Skiing is, for most people, the primary winter sport to do in Utah. But when snowfall is downright bleak, and conditions are less-than-stellar, what is a skier or snowboarder to do? We can’t all sit in our homes, bored, waiting for snow to fall. We still need our outdoor exercise. Well, hiking is still a viable option, even with some snow on the ground. The hike to Twin Lakes Pass from Alta is a good option for a winter hike, and it can be done with skis, snowshoes, or, if the snow isn’t too deep, even a good pair of boots.
Twin Lakes Pass is a well-known point in the Wasatch Mountains, and is one way to link the towns of Alta and Brighton between Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons. To begin, park at the upper Albion lot in Alta. There are two ways you can begin. First, follow the groomed trail that starts at the Albion winter gate, where nordic skiers, snowshoers and backcountry skiers access the upper reaches of Alta’s backcountry terrain. You can also go straight up from the parking lot into Grizzly Gulch, a narrow drainage that is probably best avoided due to it being a terrain trap for avalanches, so it’s best to take the groomed road.
Skin, snowshoe, or walk up the (sometimes) groomed road. After a short distance, the tracks curve to the left and ascend to the mid-point of Grizzly Gulch (where the terrain trap danger is lessened) and where quaint homes dot the mountainside beneath the grandeur of Wasatch peaks.
A steep, icy switchback climbs up a steep hill above the houses and summer cabins before it enters Grizzly Gulch beneath some power lines. As you hike, notice the signs of how Grizzly Gulch was once home to an old mining town and is still dotted with evidence of its past. Mine tailing and rusted metal is everywhere, and when snow levels are low, can be easily seen. As you plod along the road that is typically groomed when snow levels are deep enough, stop every now and then to scan the mountainsides and try to imagine living here in deep winter during mining times.
Continue following the road/skintrack/groomed trail up to the pass. If you lose the route, just follow the powerline to the top. After about an hour or two, you should reach the apex of Twin Lakes Pass at an elevation of 9,997 feet. The view from the pass is worth the short hike up and is your reward. Twin Lakes sits frozen below Wolverine Cirque, while across the way, Brighton’s Millicent Lift can be seen dropping skiers off. Looking down Grizzly Gulch into Little Cottonwood Canyon, Mount Superior holds court as skiers spread out along the cut runs at Snowbird and Alta far below.
After a snack, or if it’s not too cold out, a picnic lunch at the pass, you can continue following up the road to the Honeycomb Cliffs above Fantasy Ridge at Solitude. A skin track is also typically present to the north that traverses from the pass around to the Solitude/Brighton border. But if you’ve had enough for the day, simply ski or walk back down Grizzly Gulch to the car at Alta.
Winter or low snow doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy Utah’s mountains. There are many places along the Wasatch Front where you can spend the day without having to buy a lift ticket. Twin Lakes Pass is likely the easiest to access thanks to a groomed trail, and provides everything you could want for a day trip in our mountains.