The Complete Ski Resort Guide to Aspen Snowmass in Colorado

Disclosure: When you buy something through the Affiliate product links I have created below, I earn a small commission. I only promote products and companies I support as well as believe in.

Skiing and snowboarding can be dangerous activities, please ride within your ability levels and respect others around you

Aspen Colorado, probably one of the most Iconic ski town names in the snow world. Not far from downtown Aspen is Snowmass, the largest of 4 Aspen resorts and the one that seemed to always be my favorite. I first took a vacation to this mountain years ago driving across the country on a bus for a college ski club trip. First time in Colorado snowboarding and I was speechless. The runs seemed to go on forever and the terrain was endless.

Making the trek back here years later has been a trip, not much has changed other then new on mountain dining, and a new base area. Although Snowmass continues to make new upgrades it still has the home like feel to it, which is what makes it such a fun place to ride. Exploring this place after a snow storm is what makes Snowmass so special and unique that you’ll just have to find out for yourself.

In this post I’ll be going over how to get to the resort, where to stay for a more affordable price, where to apres’ or eat, and places to rent along with buy ski/snowboard equipment, lessons, the mountain, and of course where you should ride. Alright, lets goooo.

Where is Snowmass and how to get there

Snowmass is just over 8 miles west of downtown Aspen Colorado in the Roaring Foark Valley and part of the Elk Mountain Range. Other neighboring towns include Basalt, Glenwood Springs, and Carbondale. Since Independence Pass is closed in the winter the only way to get to Snowmass is I-70 to Colorado 82. Aspen also has a small airport you can fly into. Below I listed times and distances to Snowmass.

Denver: 196 Miles/3 hours

Colorado Springs:263 miles/4 hours

Aspen Airport: 6 miles/10 minutes

Breckenridge 135 Miles/2 hours

Where to Stay

The one downside to staying in the Aspen Area is how expensive the town is which includes lodging. However you can always stay in close towns Basalt and Carbondale if you want to save money. One of the nice things is if you stay in Snowmass, a lot of the lodging is ski-in/ski-out. So you can walk to the slopes and ride down, always loved that when riding over there. When I stayed in Snowmass, I always liked staying at the Stonebridge Inn, it has an old school feel to it with nice amenities and it is right on the mountain. I’ve also stayed at the Laurelwood Condominiums, which are Slopeside too.

Where can I get lift tickets and what pass is Snowmass on

There will be a ticket office right by the Elk gondola! Snowmass is part of the Aspen pass which is pretty expensive. If you purchase the pass in the spring it will be the best way to save money as prices will be lower. This pass will get you access to all 4 mountains including Highlands, Buttermilk, and Ajax. The positive side is with a pass this expensive it keeps the number of people on the mountain down. Included in the Aspen Pass will be the Ikon base, if you wanted to venture to other resorts such as Copper, Steamboat, or Winter Park!

Snowmass will also be on the Ikon pass for up to 7 days, which is what I use. You can venture to other Aspen resorts too, even on the same day, which I’ve done in the past.

Where to Rent or Buy Equipment

Probably some of the best rental options in the ski industry, Snowmass itself has a number of places to rent and/or buy equipment to have a fun experience on the mountain. I personally think Four Mountain Sports will have the best selection of rentals and gear located in the upper Snowmass Mall. They have an awesome snowboard shop with goggles, jackets, pants, boards, boots and bindings.

Other ski shops include Christy’s and Gorsuch. There will also be a Four Mountain Sports in the lower Snowmass Village. Make sure to book rentals ahead of time, especially if you are booking your trip during holiday periods and spring break! If you need ski boots there is a Surefoot in the Lower Village too.

Where to get Coffee/Breakfast

Not many breakfast places in Snowmass, I’m sure it will continue to grow as time goes on, but if you want food that isn’t too expensive I really like Fuel in the Upper Mall. Stop in right before you get on the mountain and grab a breakfast sandwich and smoothie! For coffee I really liked Gorsuch to be honest, which will also have some quick breakfast options too.

I would also recommend checking out the Daly Diner, next to Clarks market, right before you go up the hill to the resort. Awesome breakfast and dinner. They say, “it’s as local as it gets.”

What are some great places to Apre’s or grab dinner after being on the mountain

As mentioned above there is Daly Diner in the Clarks market shopping plaza which will also have Tasters Pizza, which has been around for over 20 years! In the upper Mall, it seems restaurants have changed over the years, but right on the mountain in the upper mall, there will be a couple good restaurants and bars to grab a drink. In the lower village there will be a Slice of Italy and Kenichi if you like Sushi. My favorite Apres’/Dinner Place in Snowmass will be Aurum! Awesome happy hour, drinks, and dinner menu. They have outdoor seating for those nice bluebird winter days. The inside also has great ambience and music, cool spot overall.

Is there much to do in Snowmass

Snowmass is pretty small, you can walk around the Upper Mall or Lower Village. The Upper Mall is older with restaurants that seem to change from time to time. Has an old school feel to it. And then there’s the lower village which is brand new, with new businesses popping up each season it seems.

If you have time, I would check out downtown Aspen for a day or even ride the resort in town, Ajax. Aspen is defiantly more upscale but there’s a really cool snowboard shop there, Radio Boardshop, and also a couple good ski shops right in town. If you like art, photography, and fashion, there will be a number of stores for that too. My favorite restaurant in Colorado will also be in downtown Aspen, Whitehouse Tavern. Awesome food, smaller menu, but great ambience inside. For busier times you’ll need to stop in and make a reservation. Because it’s a smaller space, no reservations ahead of time!.

Where can we park

There are a few free lots which are Brush Creek, Rodeo, and Buttermilk. Busses run often and are free within the Aspen area, just hop on the bus that goes to downtown Aspen. The Rodeo Lot will be the closest free lot to Snowmass with busses that run often to the resort. Just make sure to arrive early as it fills up quick! If that lot is full I would park at Brush Creek, with busses that run directly to Snowmass as well. Check the RFTA transportation website for bus schedules, especially if you don’t have a vehicle.

Don’t feel like taking the bus, there is a paid parking garage at the base of the resort, where the newer Snowmass shopping plaza is.

What about on Mountain Dining, What does Snowmass have

Aspen resorts have the best on mountain dining options if you want to treat yourself and get a gourmet hot meal. Snowmass has a number of different restaurants on mountain, with some of them being actual sit down restaurants that require reservations! Even the cafeteria style places are fancy and food options are pretty amazing. It’s like having a home cooked meal on the mountain and for the price, it’s kind of a steal.

On Mountain Restaurants that don’t require reservations, but I would suggest making one are; The Cabin, Alpin Room and Sam’s. Sam’s Overlooks the Elk Mountains, and would be an unreal place to have a meal and glass of wine. The cabin will be a good Apres’ spot from 2:30-4 pm. They’ll have some seafood, charcuterie board’s, along with salads, and different wines. Sam’s will be more pasta and Italian options with a drink menu too. Alpin Room will be right off the Alpine Springs lift.

For more casual dining check out the Elk Camp Restaurant. They have mac and cheese, rotisserie chicken, vegetables, pizza, and a full salad bar. This is where I like to go for a hot meal after riding all morning. For a classic burger, fries, and a milkshake there is Ullrhoff, which is actually being taken down and rebuilt with much more seating.

What kind of lessons does Aspen Snowmass offer and is the mountain good for beginners

Snowmass has a variety of lesson options from first timers to the terrain park, and people that like to explore more advanced areas of the mountain. I’ve been snowboarding for 25 years and from what I’ve seen, Aspen has the best instructors out there. To save money, go with a group lesson or if you want a one on one go with a private lesson.

Aspen also offers clinics and camps for different ability levels as a way to improve your skills and fundamentals and maybe meet some like minded individuals. If you have any kind of handicap, but still want to explore the mountain, check out there adaptive lessons as well.

Where is the best Beginner terrain

A lot of great beginner terrain for those who have just started or maybe don’t have too much experience with skiing or snowboarding will be off the Village Express Chairlift. There’s going to be a number of Blue and Green’s off of that chairlift! Another fun beginner area will be off of the Elk Camp Gondola.

Once you start to get comfortable, there’s a number of beginner-intermediate runs off of chairlifts; Two Creeks, Elk Camp, and Big Burn.

I heard there’s S’Mores on the mountain at the end of the day

Yep, that is one thing that Aspen Snowmass is known for, free s’mores at the base area at 3:00 pm everyday. Roast your marshmallow by one of the fires and make sure to throw the stick away!

Does Snowmass get a lot of snow

It really depends on the year, I’ve seen the Aspen area get over 400 inches in one season and less than 300 in another season. On average the mountain gets 307 inches of snow per year.

What is the mountain like and where should we ride

Snowmass is pretty large ski resort with lots of different terrain compared to the other 3 Aspen resorts. They have 3,342 acres of rideable terrain! A lot of intermediate terrain at this mountain making it great for families, however still offering some steep terrain for the more advanced skier or snowboarder. Some of my favorite areas to ride are Sheer Bliss, Cirque, and terrain off of High Alpine.

Cirque

Once this area of the mountain fills in with snow, it is pretty magical. If you like upper alpine terrain make sure you check this part of the mountain out after a nice snow storm. Looking for some nice chutes? Drop early off the T-Bar lift (which is replacing the current cirque lift) and check out AMF and Ptarmigan on the left side. If you want some easier terrain up at Cirque, check out Little Headwall for a few turns. The best way to access this part of the mountain is by getting on the Big Burn lift and the T-Bar will be right in front Up4Pizza. To Access different parts of Cirque follow the long Catwalk and this will eventually lead you to drop zones for the Headwall and Eastwall!

Just note, you should watch out for exposed rocks in this area as there is quite a lot. Takes a long time for this part of the mountain to fill in! No matter which part of Cirque you decide to ride. It will eventually funnel you into a gully called Kt Gully. There will be some fun trees as you make your way down this part of the mountain.

Kt Gully has some hidden Gems, if you took Sheer Bliss to pop over here, be cautious! There are going to be some Cliff areas. I like to just run the gully down and hit different trees spots as I snowboard towards the base.

High Alpine and Alpine Springs

Runs off High Alpine will be another steep and technical part of the mountain that is considered upper terrain. If you have the experience, I would highly recommend checking it out. To access this terrain you can either take Cirque and traverse over or do the hike off of High Alpine. Not going to lie, this part of the mountain can be a bit confusing on where to drop. Review the detailed trail map at the top of the hike for reference then make a go for it.

Drop into Possible, A steeper run with surrounding rock walls, if you keep riding you’ll get to lap through some amazing tree runs called Frog Pond Glades. These glades can fill in nicely when there is snow and seem to go on forever too.

Stay a bit higher towards Roberto’s and Headwall then drop and if you hug a sharp right, eventually there will be some awesome black and double black runs. Kind of like an open field with spread out trees (See the photo below in the middle). If you don’t feel like doing the hike there is still some great runs off of High Alpine. Head over to Sheer Bliss or Alpine Springs once you’re done lapping this chairlift.

Runs off Alpine Springs tend to be more crowded and although they are blue runs, they are just a little bit more steep. Not a bad place to ride if you’re a beginner/intermediate rider looking to get more experience. This is really the only lift where I’ve seen lift lines on busier days.

Big Burn and Sheer Bliss

If you like wide open runs, mixed with trees, that aren’t too steep, this area is for you. This part of the mountain really allows you to explore and feel like you’re on an adventure. Not that the rest of the mountain doesn’t feel like that, but for me, I always kind of feel that way when riding these two chairlifts in particular.

Wide open runs are what you will be able to ski for snowboard on when riding off of Big Burn. There’s a few tree spots to ride through as you make your way down the mountain that are worth it! On hardback bad snow days, these areas can still be fun to ride as traditional groomers.

The first photo below shows Big Burn and Sheer Bliss off in the distance with the last photo being the Sheer Bliss run. The difference between these two lifts is there will be more steep terrain off of Sheer Bliss.

Elk Camp

A more low key area on the mountain, I would say Elk Camp is best suited for the intermediate skier or boarder looking to progress. Nothing too steep or crazy on this part of the resort. It also has my favorite dining area, with essentially gourmet cafeteria food! New for the upcoming seasons is the 4 person lift is being upgraded to a 6 person lift.

If the snow is good I like to hug the fence line, left side of the run. Mostly blues off this chair, unless you do the hike.

To access the Elk Camp Chair you must first get on the Elk Camp Gondola. Kind of a process, but worth it to check this part of the mountain out. You can either take some laps off the Gondola (good area for beginners) or head to the Elk Camp Chairlift. Probably the easiest hike I’ve done on a ski resort. Take a left off the chairlift, unstrap, and you will see an area to start hiking. Once you drop, it is essentially spread out tree runs, nothing too crazy in my book.

If you do decide to do the hike just note, it’s a longer run that will take you to the base of the Two Creeks chairlift!

Elk Camp will have some easier tree runs to ride through, worth it, if you are new to tree riding and want some experience.

Elk Gondola will be blues that can be ridden down to the gondola base or take Adams Avenue to the main base area.

Two Creeks

Two Creeks is a hidden gem on the mountain, there’s a number of Aspen Trees in this vicinity. An older lift with a cafe at the very bottom, I can imagine both will be replaced eventually. The run from top to bottom is a long one that turns into a catwalk passing homes as you reach the bottom.

Village Express and Sam’s Knob

These lifts will service the main base area in Snowmass with beginner all the way up to expert terrain. I’ll usually start here to get the legs warmed up. On Powder days this is a fun area to begin the day with before exploring the rest of the mountain, runs like Fast Draw and Promenade under the chairlift allow you to really lay out a few turns. As the day progresses it will start to get skied out making natural moguls on the runs.

Sam’s Knob gets skied out quickly and is also a pretty steep in parts. However, not a bad place to ride when the snows great.

The runs from the Village Express to Big Burn chairlift are my go to for access to the rest of the mountain. Below is a catwalk that will take you from point A to B.

Runs like these below are best early as they start to get tracked out towards mid day, especially on a bluebird powder day. Couple good tree stashes too that you can sneak into then pop back onto the run.

Probably my least favorite area of the mountain, due the location and pretty far from the rest of the mountain. If you have time, explore this area, but if not, you didn’t miss too much in my opinion.

Probably the most quiet part of the mountain will be runs off of Campground. To access take the far left run (Bear Claw) all the way to the bottom of the chairlift. No beginner terrain on this lift as it will only be single black diamonds.

What are the Terrain Parks like

One of the most underrated terrain parks in Colorado, Snowmass has just about every kind of feature and jump for all ability levels, which is what I like most about this park. It also doesn’t get too crowded so you can get a lot of laps in, if the park is where you wanna ride on a nice sunny day.

Take the new high speed Coney Express lift for top to bottom park laps or take the Village Express and get off halfway for access to the Lowdown Park along with the Makaha Park. The top of Coney Express will be advanced to expert features. These are ones that require a lot of speed and skill. Makaha will be intermediate to advanced jumps and rails with Lowdown being beginner to intermediate boxes, rails, along with jumps.

Best part about this terrain park is how long it goes for, kind of reminds me of Big Bear in California.

You’ll find some nice down rails, medium size jumps, and even a mini pipe in the Makaha terrain park! I like this section for trying to progress and learn something new and challenging.

Some easy boxes and jumps can be found in the Lowdown park. Great area for learning or taking a park lesson if needed. Not that I’m an instructor, but my best advice is to start small and work your way up with what is comfortable. Parks are scary at times, but they help build your riding skills and confidence on a snowboard or skis!

Does Snowmass have good tree riding

I’d like to think there are some fun trees to ride through. So far the best ones I’ve ridden were off of the High Alpine lift, Frog Pond Glades/Hanging Valley Glades. Off Elk Camp there are trees that are fun right under the lift as well as off the hike mentioned above.

Is the mountain good for families

This resort along with Breckenridge have been two of the best resorts I’ve been to that I think are great for families. Lots of terrain that isn’t too advanced and the vibe on the mountain just has like this family friendly atmosphere to it in my opinion. Lots of on mountain dining options to sit down and take breaks with the fam along with some scenic backdrop areas on the mountain that make for great group photos.

What to Pack

Whether you plan on riding your own gear or renting equipment. I’ve listed a few items that get overlooked when packing for a ski or snowboard trip. You can find these items on Burton.com

Puffy- Gets cold in ski towns, one of the best purchases for winter weather is a puffy jacket either with real down or synthetic down. I personally like the Burton Expedition Baker down as it keeps you warm even in the negative temperatures. Not something I really wear riding on the mountain, but walking around town, going out, etc. it’s great.

Neck Warmers- I like to wear these for sun protection and when it’s cold and windy, especially on the chairlift.

Base Layers- There’s different variations in terms of material thickness and the actual material itself. So read up on what you purchase. To keep it simple I mostly rock mid-weight layers. On the coldest days I’ll wear a heavy-weight base layer and usually some kind of fleece pant as well.

Sunscreen- Even on cloudy days I would recommend wearing sunscreen due to the high altitude and more sun exposure you’ll get in the mountains.

Hopefully this post inspires you to take a trip to Aspen and ride Snowmass! If you’re interested in another family friendly ski resort, check out Breckenridge. It’s one of my favorite mountain towns and has just about every kind of riding once the mountain is fully open. Thanks for checking out the blog and I’ll see you on the next post!

Utah Ski Resorts, A trip to Brighton

Disclosure: When you buy something through the Affiliate product links I have created below, I earn a small commission. I only promote products and companies I support as well as believe in.

Skiing and snowboarding can be dangerous activities, please ride within your ability levels and respect others around you

Ever considered taking a ski or snowboard trip to Utah? Known to be one of the best places in the world to ride, on a good week the snow can stack up quick giving one a taste of the “champagne powder.” A coined term of light fluffy powder that you can experience if good snow rolls through. There are some amazing ski resorts to ski or snowboard at in Utah, but one of my favorites is Brighton. It’s close to Salt Lake and also not far from Park City.

Established in 1936, the resort still has that old school feel to it. Parking at the base of the resort, an old A Frame Tavern, and the Brighton Lodge all give it that mom and pop feel that seems to be disappearing from the ski industry. Lift tickets are still under $100 for the day and you’ll notice a brown bagged section in the lodge, designated for those who packed a lunch, but want to eat inside. Although the mountain itself offers a number of groomed trails for beginner to intermediate riders, there is plenty of terrain for the more experienced rider. Chutes, trees, and what I’d like to think of as a natural terrain park are all things you’ll find inbounds at Brighton.

In this post I’ll be going over where to stay, how to get to Brighton, where to buy/rent gear, and what to know ahead of time. Let’s get into it!

Where is Brighton

Located at the top of Big Cottonwood Canyon, Brighton Ski resort is about 35-40 minutes from downtown Salt Lake city, without traffic. You’ll drive up a road with a series of switchbacks until you pass the Brighton General store on your left and arrive at the parking lot. It can be sunny and warm in downtown Salt Lake and snowing up at Brighton, which is what makes Utah unique. However if it’s snowing or raining in the city, typically you know it’s going to be a deep day up at Brighton! I listed times and distances from a few major areas below.

Park City: 60 min/44 miles

Salt Lake: 45 min/31.5 miles

Ogden: 1 hour and 20 min/67 miles

Where to stay

There’s a number of different places to stay in Downtown Salt Lake that will be close to the canyon. I’ve stayed in Park City before when riding Brighton, but the thing I like about Salt Lake is the close proximity to the Canyon. But if city life isn’t your thing you can stay in Park City and even up by the resort. There’s a number of rentals and a couple lodges close to Brighton. I listed places to stay below.

Salt Lake- I stayed in this tiny home as well as this 1 bedroom through VRBO. They were both really nice and not too expensive, yet close to Brighton. There’s also a number of hotels with free breakfast on hotels.com

Park City- Park city is a ski town, so you’ll be able to find anything from 1 bedrooms all the way up to townhomes and private homes

Brighton Resort- Look on VRBO for places to stay in Big Cottonwood Canyon or check out Silver Fork Lodge along with the Brighton Lodge.

Where to eat

One thing I love about staying in Salt Lake, is being in the city, there are some great restaurants. With a lot to choose from, below are the breakfast, dinner, and coffee shops I tried during my time in Utah!

Breakfast

Hub & Spoke Diner- A classic diner spot with a modern take on some of the menu options. What I loved about this restaurant is the '“from scratch” kitchen including all of the sauces. Great place to go before you get to the mountain, just make sure you get there early if Brighton has a pow day so that you can get up the Canyon and grab a parking spot!

Eggsburgh- Located right in the downtown area, I would say what stands out about this breakfast spot is the creativity behind the menu. Grab a booth right by one of the big windows and enjoy the city like feel of this restaurant.

Coffee

When I was looking up coffee shops, Cupla popped up and I decided to try the location in downtown Salt Lake. Cupla means Twin in Irish, as the business was started by two twins. The Latte I tried was one of the best I’ve had. There’s also going to be a breakfast and lunch menu that focuses on low carb and low sugar. Swing through even after your day on the mountain as they are open until 7:00 pm.

Dinner

Both places I went to for dinner (The Copper Onion and Pago) were honestly really good. I did some reserarch on these and was pretty impressed with the service, food, and just overall ambience. The Copper Onion has this 1930’s vibe going on inside. Very classy and a great place to, grab a meal and a drink (s) with friends. They source ingredients that are local and sustainable. I would say the food is classic American comfort, but with the upscale touch.

Pago is a true farm to table restaurant with a number of their menu items coming from local farms. Located in a nice area of Salt Lake with other shops, small businesses, and restaurants around, Pago is part of this little slice of Salt Lake. Known especially for their wines, I would make sure to at least try a glass if you are looking to grab a drink. Make sure to book a reservation in advance and enjoy a nice meal in this unique spot.

What is the average annual snowfall

Brighton’s avg annual snowfall is 500 inches a year! That is one of the amazing things about Utah, they seem to get a lot of snow through out the winter. Track a storm and try to plan a trip is the name of the game if you can.

Where can I buy or rent ski/snowboard gear

Being close to a big city in the mountains means there will be a lot of choices for where to rent or buy ski and snowboard equipment. My favorite retail shop is Evo, they have a pretty large selection for ski’s, snowboards, jackets, pants, goggles, etc. The best core snowboard shop will be Milo and for ski’s only I would check out the Lifthouse, for retail along with rentals. Other rental shops include Ski n’ See as well as Brighton Mountain Sports, right at the base of the mountain!

I also recommend checking out WNDR (Wonder Alpine), a small locally owned shop in Salt Lake. Their ski’s and boards are all made without Petroleum, a company that puts sustainability at the forefront.

If you plan on renting, just make sure to book a reservation ahead of time. Shops will offer rental packages based on your ability level. Depending on where you rent ski’s or snowboards from, the shop will have a try before you buy program which is called, Demo. This allows someone to try different ski’s or snowboards out before purchasing them.

Where to park

Parking can be tricky at Brighton because there really isn’t that much parking space overall. The first thing to note is that you have to make a parking reservation for Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and Holidays on Brighton’s website. They have a list of guidelines I would recommend checking out. There’s been talks of a gondola from the base of the canyon to the resort, but I’m not sure when that will start to happen. With that being said, if you’re able to park in the main lot, you are right at the base of the resort, which is pretty amazing.

There is also a little bit of overflow parking at the Brighton General Store if needed.

There’s also a very limited amount of parking at the base of Big Cottonwood Canyon with a free shuttle that can take you up to the resort. They have two lots a smaller one and an overflow lot. Just arrive very early on good powder days or weekends. Below I have links to these parking lots.

East Big Cottonwood Park and Ride

Overflow Big Cottonwood Park and Ride

PLEASE NOTE: Since you are in a City don’t leave anything valuable in your car when parking in these lots

What pass is Brighton on and how much are lift tickets

Other then the Brighton Season Pass, you get 5-7 days on the Ikon, depending on which Ikon pass you purchased. Lift tickets are only $79 for the day and $89 dollars if you plan on night riding at all.

Does it snow a lot

Utah in general receives these snow storms that seem to just stack up on one another, with winter of 2023, resorts were having record numbers of over 800 inches! That’s what I’ve noticed when I go to Utah to snowboard is when it snows, it snows.

What makes Brighton special

The mom and pop feel you get when you park at the base of the resort. There’s cliff drops, easy greens and blues, and then side/back country access right off the resort. You can also cover most of the resort in 3 days and lift tickets are still under $100/day. Plus night riding 6 nights a week makes this place hard to beat.

Photo by Kevin McAvey

Where to ride

The mountain is split into 3 sections with Crest Express, Western Express, and Milly being the starting lifts to access the runs on those parts of the mountain.

Crest Express and Snake Creek

The runs off of these lifts is where you’ll find the majority of the green’s and blues, perfect for just cruising, warming up, or progressing! If you plan on dropping into some of the tree areas right off of Crest, be prepared for a short hike out. I think it’s worth it to ride through those areas even with the hike out. Not many people do, so you get some untracked lines when there’s fresh snow. For people looking step up from the bunny hill, hop on the majestic lift!

Photo by Kevin McAvey

At the end of the day I’ll Take Pacific Highway and catch a good view on the way down and ride through some of the trees on Wren Hollow. If you have kids, the runs off of Crest are great because they aren’t too steep and everyone can kind of stay together as a family. The base area of Crest can get cluttered, but with the lift being a 6 person chair, the line moves quick.

Snake Creek will also have some beginner to intermediate runs if you were to take a left off of the chairlift. However! they also have some amazing trees and steeper lines if you go right off of the lift, terrain such as Snake Bowl and Doyles Dive is awesome to ride on a powder day. You’ll be cruising through some trees and then all of sudden it opens up with natural terrain to jump off of and areas to slash a few good turns.

Milly

My favorite area of Brighton will be the runs off of Milly. It has just about everything from little drops to cliffs, trees, and even some blues and greens. If the snow isn’t deep or great I’ll usually stick to the groomed terrain, but if it’s a powder day as in the photos below, take a left off the lift and traverse as far as you’d like and then drop in! FYI, make sure you know where you are when riding through terrain off of Milly to avoid getting cliffed out. Cliffed out means the only way down is to jump off the cliff.

My favorite run through Milly is Scree Slope because it’s a steeper wide open bowl that fills in nicely after a snow storm. The turns through these areas are amazing after a storm, especially if you get first chair! For more advanced and experienced skiers or snowboarders, there’s an inbounds hike right off the lift that drops into Milly Bowl. Make sure to be aware of your surroundings and what terrain is in-bounds or out-of-bounds when doing the hike.

Photo by Kevin McAvey

Not experienced enough to ride some of the steeper terrain off Milly? Take a right off the lift and there will blues and greens, such as backdoor and backbone

Great Western

To access the Great Western Lift, you’ll need to take the Snake River lift and go left off the lift, follow the trail signs for Great Western. There’s a lot of terrain to cover on this part of the resort and I honestly haven’t spent too much time on this side of the mountain. A couple of my favorite places to ride are the Aspen trees off of Golden Needle and I also like to ride down Western Trail, it’s kind of like a cat walk and then you can drop in wherever looks good. Western Trail is a blue so if you don’t feel like riding steeper terrain, just take this run all the way until it connects to another Blue run.

Below you can see some of the runs on Great Western off in the distance.

Is there a terrain park

The parks at Brighton are pretty sick with beginner, intermediate, and advanced rails, jumps, and features. These can be easily accessed off the Crest Express and Majestic Lifts. Even if you are just starting out in the park, there’s going to be some very small boxes and jump at Brighton, great for learning the fundamentals while keeping it fun.

The other cool thing is the terrain park off Majestic is open during night riding! Take a few laps under the lights and don’t forget to bring a clear lens for your goggles.

NZ snowboarder Josh lapping through the Jump line

Any back country access from the resort

There will be back country gates right off the resort as well as some side country zones. You’ll notice out-of-bounds signage for these areas, which I mostly noticed off the Milly Lift. I would highly recommend having the proper equipment, partner, and knowledge if you were to access any of these areas!

Best Apres’

The best place for Apres’ will be right at the base of the resort at Molly Greens Tavern. Awesome vibe inside and great place for a drink or some appetizers. Depending on where you sit, you’ll also get some views of resort and Wasatach mountains

On mountain Dining

Other then Molly Greens, Brighton has a number of restaurants on mountain for those seeking to take a break and eat a good meal on the mountain. If you just want a quick snack, swing by the Brighton Store before getting on the mountain. For coffee, breakfast, or just a hot drink mid-day check out the Blind Miner in the Brighton Center.

Also in the Brighton Center will be a Brown Bag section for those who pack their own lunch (Name another ski resort that has that!??) along with a main cafeteria style dining area called Alpine Rose. If you’re into a sit down restaurant, that has more of a fine dining menu, check out the Milly Chalet at the base of the Milly Lift. On the side of this restaurant will also be Doyles Dawgs with beers, chips, brats, and hot dogs.

Last, is my favorite place to grab a quick meal and that is Sidewinder located in the Snake Creek Lodge. It’s got an awesome seating area with large windows that lookout to the resort and mountains. The food is pretty much Burgers and tater tots, but it’s honestly pretty good and not overly priced in my opinion.

Tree Riding

There’s going to be a lot of good tree riding off of Crest, Snake River, and the Western Express. I honestly like riding through a lot of the trees on the Green runs and also the aspen trees off of Great Western.

Are lessons available

Yep, Brighton offers Private and Group lessons along with night lessons. Night lessons will be more affordable! They also offer an intro package which includes equipment for ski’s or snowboards as well as a two hour lesson.

There will be a beginner chair, Explorer, along with magic carpets (not a chairlift) to get you up the hill so you can ride down and learn the fundamentals on easy runs. The instructor will help you with things such as stopping, linking turns, getting off and on the lift, and how to use your equipment.

Does the canyon road ever close

It can if there needs to be avalanche mitigation done, but this only happens if there is a lot of snow. Typically Littlewood Cotton is the canyon that closes after a snow storm, which is the road up to Snowbird.

Is there Night Riding

One of the best parts is night riding Monday-Saturday from 4-9 pm. There’s going to be a number of runs open off the Crest and Snake Creek lifts at night. And if you’re wondering if there is any beginner terrain for night riding, there is, off of the Snake Creek lift. There’s even a terrain park that’s open for night riding! It started dumping the second night of my stay in Utah, and riding powder at night is pretty incredible experience. You may even see people with headlamps riding through the trees.

That’s it for a trip to Brighton! If you have any questions or comments, drop them down below. I plan on covering more Utah ski resorts in the future so stay tuned.

Looking for another place to take a ski or snowboard trip to? Check out Steamboat in Colorado, it’s one of coolest places you can ski or snowboard at in Colorado, definitely worth checking out.