Brighton, 2/19/08

Another short day. The new Burbank-SLC route on JetBlue is a great deal at $155RT, but the return flight is at 2:55PM.

So I chose Brighton, figuring we could see most of the area and ski a lot (18,100) with the 4 high speed lifts. We started on Great Western, which had mostly west exposure and was thus completely shaded. Groomers were good but I avoided most off-trail fall lines as they have partial south exposure. I did venture onto Rein's Run, which had not been through a real melt-freeze but was still quite firm.

Next we moved to Snake Creek, which has direct north exposure so the snow is softer. There are short steep lines along the lift and in the trees either side with flat runouts back to the lift.

We finally got over to Millicent at 11:15. But with the lift now high speed we got in 6 runs there before we had to leave for the airport. The steep bowl runs were mostly chalk, and the more direct east exposures were nicely softened by this time. Millicent's cruisers are also wide open and with minimal traffic we could hit them at high speed.

The warmup predicted for our trip finally happened at the end. It was clear and at least as warm as Snowbasin, despite Brighton's base being the same elevation as the top of a couple of Snowbasin's lifts.

Tony Crocker":1gr39y8y said:

After her Alta experience Becky had no problem with the broad bowl at left, only sideslipping through the narrow tree band.

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=D>

They replaced the Millicent lift?!?!?! It's no longer way up off the ground?


I know that the conventional rap is "it's a western version of an EC joint," but I like Brighton a lot. Nice tree shots, fun groomers, and BCC-snow without the nutcase crowds (never been on a weekend though, so I can imagine it ain't quite as low-key).

Just another example of a second line western area that is still probably better than anything in the East.

jamesdeluxe":3fl9i0d8 said:

I know that the conventional rap is "it's a western version of an EC joint," but I like Brighton a lot. Nice tree shots, fun groomers, and BCC-snow without the nutcase crowds (never been on a weekend though, so I can imagine it ain't quite as low-key).

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My issue with Brighton is the flat spots in the mid-mountain zone that stretch from Great Western-to-the main zone in front of the lodge. They kill the fall-line flow of the mountain. The Great Western terrain is OK - some nice pitches skier's left. Milli is solid terrain - but I get a little bored in that zone after a while. I have not hiked the peak areas.

Honestly - and this does not win me a lot of respect here - I would rather buy a discount ticket at Deer Valley and bang high-speed steep groomers in the morning, eat a great lunch (almost the same price as anywhere and quality 2-3x better) and play in some trees, bumps and Daly chutes. Or do a similar experience at Snowbasin - as upscale facilities, but without the chi-chi perception or clientele. Unless the snow gods were 2x as kind to BCC resorts, I might always chose these two.

Tony was under time pressures which makes his choice really appropriate - distance and HS lifts.

One of Utah's strengths is that you can choose the resort that fits the needs of the particular day. For the long high speed groomers, Snowbasin is one of the best mountains anywhere. I'm also in agreement that Deer Valley is better in that department than Park City or The Canyons. Jupiter, in terms of both snow and terrain, is what makes PCMR stand above its next-door neighbors much of the time, the stashes admin showed us Friday being Exhibit A. Solitude's lifts and layout are somewhat of a nuisance in the typical (for me) weather of this trip, but are a virtue on a powder day like last President's Day.

And of course you have Powder Mountain and Sundance if you want to get away from the crowds and/or the typical resort experience.

Brighton did fit the bill of the getaway day well. Millicent is interesting skiing and you can get a lot of it now with the high speed lift. The off-piste on Great Western faces partially south, so you need to get it fast when there's fresh snow.

Tony Crocker":3ru99wp4 said:

Just another example of a second line western area that is still probably better than anything in the East.

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ya, especially the high pressure week you got stuck with out there. oh ya, btw, that wasn't wolve bowl behind you, it's twin lakes/patsey. wolve bowl is outta view to observers upper left above and beyond milli peak. a bowl that was probably still untracked from all of the yahoos staight lining the cirque or even more absurd, skinning up the gut of the thing.

love
rog

icelanticskier":147mtrxn said:

Tony Crocker":147mtrxn said:

Just another example of a second line western area that is still probably better than anything in the East.

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ya, especially the high pressure week you got stuck with out there. oh ya, btw, that wasn't wolve bowl behind you, it's twin lakes/patsey. wolve bowl is outta view to observers upper left above and beyond milli peak. a bowl that was probably still untracked from all of the yahoos staight lining the cirque or even more absurd, skinning up the gut of the thing.

love
rog

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yeah I know...that high pressure for a few days in a row is a real "bear" :roll: ...sucks only have a base of what 132" and the wettest months still to come....enjoy the humidity.

M

The first few days of that high pressure stayed cold, so nearly all snow remained packed powder. Only south exposures had spring conditions early on. By Monday/Tuesday it warmed up enough for some of the east/west exposures to soften. North exposures were totally winter snow the entire time.

The points made by icelantic with regard to flexibility and/or backcountry are not really relevant to the East/West arguments. Can a flexible skier with AT or tele gear in the East score more powder than a advance scheduled lift-served skier in the West? Of course. But put the skiers on the same schedule and/or the same gear and the westerner will nearly always do better. The backcountry skiers in Utah had plenty of powder available during this high pressure episode.

Tony Crocker":23wbwlsn said:

The backcountry skiers in Utah had plenty of powder available during this high pressure episode.

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Here's how the Wasatch backcountry looked during this week's catastrophic high pressure:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7268375@N0 ... 949117526/

Admin":1g8de556 said:

Tony Crocker":1g8de556 said:

The backcountry skiers in Utah had plenty of powder available during this high pressure episode.

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ya, but you weren't in it.

Here's how the Wasatch backcountry looked during this week's
catastrophic high pressure:

looks can be deceiving as most things that the sun or wind touches out there turn to crap pretty quick even in jan/feb unless yer on the upper elevation shady stuff that get's used up fast and furiously.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7268375@N0 ... 949117526/

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i was obviously referring to the lift served stuff and just giving tony some crap anyway

rog

are you guys really having a discussion about east vs west powder skiing? BTW Okemo today is reporting 20 inchs and Variable conditions! maybe the Weather Channel will do a Epic Conditions segment and you will never loose sight of a ski ala killington.
Anyway, I rode Brigton in Jan on a windy day, nice mountain not very good conditions that day, but plenty of challanges and space between the great west and mill. Not crazy about the center of the mountain interesting jibber terrrian I guess. I was breaking in new boots and my feet angles where not right, which leaqd to aggrevation as well.
I also was taken out by a kid skier that day. I landed on his pole and snaped the alum right above the basket. His mom was po'd and I told her "if you want to run with the big dogs you gotta learn to pee in the high grass." She just started laughing and then skied off. Oh another thing I felt old at Brighton on a sat, alot of teenine boppers.

brighton's definately a fun place for nooks and crannies and the backcountry accesss is friggin mind blowing. pioneer ridge, snake creek, green slope are some of my faves. green slope is one of the few places that in a january when high pressure sets in out there for too long and most aspects are sun crusted and pow is virtually gone, will have a supportable base and perfect for mid winter corn laps when all else is crap. it catches tons of direct sun. 4 weeks back i was doin a field day with my buddy craig, a utah avi forecaster. we were out in white rocks below pioneer ridge. we were given access to get on lifts an hour before opening
and man o man what a gem that pioneer ridge area is, deep in there for sure. one of the shots we were skiing was so deep on a stable base that we couldn't even skin it. it was easier to break in a booter in snow up to our belly buttons, craig kicks a mean booter, i almost got de-throaned as the booter king that day for sure.
anyway, cool place
rog