Here’s what’s new at Utah ski resorts this winter

Utah mountains were expected to receive a foot of snow or more Thursday night in the first big storm of the season. That means it’s time to tune up those skis and snowboards. It also time to start looking at the calendar to plan your trip, whether it be an opening day or deeper into the winter.

The scheduled opening for one resort in the state is only three weeks away, though most plan to start spinning the lifts in late November/early December — conditions permitting.

Many areas made some changes over the summer, including new chairlifts, new terrain and new parking rules for the 2024-25 season. Here’s a list of some of the new features at Utah resorts, along with their projected opening dates:

Alta Ski Area

Alta is installing two new ski conveyors, including one more than 300 feet long, between the Albion Day Lodge and the Snowpine Lodge. The covered conveyors will require less snowmaking and will enhance beginner terrain. Big Griz will be open to the public, creating a new beginner-friendly connection between the Snowpine lift, the Transfer Tow and Sunnyside lift. Little Griz will be reserved for Alf Engen Ski School lessons.

The resort also improved the Ballroom Traverse area on the mountain, creating a smoother entrance to Ballroom from the top of Upper Main Street. Often an area of high traffic and wind erosion, the new traverse will help skiers reach the powder-filled Ballroom under Mount Baldy.

Scheduled opening date: Nov. 22

Beaver Mountain

Beaver Mountain has several new features, including a new ski lodge, an expanded parking area and a new vault toilet. The 25,000-square-foot Marge’s Cabin includes a larger rental shop, retail space, cafe, snowsports school and locker room. The parking area was expanded to accommodate peak holiday visits. A new vault toilet was added at the base of Marge’s Triple lift so skiers and snowboarders don’t have to go back to the base area to use the facilities.

Scheduled opening date: TBA

Brian Head Resort

The Iron County resort will debut three new ski trails — two beginner and one intermediate — bringing the total number of trails at the resort to 74. It will also replace over 2,400 feet of snowmaking line to provide the best snow conditions possible. The resort has also added new energy-efficient LED lighting and poles to improve visibility for night skiing. It has added new ramps at the base and top of the Giant Steps Express and Navajo Express lifts, as well as at the base of the Wildflower and Alpen Glow lifts. Brian Head will celebrate its 60th anniversary on Jan. 7, 2025, with a week of events and activities.

Scheduled opening date: Nov. 8

Brighton Resort

Brighton expanded night skiing and riding with lights on the Mount Millicent (known simply as Milly) side of the resort for the first time. Opening new night terrain comes after the Big Cottonwood Canyon resort added more lighted trails off the Snake Creek lift the past two seasons.

Scheduled opening date: TBA

Cherry Peak Resort

Cherry Peak in Cache County will open for its 10th season this year. Events during the season include Rail Jam and the Romantic Valentine’s Concert Dinner. The resort takes our family-oriented approach and offers a family season pass.

Scheduled opening date: TBA

Deer Valley Resort

The Park City area resort will open three new chairlifts, offering access to 300 new skiable acres. Keetley Express, expected to open in December, conditions permitting, will be Deer Valley’s first six-person chairlift with a bubble. The new Hoodoo Express and Aurora lifts will service new beginner-level ski trails and provide return access to the new Deer Valley East Village. The village will have 500 new parking spaces with shuttle service directly to village amenities and new lifts.

Scheduled opening date: Dec. 7

Eagle Point Resort

The most significant change this year is that kids 12 and under ski free. Over the last couple of years, Eagle Point has made significant upgrades on the Skyline and Monarch lifts, including upgraded electrical, new drives and new haul ropes.

Scheduled opening date: Dec. 20

Nordic Valley

After a devastating fire last year and losing the Apollo chairlift for the entire season, the Weber County resort started several projects over the summer. The Apollo lift received a full repair and overhaul and will be spinning again this season. A new haul rope was installed on the Crockett chairlift. The main lodge known as “The Barn” was torn down because of the fire. A new skier services building is scheduled to open for the 2026-27 season. In the meantime, temporary buildings will be used until the permanent building is operational.

Scheduled opening date: TBA

Park City Mountain Resort

Park City Mountain enhanced its snowmaking system to speed up the opening of popular runs in the early season, including Chicane and Another World and increase access to skiing and riding off Tombstone Express at Canyons Village. The newly widened and extended Tombstone Alley expands the former Chicane Bypass, beginning further uphill and creating a new intermediate option that winds through the trees adjacent to Chicane. Tombstone Alley is accessed near the top of Chicane and will connect to the lower part of Another World, ultimately leading skiers and riders to the Tombstone Express, Over and Out and Timberline chairlifts.

Scheduled opening date: Nov. 22

Powder Mountain

The Weber County resort announced a major expansion earlier this year with plans to build a chairlift in Wolf Canyon, going up to Lightning Ridge. The new lift will add 900 acres of lift-served and 147 acres of hike-to access, for a total of 1,047 acres of public advanced terrain. The lift installation is scheduled to be completed by summer 2025. The Wolf Canyon expansion is in addition to upgrading the Paradise and Timberline lifts and adding the new Lightning Ridge.

In February, Powder Mountain will close to everyone except season pass holders on weekends. The dates are Feb. 1-2, 8-9, 15-16 and 22-23.

Scheduled opening date: TBA

Snowbasin Resort

The resort has a series of upgrades including a high-speed chairlift, refurbished gondola cabins, improved beginner terrain, and revised parking and entry planned over the next two winter seasons. Becker, one of the resort’s oldest chairlifts, initially installed in 1986, will transition from a fixed-grip triple chair to a detachable quad carrying 1,800 riders per hour, for the 2025-26 season. The resort continues to offer free parking without reservations and free shuttle service from the lots near the slopes.

Scheduled opening date: Nov. 29

Snowbird

Snowbird ’s original Wilbere chairlift — installed for the mountain’s opening in 1971 and named for Founder Ted Johnson’s wife and partner, Wilma — is being realigned and upgraded from a fixed-grip double chair to a fixed-grip quad. The conveyor belt loading station will move from Creek Road to the Creekside base area, near the Bryce Astle Training Center, making it more accessible from parking lots. Mid-Gad Restaurant will undergo a two-year renovation that will result in a new building featuring a modern single-story floor plan and a new, expansive outdoor deck.

Scheduled opening date: Nov. 28

Solitude Mountain Resort

The Big Cottonwood Canyon resort has made improvements to its snowmaking system to better capitalize on early season snowmaking conditions. Solitude also is refining its parking reservation system, which it says reduced traffic in the congested canyon last season. It has trimmed the number of days reservations are required from 61 to 46. It also cut the midweek parking rate in half, while allowing cars with three or more occupants to park free.

Scheduled opening date: Nov. 22

Sundance Mountain Resort

The Provo Canyon resort area broke ground on the new 63-room Inn at Sundance at the base of the mountain. It is projected to open for the 2025-26 season. The resort added 110 new, paved parking spots within walking distance of Jake’s Lift, bringing skiers directly to the Mountain Camp base area. The Mountain Camp Day Lodge has a cafe, retail and ski/snowboard school and rental services. Sundance also announced a Mountain Veterans Program for injured veterans and their families to aid their physical and emotional recovery.

Scheduled opening date: Dec. 2.

Woodward Park City

New this year, Woodward Park City has programming designed to grow the sports offered at the facility — ski, snowboard, skateboarding, scooter, parkour and biking — through multi-week programs offered to residents of the region. Regardless of sport, discipline or duration, the programs prioritize progression, tailored to learning and offered for all levels.

Scheduled opening date: TBA