Brian Head Ski Resort is a southern Utah hotspot for winter sports. This year especially, “hot” is an apt word, as due to a late winter, the resort was forced to open one week later than planned.
Winter weather is constantly fluctuating, and no two years will be the same, Dan Cusack explained. As the director of mountain operations for Brian Head, Cusack is responsible for keeping the mountain covered in snow, even when warm weather and melting snow threaten safe skiing and snowboarding.
Creating artificial snow is a practice that ensures adventurers can seek thrills on the slopes all winter long. “There’s a lot that goes into it,” he said.
The ski resort gets its snow-making water from a pool located on the mountain. “That pond is fed by the culinary system of the town of Brian Head,” Cusack said. “Essentially, they fill our pond up, and as we use it, they keep giving us more and more water.”
Snow-makers use fan guns that spray water into the air and blow it out, which will turn into artificial snow when the weather is right. “We have to have the right temperatures. You know, you get down into the upper twenties with low humidity, we can make snow,” he said.
“Depending on what those temps do, if they drop, we can make more snow. In other words, the colder it gets, the more water we can shoot into the air and have freeze. If it’s warm, we can spray a tiny bit out here and we’ll make snow; it might not add up to much,” Cusack said.
© Brian Head Resort
Last winter, the mountain was spoiled with snowfall. In April 2023, Brian Head reported on their website that they had surpassed 400 inches of snow as the season drew to a close, nearly double the average of 220 inches. Another article called 2022-23 “the longest season in Brian Head Resort’s history.”
With this year’s late winter, conditions were not right for the snow-making that would put Brian Head on track for their planned opening on Nov. 10, 2023; instead, they opened a week later on Nov. 17. Despite a slow start, Cusack said this year has been pretty average.
Snow-making often begins in October and continues throughout the season as necessary depending on weather and the amount of natural snowfall. Not all snow is the same. “The snow we make is extremely dense. It’s made to plaster the uneven spots with rocks jutting out of the topography, and it’s great for that,” he said.
Snow that forms and falls from clouds has much more air throughout it. While fresh powder makes for an incredible ride, once it settles, it loses the aeration and becomes just as dense as the man-made stuff. “Let’s say you get a storm on a Monday and the storm clears out Tuesday. By Friday, the snow is going to be very similar,” Cusack said. “It’s a little different than natural, but it still skis great.”
Brian Head’s snow-making staff work whenever needed to ensure the mountain is ready for guests, excited to rush down the slopes. With the help of their equipment and the perfect weather, making snow is a vital practice that keeps Brian Head well-equipped for winter.
Author: Lily Brunson
Photos © Brian Head Resort
Editor: Lily Brunson
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