LCC/BCC 2017-18 conditions

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Even though I won't be flying to SLC until late March, I'm already watching snow conditions for Alta. Joined OpenSnow since Evan is only reporting there now. I used to check his Wasatch Snow Forecast regularly.

For those who haven't skied in Utah, some terminology:

LCC - Little Cottonwood Canyon, Alta at the end, Snowbird a mile closer to SLC
BCC - Big Cottonwood Canyon, Brighton at the end of the road, Solitude a couple miles closer to SLC

UTA- Utah Transit Authority for ski bus that runs to LCC and BCC
UTA TRAX - light rail around SLC, has stop at airport
SuperPass - multi-resort pass for LCC/BCC that includes UTA transit pass, an option for trips 4-7 days
Parley's Canyon - where Park City and Deer Valley are located
Ogden Valley - where Snowbasin and Powder Mountain are located, about 1.5 hrs from SLC airport

 

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Alta is opening relatively late this season. Pushed back to Dec. 2. No Thanksgiving weekend skiing at all, which is unusual.

Snowbird opened Thanksgiving week, but then closed because it got too warm.

 

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First decent storm in LCC predicted for early next week. Prediction is for 9 inches at Alta on 04Dec.

 

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Still pretty low snow conditions at Alta, but the latest storm did make the Christmas week better. People who have planned to Utah after mid-January a while back may end up pretty happy after all. Crossing the 100 inch has happened by Dec. 20 the last few years, so definitely behind in terms of coverage for the steeper terrain.

 

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Very unusual situation at Alta today. Banner on the website says "Wednesday - Thursday, January 3rd & 4th, Supreme lift will be closed for terrain maintenance." Given how few trails are open, I bet there aren't many locals bothering to ski at all this week.

Based on the plan for late April, that may be the time for travelers to plan for a long weekend at Alta. I haven't seen the first weekend of May included for lift operations at Alta since I started paying close attention.

Dates of Operation
Opening Day: December 02, 2017

Closing Day: Sunday April 15, 2018. Alta will reopen April 20-22; April 27-29 and May 4-6 (conditions permitting).

 

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Folks with trips planned to SLC in late Jan or early Feb are probably a lot happier than a week or two ago. Alta season total went over 100 inches a while back. The latest storm brought into another 10+ inches. The base has reached at 60 inches as of 1/20/18.

 

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Now that I'm done with my trip to Taos and Telluride, looking at Utah snow conditions on a regular basis. Arrive in SLC on March 26, just a few weeks away.

Alta went over 200 inches, with more snow coming. No longer the worst season ever, with a good possibility of getting to the average by April.

Learned recently that GMD has Ladies clinics a few times a season. Program is 4 nights and 3 days of morning yoga, off-piste learning, and includes demo skis. The late season dates are April 2-5. I'll be skiing Alta then if anyone decides to give it a try.

 

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Snow predictions from OpenSnow as of 3/3. Looks good to me! Means that Monday, 3/5 could be a major powder day for those who can make it. Not used to seeing single digits for daytime temps.

 

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Looking good! The official total for Alta so far from last night is 13 inches as of Sunday morning. With more coming down. The temp at mid-mountain was 10 degrees as of 8am with a snow total of 18 inches.

 

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I'll be at Alta in about two weeks. So really starting to watch the weather forecasts. Certainly looks good for this week. I have friends who will be arriving at Snowbird on March 24.

I started a Meet On The Hill thread for Alta/Snowbird for anyone headed that way in the next month.

 

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Mid-March? Weather in LCC looks a lot more like February. Cold temps, one storm after another, close to 300 inches for the season, with over 100 inches on the ground.

 

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Finally got confirmation that the Alta Demo Day will be on Sat, April 7. Usually 10-20 brand tents. The number of brands represented varies and seems to depend a bit on snow conditions. Needless to say, when there is powder around, there are more tents. Most of the models are all-mountain or powder widths.

 

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Happily, it will be relatively cold this week, March 26-31, at Alta/Snowbird. Daytimes temps in the teens and low 20s early in the week. Then warming up but only into the 30s. My daughter's spring break is this week and we are meeting up with friends. Spring skiing is okay, but last March it was in the high 50s in the afternoons at the base and that's too warm to keep cold snow even on the upper mountain off-piste.

Flying out to SLC soon! Check out the Meet On the Hill thread in Divas Only (need a minimum number of posts) to see who else plans to ski Alta in the next few weeks. Note that Alta will be open Fri-Sun weekends after the last day of 7-day operations on April 15.

 

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Powder conditions today at Alta. My friends who got to ski all day had a great time in the morning in 8+ inches of fresh powder. Was still good fun in the afternoon. My daughter and I flew in today and made it onto the slopes by 1:30.

 

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Blue sky day today. Perfect for me to show some friends from the DC area around Alta. They are part of a DC ski club trip with lodging at Snowbird. The snow conditions were good everywhere in the morning. Still soft, cold snow out on Catherine's. Chopped up powder but still quite fun. By the afternoon, temps were into the mid-30s at the base so there were places in the sun that were getting heavy.

Heard from my daughter that the snow in Devil's Castle was very good. Opened about 11:30.

 

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Even though visibility wasn't great on the upper mountain this morning, the snow was very nice. Snowed a bit, perhaps an inch or two. With the wind blowing, there was fun to be had if you knew where to look. By early afternoon, it was clearing up so was quite fun.

 

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Very good spring skiing at Alta and Snowbird over the weekend. A little on the warm side on the lower mountain on Sunday afternoon, but really good anywhere else. Even some true "corn snow" off Supreme.

I like the new Supreme lift. Works out extremely well for an intermediate. Took my friend, JF, and her daughter over the top of Collins yesterday morning. Because of the new lift, even with a late start since it was their first morning at Alta Lodge, they had time for the run down to the new Supreme and the easiest blue before a light lunch at Alf's. Made it easy to have a little fun before the check in for kid's ski school and an adult group lesson. Way better than taking the transfer town, Sunnyside, Cecret, and the old Supreme triple.

Cold front blowing thru fast today. Temps as of 7:00am are still in the 30s even at the top of Collins. Supposed to be in single digits tonight. 2-5 inches predicted for LCC.

 

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The cold front really did come in fast. Temps dropped 10 degrees in two hours in the late afternoon on Monday, 4/2.

Started snowing around 1:30pm. Different snow in the different areas of Alta. Seemed like powder off Collins but was actually heavier and ended up very windblown. The snow in the afternoon off Sunnyside included sleet and was pretty wet. But Supreme was getting powder. Snowed heavily for an hour or two while before the lift closed at the 3:30 per usual. There was thick fog on the Collins side at the top after 4:00.

Officially only 1 inch. But there were places on the upper mountain with a 2 inches. Definitely a day when it made a big difference how much someone knew about the mountain and what conditions were like the day before. Meaning where hitting the frozen ungroomed layer underneath was going to be a challenge.

Had the most fun in the trees off Supreme. Stayed good all day since temps stayed in the 20s even as it made it to 35 or so at the base. Followed an instructor who took her Level 6 kids into the gully below Watson's and there was very nice snow all the way down.

 

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Took my friend, JF, and her kids to Snowbird for the first time yesterday. Conditions were better than expected but flat light and frozen snow meant we (Bill, me, kids) only went to Mineral Basin to do the Peruvian Tunnel in the morning. Was slightly better in the afternoon. Actually a little corn right near the base at the bottom of Chip's or on Chickadee.

It was cloudy all day, but brighter in the afternoon. The front side was okay although skied off in the usual places on groomers. Cold snow could be found on the upper mountain.

Heard that Baldy Shoulder was good at Alta. Has stayed cold at the top of Collins and Supreme in general. Got up to 41 at the base but not for long.

 

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Warm spring day today. Snow showers right after lunch gave way to sunshine. Big wet flakes. Temps at the base got up to mid-40s and the sun really melted exposed areas. A little corn, but also sticky snow. Perhaps because of the fresh wet snow.