Brighton busy with night skiers heading into weekend of fresh storms

BRIGHTON — Brighton Resort’s parking lot was bustling Friday night, as skiers and snowboarders showed up to take advantage of the fresh snow.

The season started slowly, and Friday’s storm allowed people to make up for lost turns. Dying for some fresh flakes, the die-hards hit the slopes.

“Whenever the opportunity comes, when you’re getting the pow– you got to be up here,” said snowboarder Dillon Stone.

Stone even took off work on Friday to hit Brighton, especially after the way riding has gone so far this season, saying it’s “been way bad this season.”

The lack of storms has left some pass-holders holding off.

“Just this last couple of weeks, it hasn’t been snowing and so it wasn’t as great,” said Brighton pass holder Braxton Romans. He said he’s only been up four times so far.

Elba Galvez is in the same boat, also only snowboarding a few times this season.

“It just hasn’t been very motivating to be up here since there hasn’t been so much snow,” she said.

Especially compared to last season’s banner year, this year has seemed pretty lackluster so far.

“I’d be here all the time, every week. And it was so much fun,” Galvez said.

That’s why, right now, simply any snow is good snow.

“Just snow, that’s all we need,” Romans said.

Stone could tell how much the incoming storm had already improved conditions Friday night.

“Yeah, definitely made a big difference for sure. We’re way better tonight than any other night,” he said.

Skiers and snowboarders are hopeful that with more storms on the way this weekend, this is just a taste of what’s to come.

Stone said he planned to be back throughout the weekend.

“I think she’s a late bloomer, so we’ll see,” he said of Mother Nature this year. “I think this winter’s got potential.”