BRIAN HEAD, Utah — Utah skiers that had been anticipating the opening of this year's ski season like Christmas morning will have to wait just a bit longer.
Just days before opening the gates for the new season this Friday, Brian Head Resort announced it would have to delay the start of the season due to warm temperatures.
The southern Utah resort said the high temperatures were "hampering snow making efforts" and that the new opening day would now be held... fingers crossed... on Friday, Nov. 17.
Early Tuesday, live cameras at the resort showed sunny skies and just small patches of snow around the base of the ski lifts.
"While our efforts have been continuous and persevering, we can't always control the temperatures and weather conditions. While we wait for Mother Nature, please know we’re working hard to deliver a fantastic experience for all our guests," the resort posted to social media.
Brian Head was scheduled to be the first Utah ski resort to open for the 2023-24 season. Alta Ski Area, Park City Mountain, Solitude Mountain Resort and Woodward Park City are penciled in to open the weekend of Nov. 17-19.
Despite the delayed start, Utah is still forecast to have a ski season that could match the state's historic 2022-23 season. The Salt Lake Tribune, the state "has between a 33%-40% chance of receiving above-average precipitation this winter" thanks to a strong El Niño.
Over 7 million skier visits were recorded in Utah in 2022-23, up 22% over the previous record set a year earlier. With 903 inches, Alta Ski Area recorded the most snowfall ever at a Utah resort.
