Jobs at Solitude and Brighton Ski Resorts

Solitude & Brighton Area Profile
Winter Activities
Summer Activities
Après-ski
Transportation
Housing
Solitude Ski Resort & Brighton Ski Resort Employment

  • Ski Areas: Brighton Ski Resort, Solitude Ski Resort
  • Employment:

  • Population: Salt Lake County 763,526
  • Road Conditions:
  • Snow Report: (801) 521-8102
  • Annual Snowfall: 430″ at both Solitude and Brighton
  • Ski Season: Mid November-late April
  • Chamber of Commerce: (801) 364-3631 (Salt Lake)
  • Visitors Bureau: (801) 521-2868 (Salt Lake)
  • Average Cost 1-bedroom Apartment: $650-$800
  • Lift Ticket Prices:

  • Local Newspaper: Salt Lake Tribune, (801) 237-2800; Desert News, (801) 237-2800

Solitude & Brighton Area Profile

While these resorts do not have the national name-recognition of their more famous neighbors – Alta, Snowbird, Park City, and Deer Valley – both resorts offer amazing skiing at reasonable prices. Located in Big Cottonwood Canyon, both Solitude and Brighton have been local favorites for years, perhaps because of the lack of lift lines and the resorts’ close proximity to Salt Lake City (approximately twenty-five miles away). While these “undiscovered ski gems” do not have a lot of lodging, restaurants, or bars in the immediate area, Park City and Salt Lake City are nearby and provide more than their share of lodging and entertainment opportunities.

Winter Activities

The skiing at Solitude and Brighton is the main reason people come to the resorts. Solitude has 1,200 acres of skiable terrain and a vertical drop of 2 ,047 feet and Brighton has 850 acres of skiable terrain and a vertical of 1,745 feet. There are runs for skiers and snowboarders of all ability levels with Solitude’s runs rated 20 percent beginner, 50 percent intermediate, and 30 percent expert and Brighton’s runs rated 21 percent beginner, 40 percent intermediate, and 39 percent expert. Experts get an added bonus at Solitude, where they can ski the powder of Honeycomb Canyon. Accessible from three lifts, Honeycomb offers more than 400 acres of wide-open bowls, open glades and unlimited tree skiing.

If you’re looking for a change of pace, visit Utah’s oldest and most scenic cross-country ski area. Located between the Solitude and Brighton resorts, the Solitude Nordic Center offers twenty kilometers of superbly prepared trails set for both classical and skating styles. Both resorts allow snowboarding. However, for the 1995-96 ski season, please be aware that Solitude welcomes snowboarders Mondays through Thursdays only.

Summer Activities

Everything from mountain biking, hiking in Utah’s many canyons and national parks, rock climbing, flyfishing, and swimming to golf and music festivals are offered here. Call the Utah State Park Ranger’s Office at (801) 533-4081 for more on the Great Salt Lake, parks, and forests within the area. The Days of ’47 Professional Rodeo is held during the week ending July 24 at the Delta Center (call the Salt Lake Convention & Visitor’s Bureau for details).

Après-ski

While there are few nightspots located at the ski hills themselves at this time, both Solitude and Brighton have some restaurants and bars at their base areas. Still, because most guests stay in Salt Lake City or Park City, they partake in the nightlife there.

Transportation

Solitude and Brighton are approximately thirty miles from Salt Lake International Airport, which serves major airlines from all points around the country.

There are no shuttles to the ski area from the airport, and taxis can be expensive (over $25 each way), but the Utah Transit Authority offers convenient and inexpensive transportation from various areas in the Salt Lake valley (though not directly from the airport). There is also a Ski Express shuttle from Park City and some Salt Lake City hotels offer daily shuttle service to Solitude and Brighton.

The Ski Express shuttle carries passengers from the ski area to Salt Lake City and Park City daily, and the Utah Transit Authority also runs in and around Salt Lake City as well as to nearby ski areas. Call the UTA, (801) 287-4630, for more information. If you’re driving a car from the airport, take I-80 East to I-215 south. Take Exit 6 and follow the signs to Solitude/Brighton and Snowbird/Alta.

Employee Housing

Finding housing in Big Cottonwood Canyon is difficult at best. You will have a better chance in Salt Lake City, which is less than fifteen miles away. Still, housing is not quite as reasonable as it was in the past. A two-bedroom apartment in Salt Lake City will cost you around $600-$750 per month plus deposits. It’s best to subscribe to one of the local papers, come to Salt Lake City early, or check with the resorts’ Human Resources offices prior to the ski season to find a seasonal home. In terms of getting to and from the resorts, UTA offers affordable bus service to/from the Salt Lake Valley.

Solitude Ski Resort and Brighton Ski Resort Employment

Hiring at Solitude is usually done in early October. Hiring at Brighton is usually done in mid-October. Call or write the resorts’ Human Resources offices or check the listings that follow for details on positions, salaries, and benefits. Solitude’s full-time employees receive an “Unlimited Season Pass” as do most of Brighton’s. One of the benefits of working at a ski resort is ski time, so be sure to inquire about jobs that offer flexible work schedules (due to slower midweek business).

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