It is no secret that the 2007-08 ski season got a late start in most of the West. Until just before Thanksgiving, which of course was early on the calendar as it can possibly be, only one Utah resort was operating -- but just barely with only two runs skiable. That resort was Solitude (tel. 801/534-1400; www.skisolitude.com), 14 miles up Big Cottonwood Canyon and practically a snowball's throw from Salt Lake City.
Modest as Solitudes opening was, it speaks volumes about the resort's snowmaking and grooming capabilities. Solitude upped its water pumping capability last year and this season added more efficient snowguns that provided enough to slide on until Utah's fabled storms roll in and blanket Big Cottonwood Canyon with its average of 500 inches of annual snow.
Solitude's terrain stretches across two canyons and Eagle Ridge between them. When driving up the canyon, the Eagle Express chairlift first comes into view, followed by the Moonbeam base area, which is favored by locals. A bit farther up, the Village at Solitude, a vest-pocket resort development, sits at the base of three more lifts. Three of the lifts from both bases access primarily novice and intermediate runs, while the Powderhorn chair climbs to black and double-black diamond terrain.
There are two ways to reach Honeycomb Canyon on Solitude's rugged backside. The most skilled skiers and riders drop into the steep glades directly from Eagle Ridge. Others ride the Summit chair. A traverse to skier's left off the lift takes you to the tops of Honeycomb's sweetest chutes. Woodlawn, the easiest run, is a dark blue/light black down the canyon floor.
Now celebrating its 50th anniversary, Solitude has grown from a Salt Lake day-skiing area to a small resort known for quiet quality. The compact resort center suits families. The 47-room Inn at Solitude has been remodeled. The skating rink and Nordic Center with 20 kilometers are close-by. Canyon Transportation (tel. 800/255-1841; www.canyontransport.com) shuttles guests between the SLC airport and the resort, so a car is unnecessary.
Up at the end of the road is Brighton (tel. 800/873-5512; www.brightonresort.com), Utah's oldest ski area with the highest base elevation in the state (8,755 feet). This pure and simple ski area has minimal lodging around the base (and no real likelihood of any more), and therefore no trappings of resorthood. Brighton, celebrating its 70th year, has something new to brag about too: With the replacement of the old Millicent chair by the new Milly Express, Brighton is Utah's first area with high-speed lift access to all of its terrain.
The topography, like that of so many Wasatch Range ski areas, is a succession of drainages and ridges. Lifts shoot up toward Clayton Peak, Preston Peak and Mt. Millicent, holding Brighton's runs in a dramatic and scenic embrace, and trails segment naturally into four areas. Looking down, the lifts are the Great Western quad, the upper mountain Snake Creek Express, the Crest Express and the Milly Express. Milly, the new kid on the block, is slightly removed from the others, with its own little auxiliary base facilities and the closest connection to Solitude.
The SolBright Trail offers an easy connection between Solitude and Brighton, with a joint lift ticket ($68) for skiing between them at will. The trail is also an integral part of the epic Ski Utah Interconnect Adventure Tour (tel. 801/534-1907; www.skiutah.com/interconnect), an epic one-day guided tour. The classic version begins Deer Valley, Park City in Parley's Canyon to the east to Solitude and Brighton in Little Cottonwood Canyon and on to Alta and Snowbird in Little Cottonwood, the next canyon over to the west. On alternate days, the tour begins at Snowbird and terminates at Solitude.
Solitude Stats
Lifts: 3 quad chairlift (2 high-speed), 1 triple, 4 doubles; uphill capacity, 12,550 riders per hour
Trails: 64 named trails and three bowls (20% easier, 50% more difficult, 30% most difficult)
Terrain Park: 1
Vertical: 2,047 feet
Skiable Acres:
1,200 (snowmaking on 150 acres)
Brighton Stats
Lifts: 6 quad chairlifts (4 high-speed); uphill capacity, 9.950
riders per hour
Trails: 66 (21% easier, 40% more difficult, 39% most difficult; 22 with night skiing)
Terrain Parks: 4 (and a halfpipe)
Vertical: 1,745 feet
Skiable Acres:
1,050
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