January is off the charts with powder dropping weekly at rates not measured in decades. The 136 inches recorded in December is the highest total in 40 years for Little Cottonwood. Today the canyon was closed again with Highway 210 blocked by avalanche debris in multiple slide zones. And the howitzers of Alta and Snowbird serve as siren calls to every powder skier within earshot in the pre-dawn hours. But the avalanche artillery is a story for another day… No, faithful readers of Canyon Blog, this month’s installment is all about the pristine powder that lies tantalizingly just beyond the ski area boundary ropes and on the slopes that beckon as you ride Alta’s Supreme Chair or the Mineral Basin lifts. Once again your correspondent has risked life and limb to bring you firsthand reporting of the full Little Cottonwood skiing experience. Though today’s post incorporates Big Cottonwood Canyon for the first time in this space. It all started last Monday when Alta avalanche forecaster/program director Dave “Grom” Richards called Canyon Blog and said, “Let’s go.” “Where?” “Not sure, but you’ll know when you get here,” said the backcountry guide ominously. Canyon Blog’s skied with Grom many times before and one never knows with this guy. So, properly outfitted with avi pack, probe, shovel, beacon and skins we met at Alta and caught the Supreme lift to the top. From there it was a short, but fun, low angle slope ski into Dry Fork which leads to Heber City should one choose to follow it down. Arriving back at the Alta boundary ropes we joined the trekkers hiking the Supreme summit hill to ski Katherine’s, which had just opened. But for us it was a transit toward the pass Sunnyside peak and Mount Wolverine where Grom’s plan was revealed in full. “Let’s drop into Big Cottonwood and we can finish at Brighton,” grinned Grom. Not one to miss out on one upmanship your correspondent added, “Okay, but then we have to hitchhike our way back to Alta.” Agreed, it was off into the white. It should be mentioned here that the terrain, conditions and backcountry experience needed to assess our route and the morning all came into play. Backcountry skiing isn’t something to be taken lightly, and Grom knows all about that having spent his entire career studying snow. But it is something to be experienced. For those readers of this column who enjoy the best lodging in Little Cottonwood, try Snowbird’s backcountry guides https://www.snowbird.com/guiding-tours/backcountry-skiing/ for the experience of a lifetime. That’s because you’ll do it as a ski-in ski-out adventure. As for Grom and your correspondent’s excursion, enjoy this month’s photos that include Canyon Blog’s favorite backcountry critter encounter, the humble porcupine. As for getting back, he’s happy to report that it took a mere two thumbs to arrive in Alta. You have to love skiers, they’ll take pity on anyone, even scruffy middle aged guys.

If you’re a reader of this space then you know that happiness can be found at ten thousand and 12, feet and inches that is. Your loyal correspondent is pleased to share that if you’re one of those then the 2022/23 ski season is well under way. To commemorate the first 50 inches of snowfall, and in the interests of thorough investigative journalism, Canyon Blog spent the past week in pursuit of first tracks at both Snowbird and Alta. As you can see, the base is not only enough already to establish a great foundation, it excludes any artificial snow making. Au naturale is such a wonderful feeling under foot. Though most of these shots were taken mid storm or snowfall, in between fronts shows a bit of the grandeur you’ve come to love in Little Cottonwood Canyon. And even though these solo tracks may induce a flash of jealousy there’s no need to feel that. Alta’s opening day is November 18 th , with Snowbird right behind on the 30 th . Ccome out for Thanksgiving and enjoy the feet and inches for yourself. It’s going to be a fantastic season opening with new chairs and trams. And better still, more snow. This weekend promises another 20 inches and the cycles are lined up even further out. Who needs snow making or inferior Colorado or, worse still, east coast snow? So, okay, maybe jealousy is called for. On your friends’ part when you send your own season first track photos from your early season outing.

Summer 2022 is a season of significant change or so it seems. First there was the excitement (and drama) of Snowbird’s tram car swap, which is up and running thankfully. Now it’s Alta’s turn to crank the improvement competition up a notch. Your correspondent sat down with Alta Ski Lift general Manager Mike Maughan to learn just what’s up in the upper reaches of Little Cottonwood. He started big. “Covid highlighted a number of things for us in the past two years. One being lift congestion especially on Sunnyside. Even when we’d run Albion chair it didn’t disperse the crowds enough to give the ski experience people expect from us,” he stated, summing up the frequent conditions on that part of the mountain, especially on morning weekends. So, what’s to be done about a legacy condition? “We’re in the midst of installing a replacement for Sunnyside with a highspeed detachable six pack.” The new chair will have a nine second interval (the original Sunnyside was six) but should still nearly double the uphill flow of happy skiers. Construction’s proceeding at pace despite some supply chain challenges. The original Albion chair remains for the time being as an insurance policy just in case the unexpected appears from over the horizon. However, once the new chair is fully operational it will be removed entirely. In other Alta news he shared that Alta’s new parking reservation program was more successful at alleviating parking lot hassles and frustrations. “There were a lot of early skeptics but working in conjunction with the town of Alta I’m really pleased with how it went. It’s improved the ski experience because people know they have a place to park,” he said. Alta’s parking cost remains $25 per vehicle. Of course as a frequent Canyon Services customer parking is never a problem for you, dear reader. Over the summer Alta Ski Lifts are also doing some slope and grading improvements off Supreme lift near Grand Junction. For this reason the new lift construction areas of the mountain will be closed this summer, including lower Albion Basin. There’s still plenty of trails across the slopes and throughout Snowbird’s terrain. And remember, dining is available year-round now in Alta at the revamped Snowpine Lodge. They even have live music most weekends. So book a flight and join us at one of our beautiful properties for some summer sun and see for yourself what the upcoming winter has in store.

This month Canyon Blog thought he’d touch (gently for reasons soon to be obvious) on one of his favorite and most overlooked Little Cottonwood residents, the porcupine. The idea occurred to him last week while skinning up Albion basin between the summer road and Catherine’s area on a sunny and uncrowded day. Minding his own business and generally enjoying the quiet mountain solitude your correspondent stumbled into the forest havoc remnants of erethizon dorsatum (the scientific name for the north American version). As you can see, when a porcupine decides it’s time to party pine style, they mean business. What really happens at this time of year is porcupines will strip bark and other parts of pine trees in order to carry themselves through to later spring and summer when they turn to softer plant life for nutrition. And no doubt improved flavor… Most people think porcupines hibernate, but they don’t. They spend their wintertime hunkering down through the weather in sheltered locations and climbing trees to forage among the available pinecones and whatever criteria they use to determine a tasty bough, though how they choose heaven knows. This guy, who’d clearly moved on the day previous, spent considerable time on the lower parts of this tiny grove just below Wolverine Peak. A few cool facts should you choose to use this month’s blog to impress your friends: Their famous quills cannot be hurled or projected at anyone, not even politicians. But they are easily detached on contact. And they are not easily removed once imbedded because they have hundreds of barbs just to make the “point” that you don’t want to connect with them. They will rattle their quills to warn you if you’re pissing them off. They can also emanate an unpleasant odor as a warning. It’s only when all else fails that they’ll back their way toward a predator, or an evil Park City skier. They can live up to 30 years, making them one of the longest-lived rodents in the wild. And finally, your correspondent’s favorite, a litter of young and their mother are referred to as a prickle. Intuitive perhaps, but one can hardly be expected to have pulled that term out of the ether. No doubt happier grazing days are ahead for our Albion pine mauling friend, as evidenced by this last photo captured during Canyon Blog’s wanderings last summer along Emma Ridge. As our skiing season changes to hiking erethizon dorsatum will leave the firs and bristle cones for the grass and meadows of your favorite canyon so watch your step when you come to visit and stay in our beautiful lodgings. Book your trip today! We're looking forward to seeing you.

CanyonBlog, Author at Canyon Services

Outa Bounds
Outa Bounds

Outa Bounds

January is off the charts with powder dropping weekly at rates not measured in decades. The 136 inches recorded in December is the highest total in 40 years for Little Cottonwood. Today the canyon was closed again with Highway 210 blocked by avalanche debris in multiple slide zones. And the howitzers of Alta and Snowbird serve as siren calls to every powder skier within earshot in the pre-dawn hours. But the avalanche artillery is a story for another day… No, faithful readers of Canyon Blog, this month’s installment is all about the pristine powder that lies tantalizingly just beyond the [...]

CanyonBlog2023-01-12T05:01:53+00:00Local Flavor, Outdoors, Winter|

Snowbird & Wasatch Adaptive Sports Honor Veterans
Snowbird & Wasatch Adaptive Sports Honor Veterans

Snowbird & Wasatch Adaptive Sports Honor Veterans

Saturday December 10th was blustery at the Bird but it didn’t faze local veterans and their families who turned out to receive the appreciation of the resort and Wasatch Adaptive Sports (WAS), along with free passes for a day’s turns. The Honor Guard This was the 10th annual festive lighting of the three trees adjacent to the tram building on the plaza deck, and the crowd of 100 enjoyed hot chocolate along with a healthy blend of gratitude from a nation to its most deserving citizens. Dave Fields, Nancy Searle and Elizabeth Kimball Nancy Searle, long [...]

CanyonBlog2022-12-16T02:48:47+00:00Local Events|

First Tracks
First Tracks

First Tracks

If you’re a reader of this space then you know that happiness can be found at ten thousand and 12, feet and inches that is. Your loyal correspondent is pleased to share that if you’re one of those then the 2022/23 ski season is well under way. To commemorate the first 50 inches of snowfall, and in the interests of thorough investigative journalism, Canyon Blog spent the past week in pursuit of first tracks at both Snowbird and Alta. As you can see, the base is not only enough already to establish a great foundation, it excludes any artificial snow [...]

CanyonBlog2022-11-05T03:30:40+00:00Local Flavor, Outdoors, Winter|

A simple photo
A simple photo

A simple photo

Sometimes a moment appears that captures the essence of a season. To this author what's here is peace, color, and the character of our mountain in fall. Wherever you are, enjoy. And visit us soon.

CanyonBlog2022-10-14T18:14:07+00:00Fall, Local Flavor|

An Interview with Alta’s Lift Operations Supervisor Shannon Corey
An Interview with Alta’s Lift Operations Supervisor Shannon Corey

An Interview with Alta’s Lift Operations Supervisor Shannon Corey

Your correspondent had the opportunity to sit down with the most important person on Alta’s mountain if you’re here to ski. What got him thinking about this interview was Alta’s splicing of cable on the Collins chairlift this summer. More on that in a moment. But first, our interview subject. Shannon Corey is a fourth generation non-LDS Utahn who learned to ski from the Albion lift when she was seven. In addition to the usual mountain upbringing she played the piano from an early age (hold that thought because we’ll come back to it). After completing a degree in anthropology [...]

CanyonBlog2022-10-04T17:52:48+00:00Local Flavor, Outdoors, Winter|

The Perfect Oktoberfest Day
The Perfect Oktoberfest Day

The Perfect Oktoberfest Day

Snowbird’s tribute to the German festival has entered its 50th year. To celebrate half a century of beer and brats and, lest we neglect, the polka, and what's become truly a Little Cottonwood institution, one must come up canyon. The question becomes, how does one experience Oktoberfest to the fullest while simultaneously dodging the largest crowds? It’s a good question, and one your correspondent has spent years in crafting his response. First, there’s the parking consideration. Oh wait, that doesn’t apply to you because you’ll be enjoying the best digs in the canyon thanks to your reservation with Canyon Services. [...]

CanyonBlog2022-09-04T18:45:57+00:00Fall, Local Events, Local Flavor, News, Outdoors|

Alta’s Six Pack
Alta’s Six Pack

Alta’s Six Pack

Summer 2022 is a season of significant change or so it seems. First there was the excitement (and drama) of Snowbird’s tram car swap, which is up and running thankfully. Now it’s Alta’s turn to crank the improvement competition up a notch. Your correspondent sat down with Alta Ski Lift general Manager Mike Maughan to learn just what’s up in the upper reaches of Little Cottonwood. He started big. “Covid highlighted a number of things for us in the past two years. One being lift congestion especially on Sunnyside. Even when we’d run Albion chair it didn’t disperse the crowds [...]

CanyonBlog2022-08-10T02:43:16+00:00Local Flavor, News, Outdoors, Summer|

Something Old, Something New; Something Broken, Something Blue
Something Old, Something New; Something Broken, Something Blue

Something Old, Something New; Something Broken, Something Blue

As the saying goes… The new tram cars have arrived at Snowbird. New Red Arrives! In late May, after traveling all the way from Olten, Switzerland by way of exotic Port of Houston, both cars were on hand and waiting to be swapped out. Unfortunately, on May 29th amidst a dusting of late season snow there was an incident and “New Red” was damaged during the first car swap, permanently removing it from transporting happy skiers to the top of Hidden Peak. Old Blue sitting above New Blue Canyon Blog sat down with Snowbird general manager [...]

CanyonBlog2022-06-18T18:14:11+00:00Local Flavor, News, Outdoors|

Porcupine Pine Party
Porcupine Pine Party

Porcupine Pine Party

This month Canyon Blog thought he’d touch (gently for reasons soon to be obvious) on one of his favorite and most overlooked Little Cottonwood residents, the porcupine. The idea occurred to him last week while skinning up Albion basin between the summer road and Catherine’s area on a sunny and uncrowded day. Minding his own business and generally enjoying the quiet mountain solitude your correspondent stumbled into the forest havoc remnants of erethizon dorsatum (the scientific name for the north American version). As you can see, when a porcupine decides it’s time to party pine style, they mean business. What [...]

CanyonBlog2022-04-13T18:47:05+00:00Local Flavor, Outdoors|

No Boundaries at Snowbird
No Boundaries at Snowbird

No Boundaries at Snowbird

If you ski Snowbird regularly you’ve seen the distinctive adaptive equipment used by Wasatch Adaptive Sports (WAS) and their clients. These often take the form of mono skis, bi-skis or cart skis. You’ll recognize WAS instructors and volunteers by their distinctive black logo jackets and sunny dispositions as they help others experience the mountain in a way many of us take for granted. Ricardo tearing up Mineral Basin This week your correspondent was fortunate enough to spend time with a new group as they came to Snowbird for the first time. Ricardo is a veteran of Afghanistan and [...]

CanyonBlog2022-03-05T03:01:33+00:00Outdoors|

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