When is the last time Alta reached a 100-inch base? I’m not entirely sure if this famed Little Cottonwood Canyon resort ever did in the last four years or so. Because of Utah’s recent, lean snow years, the snowpack as been… well… lean. But 2016 is a complete 360 as the storms keep on coming….
Tag: Little Cottonwood Canyon
5 favorite backcountry ski routes in Little Cottonwood Canyon
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…
Ski Utah invites you to first ever POW Day
POW Day is coming to Little Cottonwood Canyon in January. Of course, there’s a pow day at Alta and Snowbird every time it snows, but this POW day is a bit different. Back in September, 2015, Ski Utah announced a partnership with Protect Our Winters (POW) to help raise awareness about climate change and the…
Happy with crappy on Utah’s 2015 ski season opening weekend
Maybe I’m just used to a lack of snow after years of below-average snowfall in Utah, because opening weekend at Alta was spectacular. Sure, there was only a 25-inch base and only a few intermediate runs were open, but I didn’t care. I had the time of my life just cruising groomers under the Collins…
Alta and Snowbird open for 2015/16 ski season (video)
Alta opened for the 2015/16 ski season on Friday, November 20, and conditions were much better than anyone anticipated. Ski Utah blogger, Matt Baydala, noted that he didn’t expect much, so didn’t bother to bring his good cameras. He was wrong to doubt the power of Alta. But at least he was able to put…
Mountain Accord plan approved
Monday, July 13 was a historic day for the Central Wasatch as the Mountain Accord was officially approved. The committee, which includes representatives from ski resorts, environmental groups, special interest groups, and city officials, signed off on the final proposal that may dictate the landscape, recreation, and transportation future of the Wasatch canyons. For those…
Black Diamond Rock Project comes to Salt Lake City
The Black Diamond Rock Project Tour is coming to Salt Lake this weekend, April 10-12. The Rock Project Tour is a “first of its kind,” climbing, advocacy, and education event. The project is in partnership with the Access Fund, Momentum Indoor Climbing, REI, and the Salt Lake Climbers Alliance. Attendees of the Rock Project Tour…
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…
Stop and smell the roses at the Wasatch Wildflower Festival
If you haven’t been up the Cottonwood Canyons yet this summer, then now is the time to go. The wild flowers are in full bloom, but they don’t stick around for long. The Wasatch Wildflower Festival is designed to get you up into the cool mountain air, and appreciate the myriad blooms that color the…
New Big Mountain Trail at Snowbird now open
Salt Lake mountain bikers rejoice! A new mountain bike trail has opened in Little Cottonwood Canyon, and it’s a doozy. The Big Mountain Trail was unveiled at Snowbird on Monday, July 14, with tram rides, and a ribbon cutting only mountain bikers could pull off. I got to be among the first members of the…