Ski Day #12- We're Known as the Snowboard Capital of the World, But We're Gonna Change That (Brighton, UT)

For my last day of skiing in Salt Lake City I headed back into Big Cottonwood Canyon to ski Brighton, commonly referred to as the Snowboard Capital of the World.

Conditions at Brighton were great. After the storm had finished up the prior afternoon, another quick storm moved in over night and left about three inches of new fluffy snow on top of the heavier cement that had fallen during the big storm. In addition, there was a high pressure system sitting over the Wasatch that kept clouds from developing the entire day; it was just bluebird.

Brighton's nickname absolutely makes sense, the entire mountain is filled with snowboarders. I inquired why the mountain was so popular from a few boarders I sat on the lifts with. They each had a little bit of a different spin, but everything boiled down to two basic reason: the terrain is extremely favorable for riding and Brighton has always had a laid-back vibe that embraced the snowboard culture.

Regarding the terrain, I completely agree. Just as one rider told me, the entire area is like one big terrain park. There are a lot of cool lines through the trees. But even more fun are the large boulders that are still out on the trails. These get covered up with snow and turn into little kickers. It is not uncommon to catch air off of four or five of these in a run. In one word, Brighton can be described as "playful".

I also agree with the statement that Brighton is laid back,; it has a real homie-vibe. This isn't like the all-skier area in Little (read my previous post to understand). This place is just a true locals resort where skiers and riders come to just have a good time.

In short, even though Brighton is not in SKI Magazine's top 30 resorts in the west, check it out, it does not disappoint. No trip to Utah would be complete without a visit.

-Steve
"Born On Ice, Perfected In Powder"

A classic ski area sign.

The Brighton Center at the base displays snowboards to show you the evolution of riding.

The Snake Creek Express didn't open up until about an hour after the area opened. I put my poles here to stake out my spot for first chair, but they were only able to load two to a chair due to mechanical issues and two boarders snaked my spot, so I got second chair.

View of Mt. Millicent from the deck of the Alpine Rose at lunch. You can't beat a deck with a warm sun, cool tunes, and great views.

 

 

Some of the views from the top.

The sign says it all.