Backcountry skiing on the Wasatch Front can sometimes feel like you’re competing for turns during a powder day at a resort. Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons have become so popular that it’s a miracle to go on a tour and not see another ski party. But if solitude is what you seek, then there are…
Tag: backcountry
Solitude scales back Silver Fork proposal
Fireworks have already been shot back and forth between Solitude Mountain Resort, backcountry skiers, the US Forest Service and watershed protectors over Solitude’s proposal to expand the ski resort boundaries into Silver Fork Canyon. Now Solitude is backing off their original desire to occupy the entire drainage. The new expansion has been cut back to…
Ski the backcountry at Powder Park
Powder Park is one of those Utah places with a name that just rings with images of tall pines, wide valleys and deep powder. All of the above is true, but it takes a lot of work (or money) to get there. The work part means it’s a fairly long skin to get there, especially…
Skiing the backcountry in Willow Heights
Willow Heights or “the Willows,” is a backcountry ski area across the highway from Solitude Mountain Resort in Big Cottonwood Canyon. It’s a lesser known but awesome place for either a short tour or all day yo-yo fest. Open, low-angle bowls next to steep tree runs covered in well spaced pines is the main course…
Utah skiers celebrate seven feet of snow in seven days
Of course this happens in April. After an extremely dry winter, most skiers and snowboarders had written off the season. Then… BAM! The biggest storm of the 2010 ski season slammed into the Wasatch Front, dumping seven feet of snow in seven days… in April. The week-long storm started small but created consistent snowfall every day. Skiers rejoiced but still hit the resorts…
“Plinko!” A new first descent on the Pfiefferhorn?
“Busy Saturday in the Wasatch backcountry, but we weren’t too worried anybody would be on this particular line.” -Noah Howell The Pfiefferhorn in Little Cottonwood Canyon may be the most recognizable peak in the Wasatch Mountains of Salt Lake. From Snowbird, the view of this pyramid of rock earned it the moniker, “The Little Matterhorn.”…
Congressman Matheson introduces Wasatch Wilderness and Watershed Protection Act
Utah Congressman Jim Matheson introduced federal legislation that would expand wilderness areas and further protect watersheds on over 26,000 acres in Mill Creek and the Cottonwood Canyons of the Wasatch Mountains. Named the “Wasatch Wilderness and Watershed Protection Act,” the bill will create a new 7,759-acre wilderness area around Grandeur Peak and Mount Aire, and will add an additional…
Snowbird sidecountry: Scotties Bowl
Scotties Bowl is a classic descent in Little Cottonwood Canyon, just on the west side of Snowbird’s resort boundary. Access to Scotties is very easy from the ‘Bird when backcountry gates along the Tiger Tail run are open. On those days, Scotties is best avoided if you’re looking for solitude as it gets tracked out…
Backcountry skiing at the Bench Hut in Idaho’s Sawtooth Mountains
Despite the ridiculous outdoor adventure opportunities in Utah, it’s nice to get out and explore the mountains in neighboring states every now and then. The Sawtooth Mountains in Idaho is one such place, thanks to the dramatic Teton-esque rock spires that cap the peaks, creating a landscape to get lost in that the more rounded peaks in Utah fail to provide….
Off the beaten path on Argenta’s West Ridge
Spring is a time of variable snow conditions, and skiers are forced off the beaten path to find any soft snow. The Argenta slide path on the north side of Kessler Peak is a good place for the search, as it’s north facing and hides many nooks and crannies. Argenta is easy to see from…