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

[GNARpts]

Alta was skiing incredible today! Totally manageable crowds, and decent visibility given the constant snow. Lapped Wildcat for much of the morning and then switched over to Collins. Hightailed it out of there around 1:30, and watched them putting up the closed signs on 210 as I was turning off.

I wonder..if they will also close it tomorrow morning 6-8?

 

[Tricia]

Hi all.
Phil and I just drove into SLC, doing the Art of Fear Camp with Kristen Ulmer tomorrow and Sunday.
Any advice on when we should pull out of SLC to get up the canyon in a decent time. We are not opposed to getting up really early.
What is the best way to find out if the canyon is closed?

 

[GNARpts]

@UDOTTRAFFIC on Twitter.

 

[givethepigeye]

^that and @CanyonAlerts. I’ve always tried to be past the bus place in LCC by 5:30am (but I’m a “tourist”) - chill in the GMD and get great parking space, have breakfast, plop skis down. I’m sure an SLC regular will know <- but this has worked for me more than once. And it was glorious. That was to beat closure in AM. 7AM work a couple of Sat ago, no storm.

 

[GNARpts]

Thanks for the reminder on CanyonAlerts. They did in fact post that it will be closed 5:30-8am tomorrow.

 

[Tricia]

(but I’m a “tourist”)

Thanks for the tips.
I guess the real source of info on the canyon is Pugski.com

Looks like Phil and I will be heading up really early and working on the site from GMD.

 

[Philpug]

Good thing we are used to getting up early in a different time zone..Oh wait.

 

[Tricia]

As of 6:55 PM this is what Canyon Alerts says

 

[SKI-3PO]

You better hurry

 

[Johnny V.]

Alta was skiing incredible today! Totally manageable crowds, and decent visibility given the constant snow. Lapped Wildcat for much of the morning and then switched over to Collins. Hightailed it out of there around 1:30, and watched them putting up the closed signs on 210 as I was turning off.

We were at Alta today-had a great time. In the open areas visibility was not great for our old eyes, but the trees were perfect with wonderful soft snow. We quit about 3:15 and headed out about 4:00-took us 2 hours to get to our rental place in Murray. We plan on heading back up there on the weekdays next week.

 

[BobMc]

The ride down today was more than silly. I didn’t get out of work till after 1:00 today, after I’d gotten the text the canyon was shutting down b to c gate at 2:00. I beat feet up there and encountered a snake coming down. Figured I’d get up there and have it country clubbed. Apparently the majority of people stayed up there, after arriving and booting up I rolled up to an around the building three boat wait. The snow was awesome, managed two tram laps, chopped up a bit but nice density.

It was like deja vu all over again.



Peruvian has too much snow above, they couldn’t dig it out nor keep up with it.



The canyon is closed till 8am tomorrow. I briefly considered getting up early and being near the front of that line. Then figured I’d go over to Park City and meet several Ikonic (Solitude passholders) friends and once again have our way with Deer Valley, .

 

[Jim Kenney]

As of 6:55 PM this is what Canyon Alerts says

Vince's plan is to get in line near base of LCC around 630AM, snooze in car, and be near the front when they open canyon at 8AM. My plan is to sleep in and go up about noon. He's been away this week. I've had two consecutive good snow days.
The Pugliese's bring the snow where ever they go!!

 

[RJS]

I was at Alta today, and had what was probably one of my all-time best ski days ! There was about 6" of new snow on the ground (overnight/this morning) when the lifts started, and another 7" fell by 4pm. The lifts started spinning at 9:15. There were a whole bunch of people waiting in line, and the lines at Collins spilled well out of the ropes, but I got in line at 8:45 and was on the lift by 9:20. The singles line was 5 minutes or less before lunch, and then pretty much ski-on afterwards. A kind local showed me one of his favorite places on the mountain (he asked that I not share it with very many people, so out of respect I won't post it here), and I ended up spending pretty much the rest of my day lapping that area.

Although just about every area had tracks going through it pretty quickly, there were plenty of spots where I was able to link together a bunch of turns in untracked patches of snow. The visibility wasn't great, but the low-light lens on my new pair of goggles was excellent, so that didn't stop me from enjoying the day. I had such a big smile on my face after every run. This is the kind of day I live to ski for ! Devil's Castle, Ballroom/Baldy Shoulder, and most of the other pods that are listed under the "Expected Openings" part of the ski report were closed today. They're going to be exceptional when they open, though I have no idea when that would be. Probably not tomorrow?

The only bad part of the day was getting out of the canyon. A trip that in normal conditions would take just over an hour on the UTA ski bus took 4 hours ! Apparently there was an avalanche near some condos at Alta, along with cars that slid off the road. I still had a great day. If being stuck in that bus for hours is the price to pay for a great long day of skiing, I'll pay it.

 

[Shawn C.]

You people suck!!!

No, not really. I'm genuinely glad that we are having a wonderful ski season and that people are having a great and deep time out there! We always need the water around here. Also, just because N. Utah is having a great season has nothing to do with the possibility of a super snowy ski season next year.

Have fun and be safe.

 

[Tony]

The ride down today was more than silly.

It was like deja vu all over again.

View attachment 67833

The canyon is closed till 8am tomorrow. I briefly considered getting up early and being near the front of that line. Then figured I’d go over to Park City and meet several Ikonic (Solitude passholders) friends and once again have our way with Deer Valley, .

Posting from my phone in Murray. I skied mostly Snowbird yesterday plus two rides on both Collins and Wildcat after a shuttle from Blackjack. I returned to Snowbird via Keyhole gate as someone at the top was promising free beer to Ikon pass holders at Snowbird if you hurried. It took me 1.5 hrs from Snowbird to I-215 leaving about 4:15. I was lucky out of control Toyota truck coming down road that sideswiped a Subaru going up did not also hit me.

I parked on Bypass Rd near van pictured above before 8:30 and skied to Gadzoom where I joined moderate line about 8:45. I was about 20th person up Little Cloud and skied under it. Even though I was on 94-waist DPS, the untracked did not ski that deep. I took a lap into Mineral which seemed deeper, especially coming out of chutes to skiers left, but visible was bad enough that I unexpedtly dropped onto a road up high.

I waited up top to join group led by Marc Guido of FirstTracksOnline and the real fun began. We skied South Chute, then Tower 2 area followed by more deep snow getting to lower Mach Schnell. On our 3rd Gadzoom/Little Cloud lap, the others went too far down the Cirque while Marc and I skied Jaws. While Snowbird claimed only 4” overnight (11” in last 24 hr), we were getting overhead face shots as new snow was over 2’ deep where Marc was taking us.

Going back and forth on what will be bigger sh—show today. Getting guided by Marc at Alta vs. Deer Valley where we all have reservations for today and 2/4 have never been. Since I hope to be staying at Iron Blosam the next couple of night, going to Alta today would mean much less driving. Probably will flip a coin or see what backup looks like to Alta.

 

[Tricia]

Vince's plan is to get in line near base of LCC around 630AM, snooze in car, and be near the front when they open canyon at 8AM. My plan is to sleep in and go up about noon. He's been away this week. I've had two consecutive good snow days.
The Pugliese's bring the snow where ever they go!!

We are sitting in the conga line (not to be confused with congo line) as we speak. Its going to be a tedious drive this morning.
Delay in opening to 8:30

 

[Tricia]

The canyon is closed till 8am tomorrow. I briefly considered getting up early and being near the front of that line. Then figured I’d go over to Park City and meet several Ikonic (Solitude passholders) friends and once again have our way with Deer Valley, .

I'll buy you a beer, (or any adult beverage of your choice)

 

[jmills115]

We are sitting in the conga line (not to be confused with congo line) as we speak. Its going to be a tedious drive this morning.
Delay in opening to 8:30

 

[Tricia]

View attachment 67848

Pretty much

 

[Tony]

Road is open. Expect major delays. Alta opens in 40 mins. Friend who is ahead of us says traffic is the worst he’s ever seen and there is black ice before mouth of Canyon.