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.

Wasatch Mountains Archives - Page 3 of 4

An “Outside” Perspective on Alta’s Record Storm
An “Outside” Perspective on Alta’s Record Storm

An “Outside” Perspective on Alta’s Record Storm

For followers of Canyon Blog and Little Cottonwood Canyon, you can find a summary of our wild two weeks of storms and avalanches penned by your correspondent in Outside Magazine's online site: https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/snow-sports/alta-snowbird-interloge-little-cottonwood-canyon-snowfall/ It was a season full of superlatives and if you can't make it out here before Snowbird shuts down daily operations on May 14th (weekend trams and some lifts will continue beyond that date) your blogger wishes you a wonderful spring and summer.

CanyonBlog2023-04-16T00:31:43+00:00Local Events, Outdoors, Winter|

Drop What You’re Doing (an emergency announcement)
Drop What You’re Doing (an emergency announcement)

Drop What You’re Doing (an emergency announcement)

Rarely does Canyon Blog issue public service announcements, but such are the dire circumstances that it’s demanded of your correspondent in the interests of your health and mental state of mind. With that out of the way, here’s the deal. Whatever you’re doing, and regardless of where, you simply need to stop, book a flight, toss on a few layers of gear, and slap some fiberglass or carbon to the bottom of your feet. As your correspondent writes this (March 29th) Alta is reporting 764” for the season, but that’s simply not going to be true by the time you [...]

CanyonBlog2023-03-31T01:29:04+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|

Heli-skiing with Powderbird’s 50th Year
Heli-skiing with Powderbird’s 50th Year

Heli-skiing with Powderbird’s 50th Year

Followers of Canyon Blog will undoubtedly be aware of the helicopters that often nest just off the bypass road between Snowbird and Alta. And that they support Little Cottonwood Canyon’s heli-skiing. What you will not likely understand though is how heli-skiing works or even how to go about dipping a ski into the aviation facilitated snow pond. Despite 30 years of helicopter work in his military career your correspondent has to sheepishly admit that they’d never considered heli-skiing and assumed (incorrectly) that it was somehow out of his reach. To rectify this terrible oversight, he sat down with VP of [...]

CanyonBlog2023-02-17T18:57:05+00:00Interviews, Local 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|

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|

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|

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|