Brian Head stands alone for southern Utah skiing

BRIAN HEAD, Iron County — It's just days before the ski and snowboard season opens here at Brian Head Resort, and Todd Boyer of Cedar City has brought his 5-year-old son, Jacob, to the slopes so he can get acquainted with his snowboard.

"We figured this was a good chance to warm up," says Todd, "before the crowds get here."

So to speak.

Welcome to the best-kept secret in Utah skiing and boarding — and just maybe the best-kept secret in the entire world of skiing and boarding.

Should you happen to enroll in the witness protection program, this is where they send you to ski.

Mountain-wise, Brian Head has it all. Huge, imposing peaks (Brian Head Mountain rises to 11,307 feet and the resort's base elevation is 9,600 feet, highest in Utah). Plenty of snow (400-plus inches a year). Ample lifts (eight of them, servicing 53 runs). A nice variety of terrain (40 percent beginner, 30 percent expert and advanced).

But what it does not have are a bunch of noisy neighbors.

The nearest town is Parowan (pop. 2,601), 13 miles almost straight down on the valley floor. Cedar City and St. George are next in line. They're larger than Parowan, but no one's ever confused them with the population centers of the Earth.

You have to go quite a ways farther south before you run into the biggest reason Brian Head is alive and well and set to open for its 48th consecutive season this Saturday.

Las Vegas.

"A lot of our business comes from there," says Henry Hornberger, Brian Head's vice president and general manager, who cites surveys that show 45 percent of the resort's customers are from southern Nevada, while 27 percent come from southern California.

Utahns account for 15 percent of the traffic, almost all from the southern part of the state.

"We really appeal to the drive market, especially from Nevada," adds Hornberger. "Someone can get in their car on the strip in Las Vegas and in not much more than three hours, they're here on the lift."

No matter where you're coming from in the world, then, after you land at the airport in Las Vegas, 200 miles from Brian Head, just add three hours or so and you're at the slopes.