Beaver Mountain

"The Beav" sits just south of the Idaho border and six miles west of Bear Lake in Utah. Local skiers and snowboarders enjoy this small-scale facility (compared to others in the state) on the Bear River Range.

The Logan-Cache Airport is one of the closest airfields, with Logan less than 30 miles away. Other regional and municipal airports will get flyers into the region as well. Once on the ground, US Route 89 provides motorists access to the Beaver Mountain ski area.

One Family's Winter Dream

Harry Seeholzer first opened the Beaver Mountain ski resort in 1939, and his descendants continue to own and operate the facilities today. That gives the resort a family-friendly vibe that larger corporate venues struggle to create. From roughly the middle of December through April, the ski area provides regional ski bums and local park rats skiing and snowboarding in a truncated season.

The facilities on the mountain do not include any snowmaking equipment. That means that the resort depends entirely on the whims of nature. Average snowfall accumulations hover around 400 inches, so a lack of powder is usually not a problem. Beaver Mountain sits on the eastern slope, which accumulates less snow than slopes facing west.

Less foot traffic means plenty of opportunities to cut fresh tracks after a dump. While there is plenty of sunny days to ski or snowboard here, dressing in layers will keep visitors comfortable in the ever-changing conditions. That is even more important as the temperatures drop when the sun goes down if anyone plans to enjoy night skiing on Beaver Mountain from 5:00 to 9:00 pm.

It's Beaver by the Numbers

There are 828 skiable acres at the Beaver Mountain ski resort, with those acres offering various terrain for skiing, snowboarding, and Nordic exploration. Just under 50 trails are available for visitors to enjoy, with about 35-percent rated for first-timers and novices (green). Intermediate skiers and snowboarders have roughly 40-percent of the trails rating blue, and the remaining quarter of the mountain is black diamond territory for advanced skill levels.

The base elevation of Beaver Mountain rest at 7,200 feet, and the peak elevation maxes out at 8,800 feet. Guests here have 1,600 feet of verticle drop to play with, which is fun for casual skiers and snowboarders. Those looking to rip and shred down the mountain will find their best speeds off of Harry's Dream lift.

The lift system at the Beaver Mountain ski area consists of six lifts. Four of the lift systems are fixed-grips, and the remaining two are surface conveyors. Little Beaver accesses beginner terrain mostly and is also the lift for night skiers. While a ride on Harry's Dream reaches the highest verticle, guests can also use Marge's Triple to reach the second peak that is only 60 feet shorter.

There are two terrain parks at the Beaver Mountain ski area. Gentle Ben Family Fun Park is continuously changing and offers skill-building features. Rodeo Grounds terrain park is a faster surface with lots of fun.