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WASATCH RANGE, Utah ― Solitude Mountain Resort was just getting open with a handful of trails groomed and lifts spinning in early December. Nearby, on the back side of the Wasatch Range, Park City Mountain also had a limited amount of skiable terrain, but was working to get more open.
Utahns insisted that the conditions were relatively awful, but anyone used to skiing or riding on the East Coast would feel like it was the middle of their season.
Daytime highs above freezing at the mountain bases weren’t helping the season get off the ground though, and the warm, sunny weather hinted at the long-term struggles ski resorts face as the climate changes and winters continue to heat up in many places.
But skiers and snowboarders shouldn’t trade in their lift tickets for beach passes just yet.