
Salt Lake's favorite night skiing destination. Features 1050 acres of terrain epic powder days extensive terrain parks and perfect learning programs.
Brighton Resort delivers exceptional skiing and snowboarding across 1,050 acres of diverse terrain at the head of Big Cottonwood Canyon, with elevations ranging from 2,668m base to 3,200m summit. Utah's oldest ski resort combines 66 runs spanning all ability levels with some of the most reliable snowfall in North America, averaging 12.7m annually in one of the snowiest microclimates on the continent. The resort's claim to fame extends beyond daytime operations, offering over 200 acres of illuminated terrain across 32 runs six nights weekly, making Brighton the only Salt Lake area resort with extensive night skiing.
Brighton's authentic, welcoming atmosphere attracts everyone from first-time learners to expert cliff-huckers, earning consistent recognition from locals for best value and family-friendly terrain. The resort's historical significance as the first Utah ski area, established in 1936, blends seamlessly with modern lift infrastructure including the Crest Express, currently Utah's fastest chairlift. Five terrain parks cater to freestyle progression, whilst natural features including bowls, chutes, and extensive tree skiing provide endless exploration opportunities across two main zones.
The resort's straightforward layout and accessible pricing structure keep the focus squarely on quality skiing rather than resort frills. Children aged six and under ski free with paying adults, whilst direct connections to neighbouring Solitude Resort via the SolBright pass expand terrain options for multi-resort adventures in the legendary Cottonwood Canyons.
Brighton spreads 66 runs across 1,050 acres skiable of terrain. It leans intermediate at 39%, with 14 beginner runs to find your feet and 27 advanced or expert runs when you want to push.
Brighton typically operates from mid-November through mid-April, with the most consistent conditions occurring January through March when the Cottonwood Funnel microclimate delivers its legendary snowfall. The resort's elevated position between 2,668m and 3,200m combined with predominantly north-facing aspects creates exceptional snow preservation throughout the season, often maintaining quality conditions when lower-elevation resorts struggle. The 12.7m average annual snowfall frequently exceeds 500 inches in exceptional years, occasionally surpassing 700 inches during particularly active storm cycles.
Early season openings become possible through the resort's high base elevation and reliable pre-Christmas snowfall, whilst spring skiing extends well into April with excellent corn snow developing on sunny afternoons. The microclimate's position at the head of Big Cottonwood Canyon intercepts westerly storm flow efficiently, with the Wasatch Range forcing moisture-laden air upward where it condenses and deposits exceptionally dry, light powder across Brighton's varied terrain.
Night skiing operations run six nights weekly from mid-December through mid-March, offering extended riding opportunities under lights during the season's core months. The resort's snow quality benefits from Utah's famously low-density powder, creating forgiving conditions for progression whilst delivering the deep, consistent coverage that attracts powder seekers to the Cottonwood Canyons. Clear, sunny days provide spectacular alpine vistas whilst maintaining excellent snow quality on shaded aspects throughout winter.
Located at the top of Big Cottonwood Canyon approximately 58km southeast of downtown Salt Lake City, Brighton sits just 56km from Salt Lake City International Airport with drive times averaging 45-50 minutes under normal conditions. The resort's position in the Wasatch Range places it amongst North America's most accessible alpine skiing destinations, with the scenic Highway 190 canyon approach providing a straightforward route from the Salt Lake valley floor. Brighton's proximity to metropolitan Salt Lake creates convenient access to diverse accommodation options in surrounding communities including Cottonwood Heights, Sandy, and Midvale.
The resort shares Big Cottonwood Canyon with neighbouring Solitude Mountain Resort located just 3km away, with interconnecting terrain and combined SolBright passes allowing skiers to experience both mountains during single visits. This strategic canyon position creates a powder haven where orographic lift generates substantially higher snowfall than the valley below, whilst maintaining remarkably short transfer times from major transport hubs. Free UTA ski bus services connect downtown Salt Lake and park-and-ride facilities directly to the resort throughout winter, providing economical transport alternatives.
Brighton's location within the Wasatch-Cache National Forest surrounds visitors with pristine alpine scenery and direct backcountry access gates for adventurous skiers seeking terrain beyond the resort boundary. The canyon's year-round recreation opportunities extend Brighton's appeal beyond winter months, with lift-assisted mountain biking and disc golf available during summer. Weekend parking reservations become essential during peak periods, though the robust public transport network and carpool options provide practical alternatives to private vehicle access up the canyon.
Hotels and lodges near Brighton, powered by Stay22.

The death toll from Thursday night's fire at Restaurant Beverin in Thusis, Switzerland, has begun to firm up. One Swiss outlet, citing Graubünden Cantonal Police, reports that two of the five people initially reported missing have now been confirmed dead, leaving three unaccounted for. The building's collapsed stairwell and structural instability have slowed recovery efforts throughout. Here's what's changed since the fire broke out, and what's still unconfirmed.

Selwyn Snow Resort has called an early end to its 2026 season, a day after Victoria's Mount Baw Baw did the same. Rain on Thursday stripped what was left of the snowpack, and the cold nights needed to rebuild it through snowmaking never arrived. It's a rough result for a resort that only just found its footing again after being burned to the ground in the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires and a multi-year rebuild. Here's how the season fell apart, and where Selwyn's been since the fire.

Mt Baw Baw is calling time on its 2026 season this Sunday at 5pm, becoming the first Australian resort to close for the year after warm spells and rain wore through its snowpack. Lifts stop, but the resort stays open, entry fees get waived, and there's one last Bollywood Weekend before the lights go out. Fifty-seven days after opening, here's how the season ended and what it means for the rest of Australia's struggling snowpack.

Arosa's Hörnli sector is getting its biggest overhaul in decades. The 1986 gondola and 1994 chairlift linking toward Lenzerheide are both being replaced, with capacity up, tower count down and a new base station lower on the hill. At roughly CHF 67 million, it is the largest single investment Arosa Bergbahnen has ever made - and the target opening has already slipped a year, to December 2028. Here is what is changing, and why the timeline moved.

Sundance Mountain Resort's back mountain is finally getting a proper lift. The Electric Horseman Express opens for 2026-27, unlocking a new bowl next to Bishop's Bowl and three expert gladed chutes across roughly 105 fresh acres - on top of the Storyteller ridge run that debuted in preview form last season. It's Sundance's biggest expansion since 1985, and it turns a three-lift slog into a single six-minute ride to Bearclaw Summit.

Finland's Levi and Ruka open for the 2026-27 season on October 2, more than seven weeks before most of Europe sees a lift turn. Neither resort is waiting on autumn snowfall - both are skiing on snow buried since last spring, insulated through the Finnish summer and dug back out for opening day. It is not a shortcut. It is a decades-old system now spreading from the Arctic Circle to Idaho, Utah, Vermont and Colorado. Here is how snow farming actually works, and why it is catching on.

Silvretta Montafon is replacing its ageing Freda chairlift - but not with something new. The resort is having a 1999 four-seater chairlift, retired from Sölden, dismantled, shipped to Vorarlberg and rebuilt with new electronics, cable and clamps. It has to be running before March 2027, when Silvretta Montafon hosts the FIS Snowboard, Freestyle and Freeski World Championships - the biggest winter sports event Vorarlberg has staged. Here's how a reused lift ends up cheaper.

Nassfeld is putting €13 million into a new 6-seater chairlift, the Tressdorfer Almbahn, connecting Sonnleitn with the Tressdorfer Alm from December 2026. It replaces three ageing drag lifts and will run through summer too, from June 2027, moving up to 2,500 people an hour on the roughly three-minute ride. It's the latest step in Carinthia's largest ski resort building out a genuine year-round offering, following last year's Gartnerkofelbahn gondola.
Brighton's efficient lift network comprises seven lifts including four high-speed quads, one six-pack, one triple chair, and one surface lift serving the mountain's 1,875 feet vertical drop. The Crest 6 Express stands as Utah's fastest chairlift, whisking skiers efficiently to upper mountain terrain whilst maintaining the resort's commitment to 100% high-speed lift access across all skiable areas. The lift infrastructure divides the mountain into distinct zones, with the Majestic and Explorer areas serving beginner terrain, whilst the Millicent, Great Western, and Snake Creek lifts access progressively challenging intermediate and advanced runs.
The strategic lift placement creates an intuitive navigation system where trails funnel naturally back to the central base area, preventing the need for extensive traverses or confusing route-finding. During night operations from 4pm to 9pm Monday through Saturday, five lifts remain operational including the recently added Milly Express for evening skiing, illuminating over 200 acres with more than 360 lights. This extensive night skiing capacity represents some of the largest illuminated terrain in western North America.
Lift queues remain manageable even during peak periods, with the resort's compact footprint and efficient chairlift spacing maintaining steady uphill flow without the extended waits common at larger destination resorts. The well-distributed lift network ensures access to varied terrain types from every major uplift point.
More Brighton intelligence: trail map, snow report, webcams, resort overview.