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.

Well, the first holiday of the year came and went. And you know what didn’t come with it? People. Canyon Blog ventured out onto the slopes of Snowbird and Alta to gauge the holiday crowds and take an unscientific barometric reading of just how many folks were in town or up from downtown on Sunday and Monday. The great news is Alta’s parking system seems to be working and a bit less traffic is in the canyon. Nice to know, but it doesn’t really affect you because you’ll be luxuriating après ski style in one of our properties. Your correspondent doesn’t have any real data to support this hypothesis, but it seems that urging carpool behavior and implementing parking fees resulted in the reduced numbers seen on the mountain. There are also some Icon pass blackout conditions in play here. But now for the bad news. You weren’t here were you? As these photos attest, you’re no where in any of them. Of course, hardly anyone else is in them either. But that’s just the point: No lift lines. Though Canyon Blog did ride Mineral Express with a lovely couple from Down Under who braved international travel and US Customs to be here. They couldn’t believe there weren’t any crowds. Your correspondent explained (lied would perhaps not be inaccurate) that there was a temporary ban on numbers of local skiers on the mountain to encourage foreign guests such as them. Did he feel bad about this fib afterwards? No, because they’re going home with a great story. And this writer loves a good story. In the end, what is most important is that YOU are afforded the opportunity to entertain an Aussie or two with tales of elitism of your own. So, get onto our reservation link and get onto that plane because the Greatest Snow on Earth is waiting and no Customs officials are standing between you and a 100 inch base.

The holidays have ended, and with them the crowds that converged in Little Cottonwood. Venturing out after self-imposed exile, because he’s writing another book, Canyon Blog emerged into the sunlight on January 3 rd to check conditions at Snowbird. He’s happy to report (and share photos) that there were zero lift lines to be found anywhere in the resort. Even the tram had no waiting for those interested in walking onto the first appearing car. Do note that Snowbird still requires double layer face coverings to ride the tram and also anywhere indoors or dining. However, on the chairs you can still feel the breeze on your face. The resort is also putting people together on chairs in order to move us all up slope. And as you can see at Mid Gad dining there's plenty of space to spread out. Mineral basin has yet to open due to the extreme avalanche potential the mountain is experiencing but as is clear in these professional grade photos the cats are grooming and the wheels on the chairlifts turning. What’s certain, in addition to the 15 inches of snow inbound beginning tomorrow night, is that it will be available by the time you hop on a plane, get checked in to one of our world class properties and plant those boards on the snow. The key to getting this right, it must be emphasized, is to get here before the next holiday weekend. In other news, your correspondent and Keith Hansen of District 3 Water and Snowbird ski patrol fame are again in the Peruvian tunnel making improvements in our ongoing efforts to turn the tunnel’s museum into something truly worthy of a visit any time of year. So watch this space for an update in the near future. And remember, with Mineral opening you’ll be able to ski both resorts without having to hop in a vehicle. Till then, Canyon blog intends to be slope side daily because he doesn’t do lift lines or crappy snow. But then, weekday skiing in Little Cottonwood never produces either if you can stay up canyon. So act before midnight tonight cause the snow’s gonna be here by the time you are… Tschüss!

CanyonBlog, Author at Canyon Services

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|

Interlodge: A History
Interlodge: A History

Interlodge: A History

Ever wonder what Interlodge actually means? Wonder no more. This month’s blog is dedicated to providing answers to all your questions and to help you not only weather that term’s storms but to enjoy your mountain experience to the utmost should you find yourself a part of the Little Cottonwood Canyon experience known as Interlodge. What the term means: It actually refers to the limit placed on residents and guests when inside town limits (or Snowbird properties) with regard to traveling between lodges, homes and resorts. In other words, you cannot travel between them. The word inter literally means between. [...]

CanyonBlog2022-02-10T01:27:48+00:00Common Questions, Local Flavor, Outdoors|

We Missed You!
We Missed You!

We Missed You!

Well, the first holiday of the year came and went. And you know what didn’t come with it? People. Canyon Blog ventured out onto the slopes of Snowbird and Alta to gauge the holiday crowds and take an unscientific barometric reading of just how many folks were in town or up from downtown on Sunday and Monday. The great news is Alta’s parking system seems to be working and a bit less traffic is in the canyon. Nice to know, but it doesn’t really affect you because you’ll be luxuriating après ski style in one of our properties. Your correspondent [...]

CanyonBlog2022-01-18T04:35:09+00:00Outdoors, Uncategorized|

Welcome 2022!
Welcome 2022!

Welcome 2022!

The holidays have ended, and with them the crowds that converged in Little Cottonwood. Venturing out after self-imposed exile, because he’s writing another book, Canyon Blog emerged into the sunlight on January 3rd to check conditions at Snowbird. He’s happy to report (and share photos) that there were zero lift lines to be found anywhere in the resort. Even the tram had no waiting for those interested in walking onto the first appearing car. Do note that Snowbird still requires double layer face coverings to ride the tram and also anywhere indoors or dining. However, on the chairs you can [...]

CanyonBlog2022-01-04T01:03:45+00:00Local Flavor|

Come and Join the “Un” Crowd
Come and Join the “Un” Crowd

Come and Join the “Un” Crowd

Your faithful correspondent took it upon himself to brave the slopes on your behalf and determine the crowd conditions now that it’s December and there is already nearly 90 inches of snowfall. Despite the grave risks of having to talk to other people, he’s happy to report that, well, there aren’t any. Crowds that is. Friday morning and lunch time saw no more than a handful of people in Alfs and at the west end where the new expansion provides panoramic views of East Greeley and Sugarloaf lift there were no people at all as you can see. Ah, undisturbed [...]

CanyonBlog2021-12-06T01:29:47+00:00Uncategorized|

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