Ski Utah and all seven Wasatch ski resorts dropped a big announcement that may well push the long-talked about Interconnect into reality. One Wasatch is a new idea that will connect all the Central Wasatch resorts from Deer Valley in Park City to Snowbird in Little Cottonwood Canyon. The combination of joining these resorts means…
Tag: Big Cottonwood Canyon
2013/14 Ski Season Begins In Utah!
The slopes are crusty, and the open lifts are few, but make no mistake about it: the 2013/14 Utah ski season is underway! Brighton Resort got things started a day earlier than originally announced when they had a two hour opening party on November 7th (and it was all free!). However, both Brighton and Solitude…
Hiking to the Cardiff Mine in Big Cottonwood Canyon
The Wasatch Mountains are chock full of hiking trails, but not many of them are as full of history as Cardiff Fork. These mountains were used for mining in the 1800s instead of outdoor recreation, and the relics of those times still remain. If you know where to look in Cardiff Fork, you can see…
Utah Mountain Biking Guide: Wasatch Crest to Dog Lake to Mill D
Start Point: Guardsman Pass, 9720 feet Elevation Gain: 1,437 feet Elevation Loss: 3,645 feet Trail Distance: 15.4 miles (one way) Trail Time: 3 hours, 30 minutes Skill Level: Intermediate/Advanced Best Season: Summer The Wasatch Crest Trail is probably the most famous mountain biking route in the Salt Lake area. There are many good reasons for its legendary status, such as…
Condolences for UDOT Avalanche Forecaster, Craig Patterson
Utah’s backcountry skiing and avalanche forecasting community got terrible news Thursday night when one of our own passed away. Craig Patterson, an UDOT avalanche forecaster, was killed in an avalanche in the Kessler Slabs area of Cardiff Fork, Big Cottonwood Canyon. Patterson was working in the area that day, but didn’t return home. A Life…
Going “Bonkers” in Broads Fork
There are many classic backcountry ski descents in the Central Wasatch. Routes like the South Face of Superior, the Pfeifferhorn’s Northwest Couloir, and Coalpit Headwall come to mind. Well, Bonkers most certainly belongs on that list. This massive ramp of snow is located in Broads Fork, and features a 2,500 foot ski or snowboard descent…
Skiing the blower from Brutus
So the Weather Channel recently decided to start naming large winter storms, much in the same way tropical storms and hurricanes are awarded an epic-sounding name when they develop off some coastal region. Well, the first of these storms, Winter Storm Brutus, slammed into the Wasatch Front, dropping over three feet of snow (even more…
New Wasatch Backcountry Skiing Map an encyclopedia of routes
There a new map of the Central Wasatch for backcountry skiers, and it’s a doozy. The Wasatch Backcountry Skiing Map by Steve Achelis is the most comprehensive map we’ve seen. It features every known, named ski route in Mill Creek and the Cottonwood Canyons, which covers over 1,100 skiable lines. In addition to the indexed,…
Share your opinion about the Wasatch Canyons
The Wasatch Canyons have been getting a lot of attention these days. From Ski Link, to proposed resort development, to questions about transportation and water quality, Parleys, Big Cottonwood and Little Cottonwood Canyons are a powder keg for controversy. Opinions are strong and emotional as some people want to see more development, while others are…
Hiking to Desolation Lake
The Wasatch Mountains are chock full of amazing trails, many of which are very steep and challenging. If you are looking for a more leisurely hike, or perhaps something the entire family can enjoy, then hiking to Desolation Lake might be the perfect idea. The trail is mellow, shaded in many places, and ends at…