Brighton sits at the top of Big Cottonwood Canyon, the next drainage north of Little Cottonwood, and it is among the oldest ski areas in the country: a rope tow first pulled skiers up its slopes in 1936, and a proper chairlift followed in the late 1940s. For generations it has been the Salt Lake Valley's local hill — unpretentious, comparatively affordable, and beloved by the people who grew up skiing it. It was also early to welcome snowboarders and remains a favorite among them, with a relaxed, all-are-welcome feel that sets it apart from the canyon's more polished destinations.
Two things define the Brighton experience. The first is night skiing: Brighton runs one of the most extensive lighted operations in Utah, so the lifts keep turning well after dark on winter evenings. The second is simplicity — essentially all of the mountain's terrain is reachable by high-speed quad, which means little standing in line and a lot of laps. The resort gets enormous snowfall, often cited at around 500 inches or more a year, and its 1,050 acres run from gentle beginner runs to steep tree skiing.
Brighton is owned by Boyne Resorts and is an Ikon Pass partner. It connects to its neighbor Solitude, a couple of miles down the canyon, over the SolBright trail, so skiers can travel between the two Big Cottonwood resorts on a single outing. The canyon climbs out of the valley southeast of Salt Lake City on State Route 190, and like the rest of the Wasatch it can choke with traffic on the best snow days — Brighton actively rewards carpooling with easier parking.
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