Little Cottonwood Canyon Backcountry Closed as UDOT Installs Remote Avalanche Mitigation Devices
Parts of the backcountry near Little Cottonwood Canyon will close for much of Monday, October 19, 2026, to allow the Utah Department of Transportation to install a new avalanche control system.
The closure began at midnight and will last until 5 p.m. on Monday.
The closure will affect the South ridge of Mount Superior, the Superior Ridgeline to Cardiff Peak and Cardiff Pass, and extend beyond East Hellgate as UDOT uses helicopters and possibly explosives to install new avalanche mitigation devices. The road through Little Cottonwood Canyon will remain open throughout the day, but UDOT has asked users to stay out of marked closure areas in the backcountry during operations.
UDOT
UDOT began installing remote-controlled Wyssen Avalanche Towers above SR-210 in 2024 to help mitigate avalanches throughout the winter.
The project began to reduce the amount of military artillery fired into the canyon and to perform more efficient avalanche mitigation from a safer distance.
The Upper North Side of Little Cottonwood closed earlier this month for additional helicopter work to install avalanche-control devices, but UDOT wrapped up early and reopened the area ahead of schedule.
Winter and avalanche season are well on their way to the Wasatch.
Alta and Snowbird have seen roughly 15″ of snow and wintry mix over the last 10 days, and both have 5 more inches in the forecast for the upcoming week. Alta is currently scheduled to open on November 20, and Snowbird on November 26, for the winter season, conditions permitting.
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