Brian Head, UT: 3/16/25

MarzNC

MarzNC

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 18, 2020
My Idaho ski safari was supposed to end with a flight back to RDU from Boise. However, that changed when my non-skiing husband decided he wanted to start an annual tradition of staying in Las Vegas, mostly to see shows since he doesn't gamble at all. Bottom line is that led to deciding to check out Brian Head in southern Utah. My primary ski buddy, Bill, who drove from Albuquerque was willing to take a detour to Las Vegas after leaving Boise.

We enjoyed a blue sky day a couple days after Brian Head got over a foot of fresh snow. Untracked turns were still possible in hidden places. Places for soft turns in cold snow were easy to find for fun bump skiing. Could easily learn where good tree skiing exists.

Having discovered SteepSeeker last year, I used the interactive map to compare Brian Head with Massanutten, my home hill in northern Virginia. By the objective measures in SteepSeeker, the blacks at Brian Head are "blue." Makes sense compared to the blacks at Massanutten. Max vertical at Brian Head on the Brian Head peak side is about 1200 ft, while Massanutten is 1100 ft from summit to base lodge with 800 ft for the upper mountain separately. Brian Head is on two peaks: Brian Head and Navaho. The Giant Steps base is around 9800 ft, while the top of the Giant Step Express lift is 11,000 ft. Navaho is green and blue. It's a great place for beginners and cautious intermediates.

Top of Giant Steps Express at Brian Head, elevation 11,000 ft, Sunday, March 16, 2025
Brian Head 16Mar2025 peak - 1.jpeg
 
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The Markagunt Plateau (Brianhead) is a very special place. I spent 14 weeks or so camped out up there around 10k while working on a trail project four years ago. It’s a beautiful and ghostly place. Myself and many of the crew experienced an early morning visitor that liked to spook the living around 3 AM, often referred to as the “witching” hour. Through my time there I’d hike in and out from the work site several miles and curious about the areas history and the ghostly presence I’d often stare at the ground in the alpine meadow that surrounded our camping areas. I discovered hundreds of partial points carved from the old Indian churt mine at the far end of the meadow. I came to the conclusion that this was historically a heavily frequented area by local tribes. Over the years of camping more than I was at home I found these kinds of locations would often come to life and speak to people during the night.

That fall was incredible and the wind held off long enough that the aspen leaf show went deep into late October. The elk in their rut would line the trail on my hike down to my excavator and the canyon walls echoed their bugling while the golden aspen leaves quaked in the light breeze.

I even had a trail side mountain lion hang out with my for several days after finding a dead fawn stashed along the alignment. One day the cat was literally 15 feet from me slowly moving its meal through the thicket of first gen baby aspen trees. On another day I caught that kitty sitting on the trail across the small canyon along the trail in a perfect location to watch me while I worked.

During September and October I was working alone, without the crew there and it was spectacular to have the place all to myself. South West Utah is a magical place.

Sorry for the thread drift Marz but I just got flooded with memories and had to write about it.
 
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raisingarizona said:
Sorry for the thread drift Marz but I just got flooded with memories and had to write about it.
Click to expand...
No problem. Maybe after I do a trip report for Brian Head, Harvey can move your post there. :)

EDIT 3/24: We opted to just make this a Brian Head trip report.
 
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Does it slow the beetles down?
 
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