Brian Head Resort has second earliest opening in 60-year history

BRIAN HEAD, Iron County — The Brian Head Resort is the first ski resort to open its slopes to Utahns for the 2024-2025 season, thanks to the weather and planning ahead of the season.

Brian and Romina Torkelson were the first in line at 7:15 a.m. to hit the slopes, even though it was a short day.

“We come up every opening day, and the best we’ve done is the fourth chair. So, we wanted to get that first chair this year, and it’s pretty special. We’ve been talking about it for a while,”
Brian Torkelson said. “We’re probably just doing one or two runs and then, going to head to work.”

But it’s one example of the ski season excitement and the push to be the first in Utah to open for the skiers.

“Opening on Nov. 8, as something that we decided we were going to do over six months ago,” said Brian Head General Manager Tom Pettigrew.

While managers can’t predict what Mother Nature will do, Pettigrew said they can still take action as they have the means to be the first to open in the state.

“Remember that the base of Brian Head is over 9,500 feet. The top is nearly 11,000 feet. So, we’re the highest base altitude or elevation in Utah,” Pettigrew said.

Pettigrew said the snow machines at the ski resort came over three weeks ago, which helped with the early opening.

“It’s so lit, because we get to snowboard and warm up, you know,” said skier Drake Roberts

Kevin Iijima, a snowboarder, said he drove from Los Angeles to hit the slopes.

“My wife is actually gambling in Vegas. And I’m not really that big of a gambler, so I figured I’d rather ski,” Iijima said.

Whatever the excuse, people are more than happy to help start the Utah Ski season, as those first runs are magic.

“Oh, it was so good. It’s been way too long since I’ve been on the slopes,” said another skier, Tayvin Peterson.

The ambition of the ski resort and its crews makes days like these happen.

“This year, we fully expect to be open for more than 180 days. So you have to stretch. And, you know, there’s realism in that goal, too,” Pettigrew said.

This is Brian Head Resort’s second earliest opening ever, which might seem like an anomaly, but Pettigrew said they are looking to plan early openings like this in the future.

“You know, our aspirations are to be open as early in November as possible and to ski as late in May as possible,” he said.

And it’s an idea that the visiting skiers can get behind.

“Oh, the sooner, the better,” Iijima said.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Brian Head Resort (@brianheadresort)