Brighton, Snowbasin and Snowbird plan to shut down Utah ski season
As of last Sunday, nine of Utah's 13 resorts had closed.
Open are Brighton, Snowbasin and Snowbird. Alta closed on Sunday but will open for three days this week — Friday through Sunday — and then will close for the season.
Brighton will close on Sunday. Snowbasin was scheduled to close on Sunday but extended its season to April 27.
Snowbird has an announced date of May 26.
The weekend weather cooperated with the final days. And, most of those resorts that closed held bases well over 100 inches.
Four days of early-April snowfall brought nearly three feet of snow to Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort, pushing the resort well past the 500-inch mark and setting the stage for the resort's spring events.
Snowbird is reporting a base of 155 inches at mid-mountain and 532 inches season-to-date for the resort that averages 500 inches a year. In the first 11 days of April, Snowbird has received 40 inches of snow at the base and significantly higher accumulations at mid-mountain.
In years past, late-season skiing and riding from the upper mountain Little Cloud chairlift was accessed by uploading and downloading on the Tram or the Gadzoom chairlift. This year, however, the Tram will close after May 4 to enable workers to slip all four track cables and replace the chain saddles.
Snowbird spokesperson Laura Schaffer indicated last week that Snowbird officials wish to focus spring skiing and riding on the Peruvian Gulch side of the resort to capitalize on spring festivities at Snowbird Center instead of the Gad Valley area, from where the Gadzoom chairlift leaves. Schaffer also said that officials will review these operational plans in coming years and that the haul rope replacement, scheduled for completion June 14, may finish earlier than anticipated, possibly allowing skiing and riding from the tram as the ski season draws to a close.
While May 26 has tentatively been set as this season's last day of skiing at Snowbird, Schaffer assured that officials will re-examine that date as it approaches and extend the season further if conditions permit.
On Friday, Mission:Wolf, a nonprofit captive wolf sanctuary, will bring live wolves and wolf-dog crosses to Snowbird to teach about wolf captivity. The event will begin at 7 p.m. in the Rendezvous Room on Level 2 of the Snowbird Center, and admission is free.
For information call 801-933-2110 or visit www.snowbird.com.
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