BRIAN HEAD, Utah — While other resorts around Utah have either closed or have plans to, ski season is very much still in session in southern Utah, and they have no intention of going away.
"The drive up the canyon this morning, I felt like I was in a Dr. Seuss book," said John Small. "Just reminds me how lucky I am."
Small works at Brian Head Resort and has driven the 10 minutes from his home in Parowan, 10,000 feet below, for the last three years. Even on a weekday like Tuesday, skiers from nearby and beyond were taking advantage of a fresh snowfall.
"I feel like we all do a great job working together, and we pride ourselves on being first open and last open." Small said. "They're the best people in the world, you know? We're a family."
Eight inches of snow fell overnight, and a few flakes were falling at noon. It’s all about the altitude.
"We're at 10,000 feet, which keeps us colder, which lets the snow stay around a lot longer," said the resort's Josh Reid.
Reid shared how Dan Cusack, the resort's head of mountain operations, has been with the group for decades.
"I would say for him it's a science and an art," Reid explained, "and then he's trained his team to understand how to do it and to maximize the snow and to make it last as long as possible. And he knows how to make this place go as far into May as possible."
Skiers such as Lori McGraw appreciate the effort. The 59-year-old from Fredonia, Arizona, can name a bunch of resorts, but Brian Head is special.
"They do a really good job here. Better than most resorts I ski at," said McGraw. "To me, it's the best skiing in Utah. Yeah, I mean, what makes it so good? They always have the best snow!"
