Warm temperatures have forced Brian Head Resort to retreat on its anticipated Friday opening.
(Jessee Lynch | Brian Head Resort) Jeremy Sorensen takes his snowboard for a ride at Brian Head Resort near Cedar City after a storm dropped 5 inches there as of Monday, Oct. 2, 2023. Brian Head has expectations of becoming the first Utah ski area to open for the second season in a row. It has set Nov. 10 as its anticipated opening date.
Sorry Utah skiers and snowboarders, you’ll have to wait another week to get your planks on the snow.
Brian Head Resort announced Wednesday that it will be pushing back its anticipated opening date by a week due to persistently warm weather.
Brian Head has the state’s highest base elevation at 9,000 feet, and last August its operators optimistically announced they planned to open the ski area Nov. 7. That would have been the second-earliest opening in the Cedar City-area resort’s 60-year history.
Nature had other plans, apparently. Temperatures over the past couple of weeks at Brian Head’s weather station — which sits at about 10,600 feet — have been in the 40s or higher, with lows staying above freezing. The warmest wet-bulb temperature (combination of air temperature and humidity) at which snow can be efficiently made is 28 degrees Fahrenheit. Forecasts projected the resort would only see a window of a couple hours in that range, and not until Thursday.
“We’re eager to welcome skiers and riders for another great season, but warmer temperatures haven’t allowed us to capitalize on our snowmaking upgrades,” Amber Palmer, Brian Head’s marketing manager, said in a statement. “Our mountain operations team is working hard to make snow every time temperatures drop so we can open as soon as possible.”
The resort’s new projected opening date is Nov. 14. That is the same date that Solitude Mountain Resort in Big Cottonwood Canyon set for its 2025-26 opener. Webcam feeds at both resorts showed only sparse patches of snow Wednesday.
Brian Head has committed to issuing full credits to any guests who bought lift tickets for Nov. 7-13. Credits are good toward the purchase of tickets during the 2025-26 season. Those who would prefer a refund or who have questions are asked to email reservations@brianhead.com or call 435-677-2035.
