

Although Terrence and Mari Martin’s business, Jagged Edge Metal Art, is based in the Sacramento area, Terrence spoke of his Utah roots during the ceremony, noting that his mother was born in Mount Pleasant and that he is a University of Utah graduate.

Mari Martin said each of the benches (with a cub affixed) weighs about 450 pounds, while Brian the Bear’s estimated weight is around 2,500 pounds. They had transported the sculptures on a flatbed trailer from their workshop in California a few days earlier, making the trip in about 14 hours.

The Martins said the bears themselves are made of stainless steel that won’t rust, while the benches and Brian’s tree stump seat, along with his backpack and shoes, are made of a special type of weathering steel.

“It does rust, but after about five years, it stops rusting for life and becomes dark and rich, and it makes the wood, the faux wood, look almost real,” Terrence Martin said, referring to the metal benches.

“So when you just see his neck sticking out of the snow, the rest of him that is underneath there, has a skin that is very resilient to these conditions,” he said. “We put a lot of thought and effort into making him last as long as he possibly can in this environment.”

Martin also said the stunning tree-covered mountains and pond that frame Brian the Bear provide one of the most exciting backdrops he’s seen in his 20 years as a sculptor.

“I don’t know how many sculptures are above 10,000 feet on this planet, but there’s not many,” Martin added.

Added Brian Head Mayor Clayton Calloway, “This bear rekindles a little bit of imagination that I’ve lost as I get older.”

The total budget for the project, including installation, was $120,000.

At the conclusion of his remarks, Phillips reiterated the benefits that can be derived from public art.

“There can be long-term economic growth as a result of public art,” he said. “Engaging in public art generates excitement and can lead to increased foot traffic within the community or travel from outside the community, which tends to benefit business.”

Added Phillips: “May this exciting piece of public art in Brian Head bring joy, wonderment, understanding and economic prosperity for years to come.”

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2023, all rights reserved.

CEDAR CITY — Business owners, local government officials and others gathered at Cedar City’s Courtyard by Marriott to eat a hearty breakfast and learn more about the recent goings-on across Iron County.

The Cedar City Chamber of Commerce hosted the State of the Cities Economic Review Breakfast Wednesday morning. It featured civic leaders from four Iron County municipalities.

Brian Head Town Manager Bret Howser said the visitation and growth continued to be an emphasis for the resort town.

“I’m sure that’s the general theme everywhere, but certainly the general theme of Brian Head — things are getting busier,” he said.

Still, Howser said another focus for 2024 is to “put more polish on the town and start to — in business terms — start to deliver a little better on our brand promise of being an up-and-coming resort community.”

Traffic, parking issues and nightly rentals in residential neighborhoods have begun to impact the “Brian Head experience.”

“Our job is to mitigate that impact,” Howser said, adding that these problems are what they wanted. The ski resort recently hit 300,000 skier visits; their next goal is a million. And while it might sound “insane,” he said, “it’s coming.”

To support increased tourism, the town hopes to add more ski lifts, shops and restaurants, among others. New infrastructure projects are also in the works, including crosswalks and shuttle stops. Recent and ongoing projects include installing public art, like Brian the Bear, constructing a new playground and creating new trails.

Howser said the Aspen Meadows development, while in the preliminary stage, would include residential, commercial and mixed-use areas and ski lifts. The nearly 2,000-acre project would double the size of Brian Head, “both geographically and a source of potential residential units.”

Cedar City Mayor Garth Green said the city’s growth rate is “staggering,” with a nearly 8% increase in hotel stays and 196 subdivisions in process, representing 5,600 lots ready to develop. Upcoming projects include the $70 million South Cedar Interchange improvements and a new 55-foot hotel on Main Street.

“We’re not done yet, folks,” he said.

Green’s primary focus was water and the city’s “greatest accomplishment” — $35 million spent on old water rights last year. Approximately $18 million was financed, with the rest funded from the city’s accounts.

“Cedar City was severely handicapped three and a half years ago at the issuance of the groundwater management plan in our area,” he said. “At that time, Cedar City had a huge amount of water, but we didn’t have the old water.”

Under the Utah State Engineer’s Office plan for Basin 73, which impacts Cedar City, water rights issued later than 1934 will be unavailable to use by 2080. The first cuts will begin in 2035 when water rights issued after 1957 will be regulated, Cedar City News reported.

While Green’s initial plan was to transport water to the area from other locations, multiple opportunities arose to purchase water rights for “below market value.” This included nearly 1,000 acre-feet of the valley’s oldest water, dated as early as 1860, for over $11 million.

The city also plans to drill new wells, with work focusing on water in Cedar Canyon, an existing well north of the Cedar City Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility and west of the city, where the city owns water rights.

Two city parks are in progress. With the state’s final approval, the city will exchange lands with the Utah School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration to build a park near Fiddler’s Canyon, Green said. In April, the city plans to plant grass for soccer fields at the upcoming Iron West Soccer Complex.

Enoch Mayor Geoffrey Chesnut said that Enoch is also growing, with 200-plus lots ready to be built and 100,000 square feet of industrial improvements in the works. Various businesses are expected to open, including O’Reilly Auto Parts, Dollar General and Associated Foods.

Other facilities that will also open soon include the new Children’s Justice Center, Southwest Wildlife Foundation’s Enoch Wildlife Rescue facility and KJ’s Ice Barn.

The city plans to begin improvements to state Route 91 in 2025 after receiving a $2 million grant and is coordinating with Cedar City to develop a Master Transportation Plan, Chesnut said.

“The main intersection for Enoch City is actually not in Enoch City,” he said. “It’s in Cedar City, right there by the bowling alley, right? And so there’s incentive for us to want to coordinate and collaborate in that, and we’re grateful for our Cedar City partners.”

Chesnut discussed the importance of community and shared some upcoming events, like the annual Wings of Death competition, where locals participate in “40 minutes of just beating people senseless with hot sauces and terrible patriotic trivia.”

“The cynic is going to say, ‘That’s entertainment. That’s not in the government’s role.’ Well, sometimes watching people eat hot wings with your friends and your neighbors as you have some hot dogs — it’s fun, but it’s also community,” he said. “And I think that is government’s role.”

“And if you think that it’s not — that’s OK. One of us is wrong, and it’s not me,” Chesnut added to the audience’s laughter.

“I’m going to start with something just bonkers,” said Parowan Mayor Mollie Halterman. She began her speech with a bit of karaoke, singing a portion of Frank Sinatra’s “My Way” — a penalty for coming last in her Fantasy Football league.

Halterman said Parowan is coining 2024 as the “year of everything at once,” with multiple annexation and subdivision requests.

Various projects are in the works, including adding more trails, constructing a runway and hangars at the Parowan Airport, reconstructing the bridge on SR-91 and building pickleball courts at the Valentine Peak Sports Complex.

“Seriously, we can talk infrastructure all day, but we start to talk pickleball courses, and people think we really are getting things done,” she said.

Additionally, Parowan saw a record-high number of new business license applications at 216. Various small shops are expected to open, as well as larger commercial ventures, including a hotel, a Maverick gas station, two Terrible’s gas stations and an ACE Hardware Store, Halterman said.

Additionally, she said, “There’s power in community.”

“There are opportunities everywhere to make our cities better and Iron County better,” Halterman said. “And the only thing that I can say is, I would be completely overwhelmed, but the solution to the problem is we have each other.”

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2024, all rights reserved.

When most skiers think of skiing in Utah, they likely think of big Utah ski resorts like Alta or Snowbird, two of the most well-renowned big-mountain skiing venues in North America. Or Park City, Utah’s home mountain, Park City Mountain Resort, and its skiers-only neighbor, Deer Valley.

The fact is that 10 world-class Utah ski resorts fall within a one-hour radius of Salt Lake City International Airport, with even more to explore if you travel outside the Wasatch Range. It’s known as the “Greatest Snow on Earth” for a reason. If you want to get a taste of some of Utah’s famous powder on a budget, then explore our list of a few more ski areas that offer the most affordable skiing in Utah.

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The cheapest ski resorts in Utah

Utah isn’t just known for its incredible snowy peaks. Its vast desert landscapes and red rock canyons also draw a large crowd. Brian Head Resort is an incredible option for skiers hoping to experience all of what Utah has to offer. Located less than 100 miles from St. George Regional Airport and just 50 miles north of Zion National Park, Brian Head Resort plops visitors in the middle of Southern Utah’s unique landscapes. Brian Head has 8 chairlifts, 71 runs, and more than 650 skiable acres, and sells lift tickets for as low as $30, depending on the time of year and day of the week.

During peak season, from January to February, Brian Head’s weekday ticket prices hover around $35-$45, and weekend prices are anywhere from $50-$70 daily. Skiers and snowboarders who book their trip early and online can also receive special promotions that could lead to more savings. Day of lift ticket rates increase at the window.

Located just outside of Logan, Utah, Cherry Peak is the go-to resort for Utah Valley University students and locals living north of Salt Lake City looking to save money on gas and lift tickets. Adult day passes start at $48, with BOGO upgrades available if you purchase tickets for more than one day. Plus, if you’re planning on skiing with a teen or child, there are multiple options to save on adult and child day passes, all for less than $100. Discounted rates are available for half-day skiing and night skiing. Children under five ski/ride for free; student discounts are available with a valid school photo ID.

Powder Mountain is the best bang for your buck in Utah if you’re looking for endless terrain and fewer crowds. It has similar daily ticket prices as Snowbasin, Solitude, and Sundance ($139 a day), but riders are guaranteed fewer crowds. Powder Mountain is one of the few big players in Utah not yet on the Ikon Pass or Epic Pass, and they cap how many season passes they sell each year. Less wait time for a lift means more time to ski.

Nordic Valley is a skier’s most affordable option around Eden, Utah. Equipped with 5 lifts, a 6-chair high speed, and 500 skiable acres, Nordic Valley lift ticket prices can be as low as $20. Night skiing tickets are as low as $9 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. All ticket prices change based on demand. Lower priced tickets mean the mountain will be less busy. During peak season, you can find a ticket on a weekday from anywhere between $17 to $40, with the highest price being $67 during holidays. Purchase tickets as low as $19 if you visit the resort on an off-peak weekday.

Nestled close to the southern border of Idaho, north of Logan, Utah, is Beaver Mountain, another incredibly affordable option for budget-bending powder hounds. Online day tickets are available at Beaver Mountain for as low as $70 for a full day and $55 for a half day (with the option to ski in the morning or the afternoon). But unlike most Utah resorts, online tickets tend to cost a little more since day tickets are managed manually by this family-owned ski resort; online sales take extra time to process. Skiers and riders who can stop by the resort’s office in Logan, Utah, or purchase tickets directly at the mountain ticket office, will save money.

At the top of Big Cottonwood Canyon, Brighton Resort is one of the big four ski resorts, considered one of Utah’s best ski resorts, and nestled in the Wasatch Mountains right above Salt Lake Valley. And unlike its neighbors, Brighton has decent prices when you book 7-hour lift tickets online. Brighton Resort is one of the few resorts in Utah that offers night skiing, so instead of selling half-day tickets, they provide the option for a 7-hour ticket, valid during ANY 7 hours of operation (including evenings). The clock starts ticking when you first scan a ticket, and it can cost as low as $104 when you buy online ahead of time.

Or, stick to night skiing and ride some of the best runs in Utah under the lights at discounted prices. Brighton also allows skiers to purchase ticket bundles if they know they’ll spend their time there for two or three days consecutively. Kids 10 and under can ski and ride free with a pass-holding/paying adult.

Woodward Park City is an affordable option for skiers and snowboarders more interested in taking hot laps around the park than exploring big terrain off-piste. All-day lift tickets range from $40-$70 throughout the season and give riders unlimited access to Woodward Park City’s Hot Laps Lift, the Gateway Conveyor, and the beginner park. Riders also have the option to ‘ski under the stars’ with a Twilight lift ticket that offers the opportunity to ski or board from 4-7 p.m. for $40 or less. Woodward offers multiple terrain parks and an indoor trampoline for those looking to perfect their skills before taking them to the mountain. The outdoor tube park is a solid option for tired families and kiddos looking to have some fun and take a break from riding features.

FAQs

The most affordable Utah ski resort is Nordic Valley, located in Eden, Utah, about 25 minutes outside Ogden. For skiers looking to get a taste of multiple ski resorts in Utah, save some money, and avoid large crowds, calling Ogden or Eden your home base during a ski trip isn’t a bad idea. Not only is a Nordic Valley lift ticket under $100 an option, but another listed ski resort with tremendous value, Powder Mountain, is just down the road. Snowbasin is also an option for skiers and riders in the area. You’ll have to pay more to ski these two resorts, but you’ll most definitely get a taste of the terrain, snow, and views that Utah is known for. Bonus – Ogden is less than 45 minutes north of Salt Lake City International Airport.

For visitors hoping to get a taste of as many Utah resorts as possible, check out Ski Utah’s Yeti Pass, which allows riders to spend one day at all 15 resorts in Utah for only $719. That comes out to less than $50 dollars per resort.

Follow the above Utah ski resorts on social media, as well as Ski Utah, and subscribe to their newsletters for Utah ski deals.

Buying discount lift tickets online is typically the best way to save if you don’t have a season pass. What’s more, online lift ticket prices are the cheapest mid-week, which can save a lot of money over weekend lift tickets. If you’re on a family ski trip, check their website, as kids ski free at some resorts.

If you plan on skiing even just a few days during the season, then look into a season pass when they go on sale during the spring. For those skiers and riders who primarily ski in the Southwest, the Power Pass is a great option, since it’s primarily comprised of Southwest ski areas, including Brian Head. The Power Kids Pass offers free skiing for all kids 12 and younger.

Save on lodging by staying at a bed and breakfast or vacation rental, many of which are typically only a few minutes from ski resorts. Pack a lunch for the day, as ski resort food and drinks can add up. Finally, shop locally or rent gear. If you’re without gear and on a budget, you’ll want to avoid the ski shops at base areas and look for other bargains nearby for renting your ski gear.

Check online websites of hotels and lodges with ski vacation packages. Like above, Utah ski resorts will often post special offers on social media and send them to newsletter subscribers. Head to OnTheSnow’s Utah lodging page to see the latest lodging deals.

And with that, it’s time to pack your bags and discover the joys of skiing in Utah without breaking the bank. After your Utah ski trip, leave a resort review and help other travelers plan their Utah ski vacation.

Header image: ©Powder Mountain

SALT LAKE CITY — After a record-setting 2022-2023 season, resort officials and the groups that boost the industry agree that there is plenty of excitement heading into this ski season, which is slowly getting underway with three more resorts resuming operations this weekend.

Friday marked the opening day for Brian Head, Park City Mountain and Woodward Park City resorts, while Solitude Mountain Resort, which opened last weekend to pass holders, welcomed more visitors. The remaining 11 resorts in Utah are currently scheduled to open on Nov. 30 or later, though many have no date listed as they wait for snow and colder temperatures to arrive.

While this winter may not replicate last season's successes in terms of snow, all of the state's resorts spent the offseason finding ways to improve visitor experiences in one way or another, according to Ski Utah officials, the nonprofit that promotes the state's skiing and snowboarding industries. This, they say, has helped carry on the enthusiasm created by the record snow.

"I don't think I've been more excited for a ski season than this one," said Nathan Rafferty, president and CEO of Ski Utah, during the organization's annual start-of-season press conference on Tuesday. "The best has yet to come for our industry."

The organization also compiled a list of changes and improvements that ski resorts implemented over the offseason.

Changes and upgrades reported at resorts

Rafferty says he knows snowmaking and avalanche prevention technology isn't as "sexy" as new terrain, but it is important to have and maintain. Improved snowmaking processes were reported at Alta, Brian Head, Brighton, Cherry Peak, Deer Valley and Powder Mountain resorts, according to Ski Utah.

The organization adds that Alta, Snowbird and Solitude resorts all installed new Wyssen towers this summer to help mitigate avalanches via remote control. In Alta's case, the towers will eventually replace the howitzer military guns that it and the U.S. Forest Service had used to mitigate avalanche danger for over seven decades, as they were phased out.

Meanwhile, Brian Head Resort added new gladed terrain, which officials say will increase ridable tree terrain at the resort in Iron County. Brighton, Eagle Mountain, Park City Mountain, Powder Mountain, Solitude, Snowbasin and Snowbird resorts all added new lifts or gondolas — or enhanced existing ones.

In Brighton's case, the resort added a new Crest 6 chairlift that it says has the capability and speed to lift 2,400 people up the slopes in an hour.

Many resorts added new amenities or introductory courses, too.

"I'm thrilled that resorts are investing these dollars because after a year like we had last year, it'd be really easy to rest on your laurels, but every resort, every industry — it's so important to upgrade infrastructure," Rafferty said.

As for getting there, Beaver Mountain, Nordic Valley, Snowbasin, Sundance and Woodward Park City resorts all reported making parking improvements, either through adding new spots or by resurfacing, according to Ski Utah.

Both Brighton and Solitude resorts in Big Cottonwood Canyon are implementing parking reservation systems this season as a possible solution to the ongoing traffic problems in the canyon. Those will go into effect on Dec. 1 and Dec. 15, respectively.

Utah Transit Authority says it will have "enhanced" bus service this season, as well, even though it will continue to operate fewer buses than it did two years ago amid driver shortages. Cottonwood Connect, an emergency transit service option created last year for the Cottonwood Canyons, will resume this season to help with the shortages.

UTA's ski bus service will begin on Nov. 26.

Long-term investments on the horizon

A pair of big long-term investments announced in recent months also have the industry buzzing. One of those was Deer Valley Resort's agreement with the Extell Development Company in August to add 3,700 acres of terrain, more than doubling its skiable area in the near future.

Resort officials said at the time that they believe they will be able to open 2,900 new acres of terrain along with nine chairlifts and 110 ski runs by as early as the 2025-2026 winter season.

The second is Netflix co-founder Reed Hasting's $100 million investment in Powder Mountain Resort announced in September, months after he purchased a stake in the resort. He said his goal is to transform the Eden, Weber County, resort into the "ultimate skier experience."

Katie Van Riper, Powder Mountain's spokeswoman, said Tuesday that the resort will unveil new lift infrastructure projects after this season wraps up. It's the first of many bigger plans expected in the near future.

"(It's) a big change for what has been kind of a more slow-growth ski resort in the past," she said. "I think we'll have some really fun stuff to talk about (next spring) as we look at what we're calling 'Powder Next' and Reed's infrastructure and development along with that."

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