The first snow last week gave the "two-minute" warning to ski areas and skiers. Within the next two weeks, resorts will begin opening . . .
And lines will start forming at ticket windows, lifts and hot drink counters. . .And the whole process of remembering favorite runs, proper turns, which ski goes on what foot, and how to ease sore muscles will begin all over again.
Utah skiing has opened as early as October and as late as December. Typically, most resorts are up and operating by mid-November - hopefully before Thanksgiving.
This year, after the weekend storm, early November openings are likely. Some resorts got up to 3 feet of snow. And to supplement the natural snow, those that can are making snow. Park City, for example, has already poured nearly 2 million gallons of water through its snow-making system.
When the season does start, skiers will see a few things differently. Among them will be lift prices. Alta held at last year's prices - $21 - for a day pass, but most other resorts jumped up between $1 and $2, with Deer Valley once again being at the top at $41 for an adult day pass.
But skiers will get more for their ticket dollar, resort managers say. More than $6 million was put into resort improvements this summer, the most surprising being the bold step taken by ultra-conservative Alta in replacing a double chair with a triple chair.
The move, says Ono Wieringa, Alta general manager, is to shorten lift lines and ease congestion around the base of the Wildcat lift. Gone, too, will be the midway unloading station from the old Wildcat lift.
Brighton installed a Doppelmayr high-speed detachable quad. This is only the fourth one in Utah. Park City and Solitude put in the first in 1989-90, and Deer Valley the third last year.
According to Randy Doyle, Brighton area manager, the new lift, which replaces the old Mary's lift, will be more than one mile in length and have a vertical rise of more than 1,200 feet. The ride from bottom to top will be only six minutes.
"What surprised us most," he reports, "was that the lift put us in an area where we were able to cut in six new runs, all intermediate to advance . . . the kind of runs we need."
The new lift will eliminate the bottleneck at the base of the resort. Crews have been working on the new lift almost round-the-clock to have it open along with the resort. Final tests will be made on Nov. 20.
A day pass at Brighton will be $21 for an adult.
Deer Valley followed the trend of taking ski openings away from Mother Nature. It increased its snowmaking capability by 50 percent. It also added two new runs and widened a third, and added to its already extensive fleet of grooming machines. Skiing on holidays at Deer Valley this year will cost skiers an additional $3, or $44 for a day pass.
Solitude, reports Mike Goar, mountain manager, concentrated on finishing up projects started over the last few years that have dramatically changed skiing there. Relocating some lifts and adding the new quad opened up the area.
Attention, too, was put on the Solitude Nordic Center. A new building to house the center was constructed, along with a 60-car parking area. The first overnight accommodations at the resort are expected to go up this coming summer.
Solitude is scheduled to open Nov. 15. A day pass will be $26.
Powder Mountain upgraded its Sundown lift and widened several runs. It also added five slope-side motel-type accommodations nearby. A day pass will be $19 this year.
Brian Head created five new runs for beginners and intermediates. It also did extensive on-slope grooming and manicuring. A day pass will be $28.
Snowbird completed a major project with a barrier-free wildlife hiking trail this past summer. The trail will be closed over the winter, but will reopen in the spring. A tram pass at the `Bird will be $36 and a chair-only pass $29.
Park City, with the most extensive snow-making operation in Utah, spent a good deal of time tending to runs, improving an already state-of-the-art snowmaking operation and preparing for the World Cup opening on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1.
An all-area pass at Park City this year will be $39.
The rest of the Utah areas spent the summer grooming slopes, preparing lifts and adding to the amenities offered to skiers.
A ParkWest day pass will be $25 for an adult; Snowbasin will offer an all-day pass for $22; Beaver Mountain will charge $16; Sundance will charge $22 for a weekend adult pass; and Elk Meadows will charge $19.
*****
(Additional information)
Ski pass costs
Last This
Resort Year Year
Alta $21 $21
Beaver Mountain $16 $16
Brian Head $26 $28
Brighton $20 $21
Deer Valley $39 $41
Elk Meadows $19 $19
Park City $37 $39
ParkWest $24 $25
Powder Mountain $18 $19
Snowbasin $21 $22
Snowbird $35* $36*
Solitude $24 $26
Sundance $20 $22
* Tram pass