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.

Little Cottonwood Canyon Lodging Archives

Discover Utah Fishing near Alta Snowbird
Discover Utah Fishing near Alta Snowbird

Discover Utah Fishing near Alta Snowbird

With more than 1,000 fishable lakes and numerous fishing streams, there are endless places to enjoy Utah fishing. Stay with Canyon Services and enjoy an afternoon of fishing near your Alta Snowbird vacation rental. Pack your fishing gear, head into Little Cottonwood Canyon, and enjoy fishing at secluded alpine lakes. Or make your way to the blue-ribbon waters of the Provo River with a local guide and cast your line for brown, rainbow, and cutthroat trout. Read on to learn more about fishing during your Alta Snowbird vacation: What to Know Before You Go Fishing in Utah is available year-round, [...]

webservices2024-04-19T20:23:48+00:00Outdoors|

Wrestlemania Revisited
Wrestlemania Revisited

Wrestlemania Revisited

March 7th saw the return of the 6th annual Alta Women’s world championship arm wrestling competition. It was some time since your correspondent attended the event and there were a couple gaps with Covid, but this year’s competition saw the crowds and wrestlers return in force. Alta Community Enrichment, helmed by the ever energetic and capable Lil Sara, hosted the competition at Our Lady of the Snows as always. To ensure a compliant crowd Alta local chalet resident Coe (pronounced Co -E) prowled the ring armed with billy club and cuffs. Canyon Blog tracked down last year’s champion; Sandra D [...]

CanyonBlog2024-03-13T01:38:57+00:00Local Events, Local Flavor|

An Interview with Miner Dick Fleue
An Interview with Miner Dick Fleue

An Interview with Miner Dick Fleue

Canyon Blog sat down with a Little Cottonwood Canyon icon this month to learn a bit about the canyon’s history. Many don’t understand that for the first century of its occupation by the largely European stock who entered Utah in the 19th century LCC was primarily a mining endeavor. Dick Fleue is the last surviving miner to have actively worked in some legendary workings in the canyon including the Flagstaff, Columbus Rexall, Columbus Consolidated, and Wasatch Drain Tunnel. For a time in the late 1950s and early 60s as a teenager and twenty something he explored many others including some [...]

CanyonBlog2023-11-25T19:04:37+00:00Interviews, Local Flavor|

Your Annual Oktoberfest Update
Your Annual Oktoberfest Update

Your Annual Oktoberfest Update

Well, the snow’s made its appearance. Here and there and not enough, but then, when is it ever enough? Oh yeah, that’s right, last winter! So, with that thought in mind, allow your correspondent to start there, rather than with all thing beer, bretzel and brat. One of the great joys of staying in Little Cottonwood in one of our premier properties is the easy access to the world outside the festival. Saturday October 7th is a perfect example. To earn his caloric allowance Canyon Blog wandered up slope to take in the views and assess the early snowpack. And [...]

CanyonBlog2023-10-08T19:45:28+00:00Fall, Local Events, Local Flavor|

Operation Atwood Winze Mine
Operation Atwood Winze Mine

Operation Atwood Winze Mine

Canyon Blog spent the first half of August 2023 finalizing a plan three years in the making. Buried 2,000 feet deep within the Bay City Mine tunnel across from the Snowpine Lodge and 200 feet up a 1200 foot winze (non vertical mine shaft) lay an 1880 vintage wooden sided mine car left by the last miners to work that section of the mine. This particular portion of the mine was last actively worked in 1908. The car itself, an extremely rare wooden sided ore and waste rock transport, has the ability to swivel and dump its load in any [...]

CanyonBlog2023-08-27T16:32:41+00:00Local Flavor, News|

Snowbird Guides – They’re not just for winter
Snowbird Guides – They’re not just for winter

Snowbird Guides – They’re not just for winter

You’re probably unaware that Snowbird Guides exist. It’s an easy mistake since they’re relatively unknown. And yet, and yet, they hide in plain sight. If you’ve skied the Bird in the past decade you’ve no doubt walked right past their office, which would best be described as located in the most central real estate at Snowbird Center. To correct this oversight, Canyon Blog sat down with Eliza Allen, Snowbird’s Mountain Guides Director, to figure out just why it is that no one knows about the great services they provide. Turns out, it’s a bit mysterious for the ten-year veteran of [...]

CanyonBlog2023-07-13T03:00:54+00:00Local Events, Local Flavor, Outdoors, Summer|

Snowbird Fires up Their Convertibles
Snowbird Fires up Their Convertibles

Snowbird Fires up Their Convertibles

Well, they’re finally here. After much waiting, some minor disasters, a record snowfall year, and a long spring runoff, the balconies for “new blue” and “new, new red” are in place and ready for you. Typical of your correspondent, he used his faux investigative journalist credentials to gain a sneak peek to see if riding on top of the tram cars was worth all the hype on the morning before their grand opening. The answer in a word: yes. Thankfully, the installation went without hitch on June 5th during scheduled tram maintenance. No crane required, merely a cable system to [...]

CanyonBlog2023-06-17T02:39:01+00:00Announcements, News, Summer|

A Dispatch from the Trenches
A Dispatch from the Trenches

A Dispatch from the Trenches

Well, much as your correspondent hates cliches, this is one for the record books. Snowbird passed its all-time season snowfall record yesterday which was 782”. As of this morning, where Canyon Blog remains trapped in Alta, they’re standing at 805”. And it hasn’t stopped. Alta is sitting on, or rather under, 874”. It was only one week ago today that this space was reporting 764 Alta inches. If public math serves that’s 110” of new in a week. In April. The day before yesterday’s interlodge was one of the top three ski days of this powder hound’s career, someone who [...]

CanyonBlog2023-04-05T17:57:46+00:00Outdoors, Winter|

Rush Out Here and Then Slow Down
Rush Out Here and Then Slow Down

Rush Out Here and Then Slow Down

The snow continues to drop in Little Cottonwood Canyon and the skiing is beyond compare. And by that, your correspondent does mean anywhere. Readers of this space are only too familiar with the superiority of Wasatch powder and the fact that leasing one of our properties puts you into a skin-in ski-out experience not available anywhere else. To prove that point your faithful investigative journalist is winging his way to Austria and Norway to compare this season’s snow with other world class destinations. Such is his dedication to his profession, but he digresses and will report back on that when [...]

CanyonBlog2023-03-03T21:35:18+00:00Outdoors, Winter|

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|