Utah’s Central Wasatch is often referred to as “Wasangeles.” Traffic jams in skin tracks, fighting for freshies, and even competing against guided skiers shuttled up to mountaintops by helicopter are all par-for-the-course here. This is especially true in Little Cottonwood Canyon. LCC is arguably the hub of ski touring in Utah, thanks to easy access…
Tag: Mount Superior
Backcountry skiing Suicide Chute
Suicide Chute, aka “Country Lane,” is one of the most classic, roadside couloirs in all of Utah. This perfectly straight, rock-walled hallway splits the western edge of Mount Superior in two. It’s easily visible from Alta, which makes it a line that is on every Wasatch skier’s bucket list. Although the name Suicide Chute conjures…
Superior hiking in Little Cottonwood Canyon
For me, no other roadside attraction in Utah provides the aesthetic allure of Mt. Superior. Its enormous concave face lets the imagination run wild, and even in the fall, with not (just yet) a speck of snow on the ground, it’s easy to mind-rip big turns all over its intricate structure and terrain diversity. The…
Vanessa Aadland skis Superior naked… again
Remember Vanessa Aadland, the pro skier with a penchant for disrobing atop gnarly Wasatch Peaks and skiing down totally nude? She first performed this bare-skinned maneuver in 2011 when she skied Mount Superior wearing nothing but a pack and avalanche beacon. The photos from that day caused quite a stir among the male ski-community, who…
Snowbird gets approval to build roller coaster
It’s official, Snowbird got the go-ahead from the Salt Lake Planning Commission to build a roller coaster for summer operations. The commission voted unanimously on Wednesday, May 16th to approve Snowbird’s proposed new location for a mountain coaster at the base of Peruvian Gulch. While it’s not yet a totally done deal, (the commission’s approval…
Vanessa Aadland skis Superior butt naked
Have you heard the tale about a girl who skied Mount Superior butt naked? The story has been all over the Internet the past few days as a picture of pro skier, Vanessa Aadland, has been making the rounds. The image shows her standing atop Superior, arms spread, with no clothes (save an avalanche beacon – safety first.) Many questioned whether she…
Salt Lake County says “no” to Snowbird coaster
Snowbird’s plan to build a roller coaster on Mount Superior has come off the tracks. Salt Lake County’s Board of Adjustment on Wednesday, May 11, overturned the Planning Commission’s decision to allow a roller coaster on the south side of Mount Superior across from Snowbird. According to the Salt Lake Tribune, the county took this…
Snowbird seeks Mount Superior roller coaster
The headline will have backcountry skiers screaming, “Nooooooooo!!!” But a proposed plan by Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort to build a roller coaster on Mount Superior isn’t quite like the image of a steel track winding down from the top of the peak to the resort. In fact, according to KSL, Save Our Canyons Executive…
Amazing video: speed flying Mount Superior
A sweet video came out this week on Vimeo of Utah skier Marshall Miller and his friends “speed flying” off the summit of Mount Superior. What is speed flying you ask? It’s when you ski down a mountain with a paragliding parachute strapped to yourself. This allows a skier to not only make some turns…
Backcountry skiing the north face of Mount Superior
Mount Superior is a beautiful peak that towers over Alta on the north side of Little Cottonwood Canyon, and the massive south face is one of the most classic backcountry descents in Utah. Often times, when getting a late start on a sunny day, the south face gets baked and wet slide activity becomes a visible concern. So the other option is…