At Least Three Utah Ski Areas Open Into May

Three Utah ski areas have announced extended ski seasons into May so far as the state continues to experience record-breaking snowfall.

Up to five-feet (1.5 metres) more snowfall has been reported this week at ski resorts that have already posted all-time record snowfall for a season. Alta and Snowbird (pictured above last week) have both had more than 800 inches (over 20 metres) of snowfall this winter.

A number of resorts have been closed for several days this week due to the latest heavy snowfall which brought with it a high avalanche danger leading to the imposition of ‘Interlodge’ in Little Cottonwood Canyon where several resorts are located.

One of these, Alta, decided to ‘deputise’ ski resort staff to give them legal powers to enforce Interlodge, which requires skiers to leave slopes and drivers to leave cars and all get inside to be safe.  Snowbird meanwhile saw an avalanche that begin outwith its boundaries descend across one of its slopes, open at the time, but determined nobody had been impacted.

Several areas, including America’s largest Park City, have extended seasons due to end last weekend or after Easter Sunday to later in April with Deer Valley and Snowbasin joining Park City in staying open now to the 23rd.

Three more will keep operating into May. Brighton will be open daily to April 30 then run its  Millicent Chair daily from May 5th to 29th. Solitude will be open daily through May 7th then open Friday – Sundays through May 21st. Finally Snowbird will be open  daily through May 14th then open Friday – Sundays  through at least the US Memorial Day holiday on May 31st.