Can you guess what ski resort has the fastest chairlift in the state of Utah?

Despite the lack of ritz and glamour compared to its relatively nearby competitors, the answer is Brighton Resort. On December 8th, Brighton opened up the new Crest 6 chairlift. While I was in Utah for vacation, I decided to take the UTA Ski Bus up to Brighton to check the new Doppelmayr D-Line high-speed detachable six-pack chairlift out on its opening day.

Here’s what I liked about the chairlift: it’s fast, carries more riders, and is modern. The trip to the top only takes 5.3 minutes, an improvement compared to the former’s ride time of around 6.5 minutes. This thing feels like riding a roller coaster, dashing up the mountain. While this resulted in a cold ride up when I went, it’ll feel nice on those Spring days. It can carry 2400 guests per hour, an upgrade from the 1200-1400 people per hour that the Crest Express could carry. The chairlift also features innovative tech like a loading conveyer that’s easy to ride and a video board that displays various notifications.

I have one key problem with this new chairlift though: the journey to reach it from Milly is going to suck. You see, the old Crest Express had two loading mazes: one on the Milly Chalet, while the other was located next to the end of the Majestic Access trail.

With the lift shack now located on the side closest to the Majestic Access trail, there’s now only one lift maze area, which is right next to Molly Greens. In addition, to reach this trail from the Traverse, it appears as though there’s an incline under the lift line (pictured below). From what I saw, you’ll now need to garner a lot of speed to avoid skating across a little hill, and then skiing over to the lift maze.

Overall, the Crest 6 is an overdue replacement for the Crest Express, with modern technology and more capacity than its predecessor. However, reaching it from Milly is going to be a little bit more tricky for those who like to traverse between Brighton’s peaks.

Image Credits: Ian Wood

Brighton’s new Crest chairlift will be opening later this week.

On Monday, the Utah ski resort announced that they will be opening the Crest 6 on Friday, December 8th at 9 am. The ribbon-cutting ceremony will include a DJ, complimentary pastries and drinks, and prizes who dress up with the most Brighton swag.

This past offseason, the Crest Express was replaced with a Doppelmayr D-line high-speed six-pack chairlift. This new chairlift will have a ride time of 5.3 minutes and an uphill capacity of 2400 riders per hour. At the base terminal, they will have a conveyor belt to make loading easier. The base terminal will also have a video screen, which will display resort updates.

Two other major changes are happening this season at Brighton: a new mid-mountain lodge, and parking reservations. A new lodge is currently being built, which will have a food and drink venue, along with bathrooms. The new mid-mountain lodge, located near the base of the Snake Creek chairlift, will open at some point this winter.

The parking reservation change has seen a lot of criticism due to the lack of availability, especially for season passholders. Most of the 400+ comments on the post above refer to the parking reservation system, and they’re not positive.

Who knows? The author of this article may even head up there on his Utah trip this week to check this new chairlift out.

Image Credits: Andrew Kooyman (Featured Image), Brighton Resort

Utah’s slow start to the season has started to pick up some steam thanks to a few recent snowstorms. This weekend, two more mountains will join the four ski resorts that are open in the state.

On Wednesday, Alta Ski Area announced that they will have a limited opening on Saturday. The open terrain will be serviced by the Collins and Wildcat chairlifts. Despite the snowfall that started last night, they are recommending that only expert skiers (not riders) should ski this opening weekend.

Over in Big Cottonwood Canyon, Brighton announced on Thanksgiving that they are also opening on Saturday. A couple hours after we posted this, they announced that they’re opening to season passholders today.

This is a limited opening, as they’ll have some terrain serviced by the Majestic and Explorer chairlifts. The Crest 6 chairlift, which is currently under construction, will not be open for this opening stretch at Brighton. The Bone Zone remains open to the public, just bring a shovel.

Parking reservations WON’T be required for any Utah ski resorts this Saturday or Sunday. Click here for a full breakdown of the parking programs at Utah ski resorts.

Image/Video Credits: Alta Ski Area, Rocko Menzyk, Brighton Resort/@flanellifestyles, Ski Utah/James Niehues

It was a historic 2022-23 season for Utah. Record snowfall fell at most of its resorts, and these mountains saw record visitation. In response, Utah ski resorts are spending lots of dinero to keep up with the record demand.

Back in October, Ski Utah detailed the investments coming to ski resorts across the state. These projects include new chairlifts, trails, lodges, snowmaking, remote avalanche control towers, and more. Here are the best improvements coming to Utah ski resorts this winter. First, here are some honorable mentions:

• Alta completed their final phase of converting to remote avalanche control towers. This offseason, they added five new Wyssen Towers, which will allow them to retire the use of military artillery. In addition, after 60 years of service, the Albion chairlift was removed this past summer.
• Beaver Mountain expanded its parking lot and added a vault toilet near the base of the Marge’s Triple chairlift. Work has begun on a new 25,000-square-foot lodge, which is expected to be finished in the fall of 2024.
• Brian Head has added new gladed terrain for this winter. The trees under the Wildflower chairlift and the Shotgun run. More efficient snowmaking equipment has been added to the Lower Aught trail, which will help them with their early-season operations.
• Cherry Peak has undergone snowmaking improvements and is adding a new downhill tubing run.
• Deer Valley is planning to spend $6 million in the next year, which includes “upgrades to snowmaking, grooming, rental equipment, employee housing, food and beverage, lift infrastructure and building maintenance.”  They also announced that they will be operating the Mayflower ski resort that is being built right next to them.
• Eagle Point made $200,000 in upgrades to the Skyline and Monarch Chairlifts. They also made repairs to Highway UT-153 and Upper Meadows Drive.
• Park City Mountain Resort, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary this season, replaced the Red Pine gondola cabins. The new ones are so fresh, so clean (until some idiot scratches the glass with his/her poles).

• Snowbird Resort has added a new mountain center, which is situated on the Plaza level of the Snowbird Center. A new food spot, Tram Sundries, will also be opening at the Plaza. The Woodward Mountain Park will be returning next Spring after a successful first season. Eight Wyssen towers have been added, increasing their total to seventeen.
• Sundance Resort has improved the road circulation around the Jake’s base area. They did a road realignment and added eighty parking spots to Jake’s base area. A new beginner trail has also been added from the top of Jake’s to the base area’s parking lots. For overnight guests, they are adding a pool, hot tub, and sauna area for guests to chillax.

• Woodward Park City’s improvements include the return of the Big Air feature, additions to the High-Performance Terrain Zone, more lights in the snow tubing area, and the purchase of a PistenBully Park Pro Snow Cat.

5. Nordic Valley: The trajectory of Nordic Valley changed during the 2020-21 season when it opened up the Nordic Express chairlift. Over the past couple of years, they’ve continued to add trails to this new terrain pod. Nordic Valley has added two trails for this winter, with them likely being of intermediate and advanced difficulty. The other major projects involved parking improvements. Two hundred spots were added to Lot 4, and Lot 1 was resurfaced.

4. Powder Mountain: This September, Netflix’s co-founder Reed Hastings became the majority owner of Powder Mountain. His $100 million investment at the Utah ski resort began this offseason, with snowmaking being added for the first time ever, the replacement of Tiger Tow with a magic carpet, the introduction of cross-country trails, a new temporary structure will house their ski school, rentals, and retail. For expert skiers, they will have a new guided experience in the backcountry that features 500 acres of steep terrain.

3. Solitude Mountain Resort: The oldest detachable chairlift in Utah was removed this offseason. The Eagle Express is being replaced by a high-speed six-pack chairlift. Three new Wyssen tower remote avalanche control systems (RACS) will be installed across Fantasy Ridge. Additional off-season improvements include modest renovations to The Inn at Solitude and their signature restaurants: Honeycomb Grill and St. Bernard’s.

2. Brighton Resort: Two major investments will mark the beginning of a new era for Brighton. The first is the replacement of the Crest Express with a Doppelmayr D-line high-speed six-pack chairlift. The second major improvement is the addition of a mid-mountain lodge. Located near the Snake Creek Express chairlift, the Sidewinder Grill will include “brews, burgers, and bathrooms.”

1. Snowbasin Resort: The biggest investment at the ski resort since 1999 will see a new chairlift, additional trails, an expanded lodge patio, more bathrooms, and the expansion of one of their parking lots.

The Demoisy Express will be adding a needed capacity increase to the Staweberry terrain pod. The high-speed six-pack will have a ride time of 10 minutes and an uphill capacity of 2,400 riders per hour. The location of the top terminal of the lift allows for the creation of two new trails around it.

Over at the Strawberry base area, a large heated outdoor patio is being added to the Strawberry Lodge. For parking, 124 spots have been added to the Canyon Rim lot. More of Snowbasin’s majestic bathrooms will be added to the Grizzly Center. If you’ve been inside one of Snowbasin’s bathrooms, you know that addition alone is worth the number pick on this list.

Image/Video Credits: Ski Utah/James Niehues (Featured Image), Snowbasin Resort (Header Image), Park City Mountain Resort, Sundance Resort, Nordic Valley, Powder Mountain, Solitude Mountain Resort, Brighton Resort

Back in September, it was reported that the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) was planning for reduced ski bus service for the second straight year. While it sounds like this will still be the case, UTA is introducing strategies that should reduce the issues they faced last season.

KSL reports that UTA announced that they’ll be improving their ski bus service for the 2023-24 season. The service will go from Sunday, Nov. 26 to Saturday, Apr. 13. While service will technically be around 40-50% of what it was during the 2021-22 season, they will also have backup buses that will be used during peak periods.

In addition, UTA will be adding vanpool transportation options for employees to ride. At some points, employees take up 50% of the capacity on the ski busses, so this could dramatically improve the experience. Lastly, the Cottonwood Connect will return this winter, which helped bring over 9000 guests up and down the canyon over 12 weeks last season.

Jay Fox, who’s the Executive Director of UTA, described to ABC4 Utah how these changes will improve the guest experience:

“The engagement between UTA and its partners over the past six months has helped UTA to better understand the transit needs in the canyons and to collaborate with all of the impacted stakeholders to look at innovative ways we could work together to expand service…

Across our entire transit network, serving employers by providing a reliable means of getting employees to their workplace is a major focus. Not only will these new and expanded services help employees, but they will also free up seats on our scheduled public transit routes at peak periods.”

This is one of the changes that guests can expect to see this upcoming winter in the Cottonwood Canyons. Brighton will be requiring parking reservations every day, and Parker Malatesta from KPCW reports that Solitude will be requiring parking reservations during peak periods. Fines for erroneous parking on SR-210 and SR-190 will also be increasing.

Image Credits: UDOT Cottonwood Canyons Transportation, Utah Transit Authority

“Parking in the canyon is a disaster. We need to take action.”-Dan Knopp, Mayor Of Brighton, Utah.

If you’re planning to make a trip to Big Cottonwood Canyon this winter, you will probably be paying for parking. KUTV reports that the Town of Brighton is considering adding paid parking reservations on the south side of SR-190. This paid parking reservation area would be from the trailhead of Willow Lake to the beginning of Guardsman Pass. Around 400 cars would have to reserve spots, with a cost of $10.

It should be noted that this is referring to the Town of Brighton, not Brighton Ski Resort. The ski resort, situated in the town of Brighton, will be introducing paid parking reservations for this upcoming winter.

Alex House, a snowboarder who frequents Brighton Resort, described to KUTV the challenges of getting up to Brighton Resort:

“You kind of have to plan your day around getting up there. It’s not really a casual experience anymore…My excitement to snowboard is still there, but it’s diminished. It’s just so hard to access the terrain where I feel at home.”

The Town of Brighton hopes this is a temporary move and is working with UDOT, the US Forest Service, and the ski resorts on a more permanent solution. While the Town of Brighton won’t make money from this endeavor due to the costs of enforcing such a rule, they believe it’s needed to try to reduce the traffic disaster that is Big Cottonwood Canyon at the moment. A final decision is expected from the Town of Brighton this November.

Image Credits: Town of Brighton, Michael Hart

A depleted workforce led to a 50% reduction in the Utah Transit Authority’s (UTA) ski buses during the 2022-23 season. This was due to worker shortages, caused by a lack of hiring during the pandemic, and employees leaving UTA (retirements and resignations) over the past couple of years. In spite of moving to bigger buses, this led to huge lines.

Due to a lack of funding from the State of Utah (UTA is government-run), they’ve been forced to double down on this bizarre strategy that hurts Utah’s winter tourism industry. The Salt Lake Tribune reports that UTA’s bus services will have fewer routes and departure times for the second straight winter. This comes after UTA told KSL around a month ago that they’ll “be in a much better position for this [upcoming] season.”

UTA has a lot of job openings, with 864 job positions, 101 of which are for bus operators. Andreas Colman, who is the regional general manager of UTA, described what they’re going through at the moment:

“We’re on the right path, but it is a slow path. Our turnover as an agency is around 10 operators a month just due to retirements. And so we need to hire that, and then above that, in order to have those net increases.”

This move is in spite of the Cottonwood ski resorts, especially in Big Cottonwood, doubling down on paid parking. Solitude is transitioning from paid parking to parking reservations on weekends and holidays this winter, while Brighton is going from free parking to parking reservations every day. Over in Little Cottonwood Canyon, Alta already has paid parking reservations on weekends and holidays, and Snowbird has paid reservations in a few of their lots.

These efforts by the four ski resorts were simple: for people to carpool and use mass transit. With more cuts, it seems like carpooling will be promoted by the resorts. In addition, the private bus services that were introduced last season will return, but these come at a cost for riders. They could also try enforcing the tire traction law for once but don’t count on it.

For employees at the ski resorts, they’ll continue to rent out vanpools from UTA, where they bring workers up to the mountains instead of having them park there. Travis Holland, who’s the Communications & PR Manager over at Solitude, told the Tribune that they’re looking at alternative options to bring employees up.

The 2024-25 season will be a big one for the Cottonwood Canyons. A toll system will likely be introduced, likely adding another fee for drivers. This is also when bus service is supposed to be brought back to normal during the 2024-25 season. In addition, a new parking lot/transit hub will be added. Skiing in the Cottonwoods, which is known for having arguably the best snow on the planet, is now also recognized for its mind-numbing traffic and crowds.

Will UTA be able to bring bus service back to normal in 2024-25? I have my doubts. In the meantime, the State of Utah needs to step up and help UTA out, and give more incentives to hire people. If you do take a UTA trip in the near future: be nice to your driver and thank them for what they do, because they’re going to have their hands full this coming winter. Perhaps even give them a tip.

In terms of how the State can barely run a functional ski bus service, yet expect to be able to run a ginormous gondola up Little Cottonwood Canyon… We’ll let you draw your own conclusions.

Image Credits: UDOT Cottonwood Canyons (Featured Image), Utah Transit Authority

A new high-speed six-pack chairlift, a mid-mountain lodge, mountain biking trails, parking reservations, and (possibly) a chondola are coming to Brighton Resort.

Last week, Aimee Cook from TownLift caught up with Jared Wrinkler, who is the Senior Director of Marketing at Brighton, to talk about the new Sidewinder Grill, which will be Brighton’s first mid-mountain lodge. In the article, Jared described one of their future goals for Brighton:

“In the future, we plan to have a ‘chondola’, a chairlift/gondola lift that will take people to the area so they can either ski or just ride it up. This is a solution that was needed on the mountain; restrooms, food, and the views are spectacular.”

This would be a notable difference from Brighton’s current lift fleet. Brighton currently has a six-pack chairlift under construction, three high-speed quads, one fixed-grip quad chairlift, one fixed-grip triple chairlift, and multiple surface lifts. Boyne Resorts, which owns Brighton, is no stranger to chondolas. At one of the resorts they own, Sunday River, they have a chondola, which opened back during the 2008-09 season.

These plans have yet to be submitted to the US Forest Service, which is required for construction to commence, so it doesn’t seem like it’s coming in the near future.

The TownLift article also includes some more details about the mid-mountain lodge. The new lodge will consist of three repurposed shipping containers. One of the containers will contain the bathrooms, while the two others will have the kitchen spaces. Attached to these containers will be two separate dining hall spaces, which will be able to handle more than 100 people. There will also be a 7,600-square-foot patio, which will have a heated terrace to melt snow and ample seating.

The new mid-mountain lodge and the new Doppelmayr D-line high-speed six-pack chairlift are expected to be completed before the 2023-24 season.

Image Credits: Brighton Resort, Sunday River Resort

Any cargotecture fans out there? Check out this new mid-mountain lodge under construction at Brighton Ski Resort that will consist of 3 shipping containers. The new lodge is set to open this winter. Pretty slick, wouldn’t mind wetting my whistle here the next time I’m out in Utah:

“The Snake Creek Lodge construction is moving along nicely this summer. The Snake Creek Lodge is about to be your favorite (and our only) mid mountain spot to take a break and grab some grub. If you’re a Snake Creek or Great Western diehard than you’ll no longer have to go to the base area during your entire day of riding once this is finished.”

RELATED: Ski Biker Blasting Cliffs @ Brighton

Cargotecture, a combination of “cargo” and “architecture,” is a sustainable and innovative design approach that repurposes shipping containers for various construction purposes. This emerging architectural trend is gaining traction due to its eco-friendly nature and versatility.

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Designers and architects are drawn to cargotecture for its modular nature, enabling easy stacking and customization. The inherent durability of shipping containers ensures longevity, making them suitable for various environments. Additionally, the controlled environment of a container can facilitate energy-efficient designs.

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In an era focused on sustainability and resource optimization, cargotecture stands as an innovative solution, merging functionality and environmental consciousness. As this trend continues to evolve, cargotecture is likely to influence the future of architecture by offering an alternative path toward efficient, creative, and sustainable construction.

After a record-breaking 2022-23 season, Brighton Resort is working on two major projects. The first is the replacement of the Crest Express with a Doppelmayr D-Line detachable high-speed six-pack chairlift. It will have a ride time of 5.3 minutes and an uphill capacity of 2400 riders per hour.

Last week, the Utah ski resort showed concrete being poured into the top terminal.

Yesterday, the latest update showed work is well underway on the bottom terminal.

The second major project is the construction of Brighton’s first mid-mountain lodge. Located right next to the Snake Creek Express, it will feature the holy trinity of a ski lodge: burgers, beers, and bathrooms… Amen. The details in the construction update video are scant, but the foundation is currently being worked on. It will be a nice place to stop at, especially with Snake Creek now having night skiing.

Image/Video Credits: Brighton Resort, @flanellifestyles