Where » Giant Steps at Brian Head

Type » Triple

Vertical Drop » 1,147 feet

Number of Runs » 12

Difficulty rating » Mostly intermediate, some advanced

Why try it » Views unlike you'll see anywhere else in ski country

The ride » Brian Head is along State Route 143, a scenic byway that intersects Interstate 15 in Parowan and heads east past Cedar Breaks National Monument to Panguitch. The base of Giant Steps lift is in the uphill portion of Brian Head's two-tiered development (Navajo Peak is the lower section, Brian Head Peak the upper). The lift goes two-thirds of the way up Brian Head Peak, offering exquisite views of the national monument and the Markagunt Plateau's redrock features.

Runs to try:

Hunter's Run » This is a wide, lower-intermediate blue run that afford sometimes tenuous skiers and boarders a place to get comfortable. Partway down, a look back up the hill offers a striking view of Brian Head Peak.

Sunburst » This wide-open run has it all for better intermediates, slopes moderate that most families can handle it easily. But it also has steep stretches where you can pick up some good speed and carve good hard turns.

Engens » Named after legendary resort originator Alf Engen, this run has some of Brian Head's best steeps, wide enough that skiers/boarders can pick out their own lines down. Sometimes bumpy, it can be a blast on powder days.