As the fall colors start to turn, many powderheads start pacing back and forth, looking longingly at the top of our Rocky Mountains for that first dusting of Utah snow. The Old Farmer’s Almanac predicts near to below-average snowfall for Utah during the 2025-2026 winter season, with warmer-than-normal temperatures overall. La Nina may influence our snowpack as it brings wet and cold to some areas and often, drier winters in Utah. This could mean a slow start for skiers, but Brian Head is hoping to open its slopes as early as November 7^th, with Solitude planning for Nov. 14^th, Park City Mountain and Alta hoping for Nov. 21^st in time for Thanksgiving crowds.

We have 15 ski resorts in the state but this winter an oldie but goodie will reopen, making it a sweet sixteen for our state. Originally operating from 1967-1980, the Snowland Ski and Sledding area in Fairview Canyon is being revived as a small but cozy family-friendly ski area in Sanpete County. What’s unique about this news is the resort is backed by the nonprofit Snowland Foundation and supported by the Utah Office of Outdoor Recreation to bring safe, accessible skiing back to Central Utah.

I know Fairview Canyon well, as I graduated from Wasatch Academy in Mt. Pleasant, just a few miles south. I had never skied before in my life and through a school program I had wooden skis and tied ski boots slapped on me and told to “Grab onto the rope tow and go up the hill!”. And once I got to the top of the bunny hill I was instructed to “Spread your legs as far apart as you can!”. And that was all the instruction I got, and I was a complete failure at it. A few years later at Westminster College (now University) I learned better skills through a college course at Brighton and had a ton of fun until my childhood handicap came back and couldn’t ski anymore. Funny, but our Governor Cox grew up in Fairview, and he not only skied at Snowland but taught his kids to ski there as well. Snow College will be partnering with the resort to offer lessons to students this year. No chairlifts are planned now or in the future.

The rope tow lifts (two of them) will serve the reopened trails this first season and the good news is that lift tickets are going to be around $20 for day passes and $100 for a season pass. Snowland is backed by $1 million in state recreation grants and $200,000+ in donations, with ongoing fundraising for future development into facilities and improvements. This keeps the focus on local benefit and long-term sustainability in the community. And if you’re familiar with the area, the cabin constructed by Jerry Nelson who created the little ski area is being revamped to serve as a small ski hub offering refreshments, concessions, and a restroom. And hey, if you don’t ski, there’s plenty of sledding options, too.