Alta and Snowbird Close Early as Feet of Snow Piles Up

It’s not just the Sierra Nevada tangling with a resurgence of wintry weather. 

Little Cottonwood Canyon, Utah—home to famed ski resorts Alta and Snowbird—is getting hit hard with snow. So hard, in fact, that both resorts opted to wind down operations early on Wednesday afternoon amid the storm.

(To get the latest information on either resort, including their Thursday operating plans, check their websites or social media pages.)

Snowbird shared that it had received 31 inches in the past 24 hours and 16 inches since opening at 9 a.m. Instead of a full closure, it shut down lifts.

“At 2:30 pm, the Tram, Little Cloud, Mid-Gad, and Gadzoom will close. Wilbere will close at 3 pm, and Chickadee will remain open until 5 pm,” the resort said in a social media post. “Thank you for skiing and riding today-we’re excited to see the return of winter. Please drive with caution on your way home.”

Alta Ski Area said it would close at 2:30 p.m.

“Thank you for your patience while our teams work through this storm event that has delivered 41 inches and counting,” the mountain wrote. “We will try again tomorrow.”

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Both resorts are flanked by the steep walls of Little Cottonwood Canyon, which, during storm days, present a distinct avalanche hazard. The Canyon, due in part to its unique topography, is credited as the birthplace of modern avalanche mitigation.

When the snow piles up, that sometimes means Snowbird and Alta Ski Area institute “interlodges,” or periods when everyone must remain inside until the avalanche danger decreases.

More snow, per the National Weather Service, was expected Wednesday night, with snowfall continuing through Thursday. 

The storm, presumably, is boosting the spirits of Utah skiers who have seen few powder days amid a largely snowless season. In basins across the state, the snowpack remains below average. 

The drought has been severe enough to force a temporary closure of Nordic Valley, a small ski area near Ogden, Utah. 

While the ongoing storm cycle isn’t slated to drop as much snow on the mountain as Little Cottonwood Canyon, it has produced enough precipitation for a reopening, which the ski area plans to host on February 20.

Related: Snowless California Ski Area To Reopen for First Time In Two Years After Huge Snowfall