Brian Head: One of many final ‘hidden gem’ inexpensive ski resorts

What’s the Brian Head ski resort?

What began as a one-chairlift operation in 1965, identified initially as Monument Peak because of its excessive elevation, has grown. Not solely that, however with the very best base elevation in all of Utah at 9,600 toes, Brian Head Ski Resort has some legit snow and runs.

Brian Head’s snowfall averages are available in at 360 inches throughout its 650 acres and two related mountains, every with its personal base space.

The place is Brian Head ski resort?

Like many ski resorts, Brian Head is somewhat off the overwhelmed path, in that it is a few hours from any main metropolis.

Brian Head raise tickets

Here is the place we get to the actually good elements about Brian Head; the low price of raise tickets.

First, know that youngsters 12 and underneath ski without cost with no restrictions or necessities, apart from you want to signal them up for the free Energy Children Go, which you are able to do on-line in only a minute or two. That is unusually easy on the planet of kids-ski-free choices. On high of that, these ages 75 and up may ski without cost with out restrictions, which can be fairly uncommon lately. That is what gave beginning to our three-generation ski journey concept because the youngest and oldest within the group would ski free.

For everybody else, raise ticket costs begin at $29 per day, with a standard supply being $10 in included “Corduroy Money” with every ticket to spend on issues like mountain eating, classes, purchasing and tools leases.

Costs aren’t all the time fairly that low, however $45-$60 per day is frequent a lot of the season, with advance buy costs topping out round $99 on probably the most peak days, like President’s Day weekend, so long as you e book no less than 5 days out. Examine that to raise ticket costs of $200-$300-plus per day at many main ski resorts for those who do not plan months upfront to buy one thing like Epic or Ikon Passes, and it is an enormous distinction, particularly since children ski free.

Professional tip: Brian Head generally has a 20% off sale on reward playing cards throughout Black Friday that you would use to decrease your efficient price much more.

How a lot does it price to ski at Brian Head?

Along with the affordable raise ticket costs that we simply mentioned, you may have another prices to ski. On-site gear leases at Brian Head begin at $25 per day throughout March and April in 2024 however can price $35-$40 per day for a primary grownup ski rental bundle for the remainder of the season.

Group ski college for teenagers 7-12 years previous begins at $145 for a half-day and $310 for a full day with lunch, so whereas that’s lower than at another mountains, it is nonetheless a hefty sum you may wish to finances for. Snowboarding throughout weekends and holidays will drive these costs upward some, in addition to not reserving no less than 5 days out.

If you’d like a personal lesson, these are less expensive at Brian Head than many different mountains, as half-day non-public classes will be had beginning round $250, when that quantity can simply method $1,000 elsewhere.

Contained in the Brian Head Lodge

You possibly can select to remain up on the mountain at Brian Head within the 100-room Brian Head Lodge, which has lodging beginning at round $100 per night time with some frequent promotions such because the second or third night time free and even a free night time with a raise ticket buy (with some blackout dates). Good luck discovering free on-mountain lodging with a raise ticket buy just about anyplace else.

Whereas I did not keep within the lodge personally, as we stayed at a points-friendly lodge in Cedar Metropolis, the images appear to be the resort hasn’t been renovated shortly. Nevertheless, it does have a traditional lodge vibe and an indoor pool/waterfall, outside sizzling tub and on-site spa. There’s additionally a recreation room with issues like air hockey and traditional video video games.

Should you select to not keep on the Brian Head Lodge, you possibly can as a substitute keep in Cedar Metropolis, about 30-35 minutes away, at locations just like the Courtyard Marriott Cedar Metropolis, Springhill Suites Cedar Metropolis or a wide range of different budget-friendly manufacturers.

An excellent resort for first-time skiers

What it is like snowboarding at Brian Head

Suggestions for snowboarding at Brian Head

• Parking is free at Brian Head, however the tons can replenish on busy days within the late morning, so I like to recommend arriving about half-hour earlier than lifts open to have a straightforward decide of spots to park.
• Lifts opened at 9:30 a.m. whereas we had been there, and the primary half-hour or so had been devoid of any noticeable raise strains, which made for a good way to get in a couple of fast runs earlier than the strains did develop on the busy lengthy weekend.
• Like at most ski resorts, you’re finest served to keep away from the bottom raise strains throughout peak hours for those who can.
• Try to eat early — particularly if it’s a busy weekend — as meals strains can get very lengthy, particularly on the Navajo facet of the resort, as there aren’t a ton of retailers to select from. I like to recommend checking lunch off the record by 11:30 a.m. if potential, and definitely earlier than half-day ski college will get out at 12:30 p.m. That is whenever you’ll wish to head again up the mountain whereas the raise strains are barely shorter.
• Talking of the Navajo facet, that mountain has extra beginner-friendly terrain. However, as quickly as your group can graduate to straightforward blues, we discovered the Large Steps facet to be a bit much less crowded. You possibly can nonetheless do a couple of inexperienced runs there off the Blackfoot raise that had considerably shorter strains than the first specific lifts.
• Do not skip snow tubing, as it is also a great worth at $25 for limitless runs for 90 minutes.
• When you need not make your Brian Head purchases months upfront simply to make them inexpensive, you’ll want to do it no less than every week or so upfront of your journey, as costs soar 15% inside 5 days and 30% inside 24 hours.

Is Brian Head value visiting?

If you wish to ski on typically above-average snowfall for an inexpensive amount of cash, aren’t searching for a flashy ski scene and are OK driving a couple of hours from Las Vegas (or Salt Lake Metropolis) to get there, then 100% sure — Brian Head is value visiting. It is a midsize mountain that gives a great number of terrain for a couple of days and will not put a everlasting dent in your pockets. And it is the apparent selection if snowboarding with a multigenerational group the place the youngsters and the 75-plus can each ski without cost, as we did.

On the flip facet, if you need Aspen-style eating choices or Vail-style purchasing and revel in expansive mountains that take a full week to discover, then Brian Head in all probability is not the best spot for you. It additionally is not the best ski vacation spot for those who want — or really need — issues like ski valets, table-service eating, a hybrid ski program for preschool-age children, a luxurious ski-out lodge and different nice-to-haves that may admittedly make snowboarding somewhat simpler (and dearer).