Powder Compass

Atlas · Utah · UT

Brighton

10,500′ summit · 1,745′ vert · 1,050 acres · avg 500″/yr

Strong bet — Apr 1–15

Delivered 24″+ in 10 of the last 10 seasons

Over 20 winters: 17 of 20 · typical 39", most land 27"–59"

Before you book

This bet missed 0 of the last 10.

None of the last 10 came in under 8″ — a bust, under a third of the bet.

Odds count natural snowfall only. At snowmaking-dependent resorts, early-season cover can be fine in a low-natural-snow year.

The season, window by window

The bet: 12″ of new snow per week, scaled to each window. Counted from real seasons — how our odds work.

Brighton · the shape of a typical winter

Typical new snow, window by window

The middle season — median new snow per window, counted from the last 20 winters. A picture of timing, not a forecast. Snow is streaky; hover any window for the usual range.

0 25 50 75" NovDecJanFebMarApr
Window Bet Delivered Verdict Typical Biggest Leanest
Nov 1–15 24″+ 5 of 10 · 3 busts Coin flip 28" 85" 2022 0" 2019
Nov 16–30 24″+ 7 of 10 · 1 bust Solid odds 27" 85" 2023 3" 2012
Dec 1–15 24″+ 7 of 10 Solid odds 31" 71" 2022 7" 2011
Dec 16–31 30″+ 8 of 10 · 1 bust Strong bet 51" 159" 2010 7" 2011
Jan 1–15 24″+ 9 of 10 Strong bet 34" 182" 2023 7" 2011
Jan 16–31 30″+ 7 of 10 · 2 busts Solid odds 45" 82" 2019 4" 2026
Feb 1–15 24″+ 8 of 10 · 1 bust Strong bet 32" 126" 2025 2" 2022
Feb 16–28/29 24″+ 8 of 10 Strong bet 32" 97" 2017 15" 2015
Mar 1–15 24″+ 8 of 10 Strong bet 34" 124" 2023 17" 2017
Mar 16–31 30″+ 8 of 10 · 1 bust Strong bet 46" 104" 2023 6" 2015
Apr 1–15 24″+ 10 of 10 Strong bet 39" 93" 2019 10" 2016
Apr 16–30 24″+ 9 of 10 Strong bet 37" 98" 2017 11" 2012

Biggest and leanest are the two ends of the same 20 winters Typical is counted from — the year is when it happened, most recent first where more than one season ties.

At the snow sensor

Reading the snow sensor…

Field notes

The snowboarder's Cottonwood — all of Big Cottonwood's deep snow with a fraction of the attitude, night laps under the lights, and the most easily lapped tree skiing in the range off Millicent. A locals' favorite for a reason.

Big Cottonwood is the friendlier canyon — fewer closures than Little. Night skiing is the crowd-dodge cheat. There's no real base village; stay in the valley or next door at Solitude.

Watch this window

We'll email you when Brighton's odds move on the Apr 1–15 window — and the quote gets recorded as it stands today, so we can be graded on it later.

Planning a whole season? See the season outlook.

These are historical odds from the last 20 winters — not a forecast. Inside 16 days of a trip, a forecast is the better instrument; beyond that, counting real seasons is the honest play. Every number on this page is quoted under methodology v1.2.0, the same math we grade ourselves against in public.