Skiers and snowboarders sit on a lift in Park City, Utah. Brian Head Resort ranks at the top for best snow this season. (Associated Press)
Utah is famous for world class skiing, but choosing the best place to ski can be tricky. Here's a quick guide to the various ski resorts available to students.
Brian Head
Onthesnow.com predicts Brian Head Resort will have the most snow in Utah this year. Brian Head is ranked at the top of a long list of Utah skiing destinations, and has the state's highest base elevation and covers over 650 acres. The resort hosts 71 runs and eight chair lifts.
'Our opening week we were slammed,' Lauri Gregerson, the public relations official at Brian Head said. 'We were one of the first resorts open and we have continued to have one of our busiest years because of our snow levels.'
Brian Head charges $30 on weekdays, $44 for weekend half-days, and $54 for weekend full-days.
Alta
One of the major draws to Alta is their spread of variety with excellent beginner trails and unbeatable intermediate terrain. Twenty-five percent of the resort is for entry level skiers, forty percent is for intermediate, and thirty-five percent are runs for advanced skiers.
Lift ticket prices vary at Alta. Each day has a slightly different price and can be anticipated on the pricing calendar on the website. Around $80 is the average for a full day lift ticket.
Snowbird
Snowbird has added $35 million in capital improvement since last season. These improvements have Snowbird boasting that this will be their best season yet.
'My favorite thing about Snowbird is the vibe there,' said Jordan Rodgers, a BYU alum who has been skiing in Utah for 18 years. 'It has a fun atmosphere in the lodge and the runs are fun and interesting.'
Rental options at Snowbird are considered to be one of their strongest services. Lift tickets also vary, but expect the price to be around $50-$65.
Sundance
Some BYU students may have never skied before, but would like to pick up the winter hobby. For those who are looking to get started and want a beginner-friendly place, Sundance is one of the best options. It is the closest skiing destination to the BYU campus and hosts beginning BYU students every year.
BYU ski instructor and men's golf coach Bruce Brockbank has been involved with the BYU ski school for over 25 years and lists Sundance as the place to go for beginners.
'Sundance is probably your best bet if you are just starting to ski,' Brockbank said. 'It is close to campus and they offer private and group lessons. Group lessons might be the way to go because it will save you a bit of money.'