RICHMOND, Utah – Utah’s newest ski resort, Cherry Peak, is scheduled to open this winter. With three chairlifts and 280 acres of terrain for all levels, officials say it will provide fun for families in Cache Valley and across the state.
The resort is six years in the making. After getting rights to build on his property, owner John Chadwick started planning, and construction began in 2013. Now the resort is ready to open for the new 2015-2016 ski season.
Chadwick said he got the idea to build the resort on his property after his friend--a former Olympic ski coach--did some backcountry skiing on the mountain and suggested it.
“[We] hiked up, skied one run, hiked across the canyon here, looked back and he said, ‘You have to build a resort.’ I said, ‘It’s not big enough,’” Chadwick said. “Anyway, I gave him all the reasons why I shouldn’t, and he told me all the reasons why I should.”
The resort almost didn’t happen because some backcountry skiers who use Chadwick’s property were opposed to building a resort. But Chadwick finally got the rights to build Cherry Peak.
“I would say, now that the lodge is close to being done and people can see how classy everything is and how beautiful it all is, people are really on board,” he said.
The resort features 29 trails of varying degrees of difficulty and a snow park with jumps and rails. The lodge has a rental shop and dining area, and easy access to the lift at the bottom of the hill.
“It’s got 1,300 vert, which is pretty cool for a smaller resort like that,” said Paul Marshall, Spokesperson for Ski Utah. “There’s three detachable lifts, a great beginner’s section, but also, its terrain, at times, is challenging it looks like.”
In the future, owners plan to build a tubing park, ice skating rink, venues for weddings and concerts as well as trails for hiking and biking. CFO Ignacio Birkner says he’s looking forward to how convenient it will be to get to the mountain.
“You can be skiing right after school, or right after work for a couple of hours and be back home for dinner,” he said.
The snow machines are set to get the mountain ready for skiers and snowboarders. Chadwick says he’s looking forward to opening his resort.
“To actually see people ski on our mountain with a smile on their face, that’s what I’m excited about,” he said.
Chadwick says they’re planning to open when conditions are right, but they’re hoping to open by Thanksgiving Day. For ticket pricing and other information, you can visit Cherry Peak’s website.
