Utah Little Cottonwood Canyon 2018-2019, Reports, Pics, and Banter

[Beach Bum]

Heading out to Alta on Sat night for 4 days of skiing. Weather forecast is in this Goldilocks mode. Definitely moisture with chances of snow Thur/Fri then Sat into Sun and again late Tues. But the GFS is bouncing around the snow from Central to Northern UT and back, with amounts fluctuating each time as well. No one can accurately forecast what will happen or agree on it!

I'd like to think it'll snow either way, and hopefully in the heavier side over this next week!

 

[Woodsrider427]

Heading out to Alta on Sat night for 4 days of skiing. Weather forecast is in this Goldilocks mode. Definitely moisture with chances of snow Thur/Fri then Sat into Sun and again late Tues. But the GFS is bouncing around the snow from Central to Northern UT and back, with amounts fluctuating each time as well. No one can accurately forecast what will happen or agree on it!

I'd like to think it'll snow either way, and hopefully in the heavier side over this next week!

We are heading to SLC on Friday night, we will likely ski every day from Sunday-Saturday. Haven't decided yet which days we'll be where. Being our first time to the area, I am so nervous of the weather, traffic, crowds, etc. I guess I have been reading too much on here and I am overthinking it. I am sure it will be a great trip and while nervous I am also very excited. Maybe we'll see you out there.

 

[Ogg]

We are heading to SLC on Friday night, we will likely ski every day from Sunday-Saturday. Haven't decided yet which days we'll be where. Being our first time to the area, I am so nervous of the weather, traffic, crowds, etc. I guess I have been reading too much on here and I am overthinking it. I am sure it will be a great trip and while nervous I am also very excited. Maybe we'll see you out there.

Just make sure you get going early and don't stress if you get delayed in traffic and/or weather closures. I'm sure you will have plenty of great skiing in the time you're there. I did 6 days there at the beginning of February and had a blast(3 of 6 were powder days but I would have had a lot of fun even if it never snowed).

 

[cosmoliu]

We are heading to SLC on Friday night, we will likely ski every day from Sunday-Saturday. Haven't decided yet which days we'll be where. Being our first time to the area, I am so nervous of the weather, traffic, crowds, etc. I guess I have been reading too much on here and I am overthinking it. I am sure it will be a great trip and while nervous I am also very excited. Maybe we'll see you out there.

Drop me a PM if you'd like a quick couple of runs' intro to Snowbird next week.

 

[BobMc]

I’ll be at Snowbird Saturday and Sunday, hoping for some snow for Saturday morning. I look like I do in all the photos on this thread, say hi if you see me. Download the Ride app, I’ve got a ride up for 8:00am Saturday morning from 9400s.

Don’t worry about my doom and gloom, you’ll still have a good time even if you do catch a bit of traffic or some lines here and there. Read my last few years of reports and you can get a feel for how to move around the mountain and avoid the crowds.

 

[oldfashoned]

We took the bus each day Friday - Monday. Only Sat morning was crowded, and a 45min delay on a non powder day. Go early if it matters.

 

[raytseng]

you'll be fine. if you have anxiety over a specific question, or topic, throw it out here and ppl will break it down for you.

 

[Beach Bum]

The GFS from yesterday afternoon looked much better than the last few runs, darn. No winter watches in effect, looks like only minor energy coming thru the Wasatch over next five days. Yesterday things came together at some point looked like a steady stream of storms from Friday on, but that fizzled.

 

[Woodsrider427]

Is an hour before they open early enough to avoid parking issues on a Sunday? I imagine during the week it's not as much of an issue if there isn't a storm (at least I hope).

Thanks for the info everyone, it really helps calm the nerves. Being my first trip there I want to try and make it as painless as possible.

cosmoliu, I sent you a pm

 

[raytseng]

I skied Alta last Sunday. I left at 8AM from Murray, there was a small delay at the mouth of the canyon where traffic merges; but once in the canyon everyone goes at a limit pace, I arrived at 8:50 and was fine in the middle of the Alta lot; Driving past snowbird, there was sufficient parking available then, (i peeked over at entry1 gad lifts).

During the week Mon/Tues, getting to Snowbird entry1 at 9AM, was within 15cars walking distance away (which would be VIP paid parking stroll at other resorts).

In fact since mineral and the interconnect was closed, on Tuesday, I actually moved from Bird->Alta at 10:30AM, and still was in middle of main lot.

however was not a powder day. Traffic at 4:30pm to get back out took an extra 40min though, but was expected and warned on the whiteboard signs

 

[Wilhelmson]

Hope you guys are enjoying the snow! I see a lot of talk of traffic, lines, and parking.

 

[Woodsrider427]

I skied Alta last Sunday. I left at 8AM from Murray, there was a small delay at the mouth of the canyon where traffic merges; but once in the canyon everyone goes at a limit pace, I arrived at 8:50 and was fine in the middle of the Alta lot; Driving past snowbird, there was sufficient parking available then, (i peeked over at entry1 gad lifts).

During the week Mon/Tues, getting to Snowbird entry1 at 9AM, was within 15cars walking distance away (which would be VIP paid parking stroll at other resorts).

In fact since mineral and the interconnect was closed, on Tuesday, I actually moved from Bird->Alta at 10:30AM, and still was in middle of main lot.

however was not a powder day. Traffic at 4:30pm to get back out took an extra 40min though, but was expected and warned on the whiteboard signs

Thanks for the info. Getting there early is not a problem. My normal routine for weekday skiing here is to leave at 5:00-5:30 and drive 3-3.5 hours. We are staying in Holladay and it looks like it's real close to the mouth of the canyon, so it should be a short commute barring bad weather/traffic.

 

[Beach Bum]

The NAM weather model just pushed the storm Sat afternoon/night North 100-200 miles, basically putting LCC back in play for much of it. CO is in all sorts of winter watches for next few days but nothing in UT. Less severe of a storm but still this new track favors us very well.

The new GFS model runs starting now. Very curious to see if it too has shifted north from Central UT to ground zero. Fingers crossed.

In any case I'd expect weather.gov to catch up in next few hours and increase its estimates for all of Sat as well as Sunday morning. Likely be under a weather watch when we wake up tomorrow.

Or I could be suckered into one bogus model run and snow remains light Fri night into Sun morning. Hope not!

 

[Slim]

Thanks for the info. Getting there early is not a problem. My normal routine for weekday skiing here is to leave at 5:00-5:30 and drive 3-3.5 hours. We are staying in Holladay and it looks like it's real close to the mouth of the canyon, so it should be a short commute barring bad weather/traffic.

Then maybe do what we did on a powder day last visit:
Get up early-ish(depending on weekday vs weekend and estimated powder frenzy), drive to the resort. If you have no traffic, get a sit down breakfast and enjoy the view. If you did get stuck in some traffic, grab somehting to go and get in the lift/tram line. Either way, my guess (based on limited experience) is that if you are at the Canyon mouth before 6:30 on weekends and before 7:00 on a weekday you will probably be fine.

Do you have a rental car or planning to take the bus?
If renting, consider AWDentals.com or Turo, so you can get a car with actual snow tires(3 peak+snowflake), they do on occasion check.

 

[Woodsrider427]

Then maybe do what we did on a powder day last visit:
Get up early-ish(depending on weekday vs weekend and estimated powder frenzy), drive to the resort. If you have no traffic, get a sit down breakfast and enjoy the view. If you did get stuck in some traffic, grab somehting to go and get in the lift/tram line. Either way, my guess (based on limited experience) is that if you are at the Canyon mouth before 6:30 on weekends and before 7:00 on a weekday you will probably be fine.

Do you have a rental car or planning to take the bus?
If renting, consider AWDentals.com or Turo, so you can get a car with actual snow tires(3 peak+snowflake), they do on occasion check.

The breakfast idea sounds good, as long as I can get my daughter up that early. We rented a 4WD through Rugged Rental, but I don't believe they come with snow tires.

 

[Slim]

The breakfast idea sounds good, as long as I can get my daughter up that early. We rented a 4WD through Rugged Rental, but I don't believe they come with snow tires.

Well, you have a 2 hour time zone working to your advantage to get your daughter up.....

Regarding the tires, that’s why I mentioned AWDrentals or Turo (or other private car rental options), since indeed, I don’t know of others that offer snow tires.
The good news is with Rugged rentals if you have a Jeep or such, you hopefully get all-terrain tires, and some of those are 3peak+snowflake rated. This ups your odds of being allowed up the canyons.
However, this is still no guarantee:

“Enhanced public safety restrictions when yellow lights are flashing

During extreme weather, and when UDOT and Law Enforcement determine it is in the best interest of public safety, traffic may be restricted to mounted tire chains, studded snow tires, or Four Wheel Drive vehicles. Four wheel drive vehicles are not relieved of the snow tire requirement although most all terrain tires are acceptable.

Unfortunately, a small number of tire manufactures label their products as M+S (mud and snow) when in fact they do not possess the aggressive separated tread needed for safe canyon travel. This is especially true in some “sport –performance” wheels seen on luxury SUV’s.”


http://updsl.org/page_canyonAlerts.php

(Note that although they write M+S, I think they actually mean 3peak+snowflake.)​

 

[raytseng]

judge the conditions. if it looks like a blizzard use the park and ride and bus in. zif near the end of day conditions changing quickly get out before too much piles up, and just follow a convoy.

i think they are correct in saying m+s. the bar of m+s is very low, they are saying some tires are minimally meeting it and putting the label on, when they are saying you need a midlevel m+s tire that clearly exceeds the min m+s.

While 3pmsf is great and the safer choice, i dont think they are saying that is what is the minimum recommendation. That bar is a bit overkill.

 

[Woodsrider427]

Well, you have a 2 hour time zone working to your advantage to get your daughter up.....

Regarding the tires, that’s why I mentioned AWDrentals or Turo (or other private car rental options), since indeed, I don’t know of others that offer snow tires.
The good news is with Rugged rentals if you have a Jeep or such, you hopefully get all-terrain tires, and some of those are 3peak+snowflake rated. This ups your odds of being allowed up the canyons.
However, this is still no guarantee:

“Enhanced public safety restrictions when yellow lights are flashing

During extreme weather, and when UDOT and Law Enforcement determine it is in the best interest of public safety, traffic may be restricted to mounted tire chains, studded snow tires, or Four Wheel Drive vehicles. Four wheel drive vehicles are not relieved of the snow tire requirement although most all terrain tires are acceptable.

Unfortunately, a small number of tire manufactures label their products as M+S (mud and snow) when in fact they do not possess the aggressive separated tread needed for safe canyon travel. This is especially true in some “sport –performance” wheels seen on luxury SUV’s.”


http://updsl.org/page_canyonAlerts.php

(Note that although they write M+S, I think they actually mean 3peak+snowflake.)​

Yes, the two hour time difference can help but it's never easy with a teenager. The rule on ski trips for us is, if you are not ready in time to leave Dad skis alone!!

We do have a Jeep reserved, I believe he said it has "all season tires". I am not worried about the driving myself as I have plenty of experience (I'm from the Northeast and actually the ice storms we get in NC are some of the most difficult driving conditions I've ever seen), it's whether or not the vehicle is allowed up. If it looks bad I'll likely do the bus up like raytseng mentioned.

Thanks for all of the tips!!

 

[raytseng]

When you pickup the car take a few min in the manual to look up how to do snowmode or lock 4x4 or other tranny features.

Rental jeep should be fine, follow a convoy and just stay in the tracks. its only if you're trailblazing and leading that increases the risk.

 

[Beach Bum]

My buddy rented a pick up truck. 4WD but probably crap tires and suspension knowing rentals. Heading up the canyon Sunday early, could be snowing. Then back down Wed after lunch to catch 5pm flight when there could be lots of snow.

Should be interesting!!!