Yes, You Can Ski Near St. George: Brian Head and Winter in the Desert

One of the genuine oddities of living here is that you can hike in the desert in the morning and ski in the afternoon. Brian Head is about eighty-four miles north of St. George, and it is the reason.

Why there is snow that close to a desert

Elevation. Brian Head sits on the high plateau at around 9,600 feet at its base, which is among the highest base elevations of any resort in the United States.

That altitude does two things: it collects genuine snowfall while the valley below gets none, and it holds the snow well into spring. The drive from St. George climbs several thousand feet, and the transition from red rock to pine forest to snow is abrupt enough to be startling on a first trip.

What the resort is like

A mid-sized, family-oriented resort rather than a destination mega-resort — two mountains, a spread of terrain, and a scale that suits learners and intermediates particularly well.

That is the honest positioning. Expert skiers accustomed to Utah's northern resorts will find it modest; families and improvers will find it well matched and considerably less crowded.

Doing it as a day trip

Ninety minutes each way in good conditions makes it a long day but an entirely feasible one, and many St. George residents treat it exactly that way.

• Leave early. The drive climbs, and winter conditions can slow it considerably.
• Check road conditions before setting out, particularly after storms. The valley may be clear while the plateau is not.
• Carry chains or have suitable tires, and know how to use them.
• Consider staying over for a weekend rather than driving twice in a day.

The clothing problem

This is the practical catch, and newcomers get it wrong.

You are leaving a place where a winter day is mild and arriving somewhere genuinely cold, at altitude. Pack as though you are going to a mountain, because you are — the temperature at your car in St. George tells you nothing about conditions at 9,600 feet.

Beyond winter

The same elevation that gives Brian Head snow makes it a summer destination: mountain biking, hiking and cool air when the desert is unbearable. Cedar Breaks, nearby, is a high-elevation amphitheatre worth the drive in its own right — see scenic drives around St. George.

Practical

• Check current season dates and operations before traveling; conditions and schedules vary year to year.
• Altitude affects people. Coming from 2,800 feet to 9,600 in two hours is a real change — hydrate, and expect to tire faster than usual on the first day.
• The sun at altitude is fierce, and snow reflects it. Utah has the highest melanoma rate in the country, and a sunburn on a ski day is easy to collect.