Big Cottonwood Canyon is home to two ski resorts: Solitude and Brighton. Its entrance is located conveniently on the west side of Salt Lake City so on a midweek, non-powder day there’s no trouble getting to the resorts. However, if you’re looking to go on a weekend or (god forbid) a powder day you will get the opportunity to take part in a Utah cultural right of passage for anyone looking for those champagne powder turns in the central Wasatch: the red snake. Red snakes can be found throughout the US and Canada. Their habitat primarily includes canyons leading to pristine powder and steep slopes, however their territory has been observed spilling out into the foothills and surrounding areas when the skiing is particularly juicy. Red snakes feeds primarily on coffee, breakfast sandwiches, oatmeal from a thermos and cliff bars. They are best spotted in the early pre-dawn morning, particularly when avalanches have left canyons impassible, and the red snakes wait to enter their lair. Red snakes are best experienced with good friends, a large comfortable vehicle and a heaping serving of powder stoke.
When you do make it up the canyon you will find the base of solitude. Home to those in Salt Lake City who opted to get an Ikon pass and whatever tourists did too. Solitude has a little something for everyone: great groomed blues for the intermediates and honeycomb bowl for those who are feeling a little more adventurous. If you don’t want to use up your limited Ikon days at the other Utah resorts and it’s a gorgeous bluebird day – Solitude is the place to be.
Travel a little farther up the canyon and you reach the town of Brighton. Brighton resort is what you get when a Kyle and a can of monster energy drink have a baby and that baby is a ski resort. With the best terrain park on the west side of the Wasatch, epic sidecountry, the legendary Molly Blooms and the only name in the night skiing game, Brighton is legendary. Tuck those goggles under your helmet, make sure your ski’s go both ways, get some XXXL outerwear and shotgun a beer in the parking lot at 8am. Seriously, we’re not talking smack – Brighton is unreal.
