For Utah’s 2020/21 ski season, there’s either been not enough snow, or there’s been too much. Some parts of Utah are in the “too much” column and have to dig out after 8 feet of snow has fallen at Alta, with more storms on the way.
Alta wasn’t the only ski area to get buried. All resorts in the state have reported new snow measurements of several feet. Here’s a breakdown as of Thursday, February 18th.
Of course avalanche danger is extreme because of this huge amount of snow falling on top of a rotten, persistent weak layer of depth hoar. It’s some of the most dangerous avalanche conditions I’ve ever witnessed in 20 years of living in Utah. As a result, Little Cottonwood Canyon had been under a days-long interlodge order, surpassing the 52-hour record. Interlodge was lifted late Thursday morning.
Be sure to check the Utah Avalanche Center’s daily forecast before heading into the backcountry.
Even more snow is expected this weekend for an additional 6-12 inches of powder. Check in with Ski Utah for the latest. In the meantime, here’s some powder stoke from Utah’s ski resorts illustrating just how good the skiing has finally become this season.