Hooking up with Buddies at Brighton

After leaving The Canyons on Friday the storm started to pick up strong and by first light Saturday 8" had fallen at Brighton Resort with more on the way. The choice was simple so Jason Mitchell (Editor of FeedTheHabit.com who will also be a guest contributor here on the Ski Utah blog this winter) and I headed up Big Cottonwood Canyon to sample the goods.

We weren't the only ones. I think I scored the last spot in the park and ride lot at the base of the canyon before hitching a ride with Jason up the canyon.

Fortunately I had picked up my pass a couple weeks back when I was checking out their terrain park features so I didn't have to endure what looked like a very long line. People, get with the program! Pick up your season passes before the snow flies and you won't spend your first day on the mountain in the season pass office! It'll save you a pile of frustration and the resort employees won't get hammered from the on-slaught.

As we pulled into the lot at Brighton the snow was falling pretty steady and I looked longingly at Millicent. It's quite evident that we need a lot more snow for it to open but with the cable and electrical work now completed they are ready for it to open. This year with the addition of the Millicent lift 100% of Brighton's terrain will be accessible by High-Speed Quads, a Utah first.

We headed up the Crest lift and although we had ambitions to hit other lifts we ended up staying here the entire time. With plenty of wall hits, side of the run kickers, good trail coverage and a lift line that went quite fast it was fun sessioning Crest. What made it even more fun was running into a bunch of friends.

That's one of the things so enjoyable about skiing and riding Brighton - chances are good that you'll run into a friend or six. As a well loved locals hill Brighton feels like "home" even if it's your 5th time skiing it during the day as was the case for me on Saturday.

For those wondering about the park I didn't venture over there but I rode the lift with a kid in an Oakley one piece who was telling me that the park was pretty good with a total of 8 features.

A few people were sampling the off trail conditions and I too was lured t here. I almost regretted that decision when I hooked a rock and was pitched in a tumble, fortunately for me back onto the trail and not into another covered rock. It's too early to get a season ending injury so sticking to the trails is advised.

Surprisingly with a parking lot that was nearly full the slopes were less crowded than I thought they would be. I'm stoked to have been up at Brighton and look forward to getting back soon as more and more terrain opens up.

I heard that on Friday they were putting tower pads on Sn ake Creek and just before my last run a buddy said that the terrain park crew had been pulled to Snake Creek to help get some things done in anticipation of it opening. Could it be one more storm away? I sure hope so!