Alta, Brian Head, Park City, Solitude pick same opening date for ski season

If the weather cooperates, Brighton primed to play the spoiler and win the race to open.

Historically, Nov. 18 hasn’t been a particularly joyous day.

But this is the year Nov. 18 will be celebrated, at least by Utah skiers and snowboarders. Because for most of the state’s ski areas, Friday, Nov. 18, could be opening day.

Alta Ski Area, Brian Head, Park City Mountain Resort and Solitude have all announced they plan to officially start running their lifts that day. A few other resorts, meanwhile, have announced later projected openings. They include Snowbasin (Nov. 25), Snowbird (Nov. 30), Deer Valley (Dec. 6), Nordic Valley (Dec. 9), Sundance (Dec. 9) and Eagle Point (Dec. 16).

Whether any of the resorts meet their goal or not depends, of course, on how much natural snow they receive and whether temperatures dip low enough at night to allow for snowmaking. Last year, several resorts pinpointed Nov. 19 as the start of the season, only to have to push that back several days because of lack of moisture and cold. Last year, Brighton Resort, which always strives to claim the state’s season-opening bragging rights, beat out Solitude by mere hours. Brighton opened at noon on Nov. 22 and its Big Cottonwood neighbor opened at 9 a.m. on Nov. 23.

But there’s an ironic twist. If Mother Nature does come through, Nov. 18 might still be denied its time in the limelight. Several resorts have yet to announce their opening date, including Brighton.

“We plan to open as soon as we can,” spokesperson Jared Winkler wrote in a text to The Tribune, “with either natural snow or man made snow.”

Four other resorts are also taking a wait-and-see approach: Beaver Mountain, Cherry Peak, Powder Mountain and Woodward Park City.