Utah skiing - Pitstops for Kids

Where to ski in Utah: Brighton Resort

January 2, 2020 By Amy Hagstrom

If you just read my post reviewing Utah skiing at Solitude Mountain Resort, you know that Brighton Resort is its closest neighbor, nestled right next door in Big Cottonwood Canyon outside of Salt Lake City. Both resorts offer incredible ski terrain for experts and backcountry skiers and snowboarders, both offer a friendly, local vibe, and both have enough skiable terrain for a family to be happy for days.

Brighton Resort differs in that it does not offer on-site lodging, apart from private home rentals. There’s a big base area with a day lodge and a separate lodge with gear rentals and a snow sports shop, and a smaller lodge at an adjacent base area on the other end of the parking area. The resorts are only five minutes’ drive apart, so families can certainly stay in the Solitude village if they’re looking to stay in the canyon, and can even ski between the resorts with a resort hopper pass.

So who is Brighton Resort for?

Take a look at the Brighton mountain map, and you’ll see a sea of black diamonds. Like Solitude, Brighton is big and bold, with incredible pitches, glades, bowls, and backcountry for serious, expert skiers and riders. If you’re looking for challenge and seemingly endless skiable terrain during big snow years like 2017 has proven to be, you’ve found your place. But what if you’re a beginner or intermediate skier? The good news is that there are green circle runs even at the top of the resort, a nice touch for those who get tired of always being at or near the base while they’re learning. You’ll find green runs off the Snake Creek chair, and even off the Milly chair, which also has some of the steepest, deepest runs in the resort. Intermediate skiers and riders will want to focus on the blue-friendly Crest and Majestic chairs; this is also where you’ll find a surprisingly big selection of terrain park features.

If you’re an expert skier or rider:

Trust us, you could do laps all day on the Milly Express chair, and never get tired of the terrain. Your legs will, however, get tired. This chair was our favorite, with double-blacks on both sides of the chair, hike-to terrain along the ridge, and back bowls accessible for backcountry skiers with touring skis. Of course, all of this is dependent on conditions, and it’s essential to look at signage to see what’s open. This is big avalanche country, and the mountains should be respected.

Over on the Great Western chair, some of the steepest pitches take you down wide, mogul-filled black diamonds, and there are more tree glades with powder stashes along the far end of the resort. However, some of my favorite skiing all day at Brighton was found in what I deemed the ‘peaceful powder forest’, located near the top of Snake Creek and Crest. The woods here seemed to go on and on, with lots of powder between the trees and a more relaxing pitch.

If there’s less snow, you’ll definitely find less variety, but even then, the groomers along Crest and Big Western and Milly proved excellent. I loved the rollers and gentle curves to these runs, which got great sun throughout the day. We opted to break for lunch at the base of Milly, where the newest lodge of Brighton was far less crowded and offered excellent burgers and soups.

Planning your day at Brighton Resort:

As noted above, there is no overnight lodging at Brighton, so it will probably be a day trip for you. If you’re driving up Big Cottonwood Canyon (i.e., not staying at Solitude or in a nearby home rental), plan at least 25 minutes on an average day, and up to an hour on a holiday weekend…the traffic goes slowly on really great ski days.

Tip: Big Cottonwood Canyon is 15 miles of pretty curvy, mountainous roadway, and 4×4 drive or chains ARE required fairly regularly. You can opt to take a bus from the base of the canyon, where there’s a convenient park and ride parking lot for your car.

Because Brighton Resort is a day use resort, the parking lot does fill up on busy days. We skied Brighton on a holiday weekend after a big dump of snow, and were glad we arrived just after 9 am…by 11 am, the parking lot was completely full and people were parking on the road.

Lift tickets are under $80 per day per adult, which is relatively reasonable, by ski resort standards. Better yet, you can ‘reload’ your day pass the next day for $10 less. Kids 10 and under are FREE at Brighton, which is a fantastic perk. To save money, consider a Brighton pass if you plan to ski regularly there, because it includes free ski bus access, or, if you have a pass elsewhere, see if it’s a M.A.X. Pass resort and do a M.A.X. Pass add-on for the best value. You can get a Solitude-Brighton ticket for under $100, and ski between the two resorts, but I bet you’ll have enough to keep you busy right at Brighton.

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Disclosure: I visited Brighton as a guest of the resort for the purpose of reviewing M.A.X. Pass resorts. All opinions are my own.

Where to ski in Utah: Solitude Mountain Resort

February 7, 2018 By Amy Hagstrom

Solitude Mountain Resort is one of those ski resorts that grows on you. The first time I skied Solitude was as part of a demo day experience, and I only traversed part of the mountain. Still, I enjoyed it. The next time I visited, my teenage son and I zipped all over the mountain during an epic powder day…hard to dislike that! The third time I skied this Big Cottonwood Canyon resort, the snow was so-so, but hidden stashes remained, and the true peace and tranquility to be found here won me over.

What to expect at Solitude Mountain Resort:

Let’s start with what not to expect: don’t expect crowds, as Solitude really does live up to its name. You also don’t need to expect the usual high lift ticket prices. Even if you opt to buy tickets at the window or online, instead of getting a M.A.X. Pass, Solitude lift tickets are on the reasonable side, comparatively speaking. And I have visited during a long holiday weekend.

Instead, at Solitude, you can expect a local vibe, despite the presence of a base village with lodging for out-of-town guests. There’s an emphasis on off-piste (off the run) skiing and even backcountry skiing (out of bounds), which means the mountain ‘skis bigger than it is’. What do I mean by this? At 1200 acres, Solitude is not considered a very large resort, but if you include all the glade skiing, powder bowls, and off-piste options, which exist depending on snow conditions, it’s very large indeed.

The lifts at Solitude are spaced out enough that some traversing will be necessary at times, but the newest chair, Summit, is not only fast but offers incredible views as you ascend. The village is compact, with condo-style lodging, an inn, a few restaurants, gear rentals, and a snow sports shop, and extremely cozy.

How to plan your trip to Solitude:

I love skiing Utah resorts because so many of them are within an easy commute of Salt Lake City and the international airport. Solitude was within 45 minutes of downtown during my visits. From the base of Big Cottonwood Canyon, it’s only 12 miles. On one trip, because my son and I were skiing multiple resorts during my second time at Solitude, we stayed at the entrance to the canyon, at Residence Inn by Marriott. It was comfortable, convenient, had an excellent complimentary breakfast, and was only about 25 minutes from the Solitude parking lot. I highly recommend this hotel if you want to stay central to both Big and Little Cottonwood canyons.

If your ski trip will be solely at Solitude and/or Solitude and its neighbor, Brighton, definitely stay in the Solitude Village. I stayed two nights at the Inn at Solitude on my third visit and loved the proximity to the mountain. My fourth-floor balcony literally overlooked the Apex Chair, and the heated, outdoor hot tub and pool soothed sore muscles each evening. The Inn at Solitude is just steps from The Hungry Squirrel, which became my go-to apres-ski watering hole, and there are spa services on-site, too. St. Bernard’s restaurant, directly inside the inn, offers an Alpine-style buffet dinner with charcuterie, hot soups, roasts and cobblers every night, and serves an equally satisfying buffet breakfast each morning. The atmosphere is warm and relaxing; we enjoyed drinks in the Library Bar seating area outside the dining room before our leisurely meal. St. Bernard’s was a definite highlight of our time at Solitude. You also get access to Club Solitude by staying at the Inn at Solitude, which has additional pools, a lounge area with video games and a movie screening room, exercise spaces and saunas.

As noted, the village is small, but has what you need (eliminating any need to commute down the canyon for food or supplies). You can find a very small convenience store right at the entrance to Solitude by the real estate office; this is not a grocery store by any means, but does have wine, beer, convenience items and toiletry items. If you are staying in the village and want a second option in addition to St. Bernard’s, head to Honeycomb Grille for excellent American bistro cuisine or to the small pizzeria. Every option is within walking distance of everything else.

You’ll be ski-in, ski-out at Solitude, and only a five-minute drive from Brighton. There are buses that connect the two as well (and you can ski between them…more on that in a minute).

Getting your bearings at Solitude:

There are two base areas at Solitude, at Solitude Village and Moonbeam base area. It’s nice that both have parking lots, to spread out day guests, and both have base lodges with ticket sales and food services. Moonbeam is home to the snowsports center, which is where to go if you’re taking a lesson or dropping off kids for lessons. There are some food venues there, as well as bathrooms.

The village has additional food services, a rental shop and tuning shop, and all the lodging options (which include condos in addition to the inn). A good lunch option can be found at Last Chance Lodge, right on the snow at the edge of the village, where you can find excellent made-to-order tacos and a salad bar. Hang tight though, because the absolute best lunch spot is at mid-mountain (read on to find out where).

Skiing Solitude:

If you enjoy skiing off-piste, Solitude is heaven. The Summit chair drops you off at the entry to Honeycomb Canyon, named, it turns out, not after Utah’s honey production, but after the many mines that dotted the canyon a century ago. Multiple gated chutes connect with the bowl, giving skiers and snowboarders a very long and powdery run to the base near Eagle chair. There’s also a front face at Summit, plenty of tree skiing, and groomer runs for intermediate level.

Tip: if you’re a beginner, pay attention to notices at the base of each chair. Solitude is very good about placing signage where beginner terrain will be lacking, so you can know before going up.

Additional glade skiing is excellent off the older (and slower moving) Sunrise chair, and lots of nice blue groomers can be found off Moonbeam and Eagle. If you’re willing to hike, even more bowl skiing opens up, and backcountry skiers will be happy too: just look for the signage indicating when you need your own backcountry shovel, avalanche beacon, and probe to continue. (This is a good indication that you may need to hike out of the run, too.)

Overall, look at signage no matter your ski ability, and be ready to ask for advice from locals…there will be plenty of skiers and snowboarders around who are familiar with the mountain. If you have a M.A.X. pass or combined ticket for Solitude and Brighton, know that you can ski between the resorts via the Solbright run. And, er, if you accidentally ski that run and end up at the wrong base area without a combined ticket, the nice lifties will let you return via the lift…once.

If you’re an intermediate to advanced skier and want to open up more terrain for yourself, book one of Solitude’s Hidden Tracks mornings. Operating as snow and weather permits, Hidden Tracks is an opportunity to ski with a local instructor who can show you all those hidden stashes and glades you might have missed. And there are a lot! During my Hidden Tracks experience, my guide Josh described skiing off-piste at Solitude as ‘a game of gates’. What he meant: there are gated entrances to off-piste terrain all over the place! These gated areas are maintained by ski patrol for safety and opened and closed at their discretion. Once you know where they all are, as well as which ones will require boot packing (or hiking) to get to the great snow, you’ll be an informed skier who can continue to enjoy these gates the rest of your trip. Have adventurous teens? This session is ideal for them to know their options!

At a mountain like Solitude, which has so much backcountry and side country terrain, Hidden Tracks is well worth your time and money. And while it’s not a lesson, if you’d like instruction or pointers during the morning, your guide will be happy to accommodate you.

Tip: definitely plan to eat your lunch at the Roundhouse mid-mountain between the Moonbeam and Eagle lifts. This circular lodge has a lot of history, and serves just two types of food: Wasatch mountain food (Utah-inspired soups, stews, and burgers), and Himalayan mountain food (wonderful curries and rice dishes). The food is excellent, and we found there was plenty of room…no hunting for a table at lunch.

Solitude lift tickets:

As with all ski vacations, ease the burden on your wallet by planning your lift ticket purchase ahead of time at Solitude. If you only plan to spend a few days, buy multi-day tickets online ahead of time to save money off the approximate $85 adult day pass price. There’s also a Solbright day pass, which gives you access to all of Brighton, too. Personally, I think you’ll be busy enough at just one or the other, but the flexibility is nice.

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Disclosure: We skied Solitude as guests of the resort, for the purpose of reviewing the M.A.X. Pass option. All opinions are my own.

Where to ski in Utah: Brian Head Resort with kids

February 13, 2017 By Amy Hagstrom

Deciding where to ski in Utah is a little like deciding which tropical island to buy…you really can’t go wrong, wherever you choose. That said, there are distinct differences between Utah resorts, and perhaps an even bigger difference between Salt Lake City and Provo area resort and Southern Utah resorts. For the first time, I explored the skiing options in Southern Utah, where I loved the friendly, relaxed, and sometimes almost eccentric vibe.

Brian Head Resort with kids:

Brian Head Resort has the highest base elevation in Utah (you’ll be at over 9000 feet at all times, and up to 11,000+ feet while skiing). It offers 650 acres with eight chairs. It’s not the largest Utah ski resort, and also not the most challenging in terms of expert terrain, but it has something distinct going for it that really plays in its favor: isolation.

Because Brian Head is pretty far from a metropolis (you’re 3.5 hours from SLC and 3 hours from Las Vegas), your closest neighbors during your stay are national parks and monuments. Brian Head has the distinction of being a Dark Sky location, which means you’re free from light pollution. All this isolation means Brian Head Resort makes its own fun. Events, apres ski dining options, live bands, and special programming seems to be scheduled for just about every night. Need proof? Just take a look at their event schedule.

Getting the lay of the land:

When skiing Brian Head resort with kids, it’s important to note Brian Head has two distinct base areas: Navajo and Giant Steps. They are separated by the highway, with a ski bridge that links them. Base lodges are at both locations. The simplest way to categorize them is to say that Navajo offers the beginner and intermediate terrain, and Giant Steps offers intermediate and expert terrain. There’s a meeting place for the winter sports school at both locations, but the kids’ camp is at Navajo. The two Brian Head hotel lodges are a couple minutes’ drive from the Navajo side, but there are many house rentals and condos available at both base areas.

You can absolutely ski between the two sides using the ski bridge, but it does take a few chairs and some traversing. There is also a free shuttle that connects the base areas, convenient if you have family members skiing at different levels but want to meet up for lunch or apres ski.

Skiing at Brian Head:

Brian Head is one of those resorts that seems to double its size on powder days…there are just so many open areas to ski. (The openness of the resort is actually due to the need to remove many trees during a beetle infestation years ago.) But of course, not every day can be a powder day. During my visit, we stuck mostly to groomed runs, which were plentiful and pleasant. There are a number of great chutes near the top of Giant Steps, and even after the fluffy powder is skied out, hidden stashes remain in the trees. On the Navajo side, the green beginner runs are some of the most interesting I’ve seen…think winding paths through forests and fun curves.

From both sides, skiers are rewarded with views of classic Southern Utah red rock, and glimpses of nearby Cedar Breaks National Monument. On clear days, it’s possible to see all the way to Great Basin National Park in Nevada. What you won’t see often are crowds. We visited on a Saturday in January, and it felt like a quiet Tuesday morning.

Other things to do at Brian Head:

Remember how close you are to Cedar Breaks while in Brian Head? If you want to take an afternoon off from skiing, you can actually take a snowmobile tour from the resort area to High Mountain, which offers incredible close-up views of the red rock of Cedar Breaks. Thunder Mountain Motorsports offers 1.5 hour, 3 hour, and all day rides. We found 1.5 hours to be just enough time to go through the backcountry of Brian Head to High Mountain and back, with time to play around in snow-filled meadows and learn about the natural history of the area. Our guide was fantastic: the perfect mixture of helpful and informative but also lighthearted and fun. Tours start at $85/machine, which families can ride double for only $15 extra. If you have it, you can even take your own machine and follow the tour for $20.

If snowmobiling isn’t your thing, you can also snowshoe or cross-country ski in Cedar Breaks. It’s best to call for up-to-date info on road conditions and where to start your winter exploration: 435-586-9451.

Brian Head also offers snow tubing, which I’m told is on a steeper track than most. (I didn’t get a chance to try it.) However, one of the best things I did at Brian Head was their free ‘Star Party’. Held once a month at Navajo base lodge, star parties are a fun and informative viewing of the night sky. Because Brian Head is a Dark Sky location, the view on clear nights is fantastic. They bring out ‘dark rangers’ (like park rangers) to lead short talks, in which they point out constellations and planets and give families time to look through telescopes. There are fire pits and hot chocolate as well.

Where (and what) to eat at Brian Head:

Remember how I said Brian Head was just a bit eccentric? This characteristic is most evident in their dining and entertainment scene. Brian Head was bought by a new owner a few years ago; owner John Grissinger has brought his love of Kansas City BBQ to the resort, and everyone benefits! At least once a week (and usually more often), families can find ‘John’s KC style BBQ’ on the events calendar. Held at Last Chair Saloon at Giant Steps base, this BBQ meal is not to be missed. You may get two choices on the menu, but don’t expect more. What you’ll get is amazing BBQ meat (usually ribs, catfish, or tri-tip) served with sides. It’s accompanied by live music, and the whole event is very family-friendly.

When you can’t get BBQ, you have other options: Giant Steps lodge and Navajo have your standard ski day fare, and if you want to dine out in the evening, the Grand Lodge offers a simple but solid menu at their Lift Bar and Grill. Cedar Breaks Lodge offers a restaurant as well.

Where to stay at Brian Head:

As noted above, there are many condo rentals and home rentals in Brian Head. If you opt for a hotel, you have the choice between the Grand Lodge and Cedar Breaks Lodge. We stayed at Grand Lodge, which has a great indoor pool and hot tub, plus an outdoor hot tub. Their spa was closed for the season, but it is on offer in summer months. They have a decent continental breakfast at the Lift Bar and Grill, which is convenient before your ski day, though it does cost extra (around $10 pp). I found this price to be too high for the standard fare; at some chain hotels, you can get a similar spread complimentarily). However, our waitress did charge less for those who were eating less, which was nice.

Rooms are standard, with mini fridges and microwaves, which is nice to have, and the lodge has fun live music and a pretty hopping bar on weekends. It’s a friendly, welcoming vibe. You’re about a one minute drive to the base of Navajo, or you can get on the free Brian Head shuttle.

Getting to Brian Head: Take I-15 to Parowan, then Highway 143 to Brian Head. It’s about 3.5 hours from Salt Lake City or 3 hours from Las Vegas.

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Disclosure: I experienced Brian Head as a guest of the resort, for the purpose of review. All opinions are my own.