The Utah ski season has officially started.
Brighton Resort offered free two hours of skiing on Thursday. Hundreds of ski and snowboard fanatics waited anxiously to get in their first runs of the season.
Brighton and Solitude Mountain Resort are scheduled to open on Friday. However, Brighton unexpectedly opened one lift to guests early.
Ski Utah representatives said the "Big Cottonwood Battle" to open first between the two resorts is all in good fun and good for the industry.
"Big Cottonwood resorts, Solitude and Brighton are usually the first to put their stamp on the year and they kind of go back and forth but it's a fun rivalry and the rest of the resorts follow suit closely there after," said Brandon Ott, director of content for SkiUtah.com.
Ott said seven of the 14 resorts are expected to open before Thanksgiving.
