Utah LCC/BCC 2022-23 conditions, parking - Alta, Snowbird, Solitude, Brighton

[marzNC]

Just noticed that SkiUtah has Opening Dates for a few resorts. Alta and Solitude are targeting Nov. 18, 2022, about a week before Thanksgiving. That's the same date as Park City. Per usual Snowbird and Brighton haven't announced opening dates yet.


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

LCC - Little Cottonwood Canyon, Alta at the end of the road, 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
Parley's Canyon - where Park City and Deer Valley are located
Ogden Valley - where Snowbasin, Powder Mountain, and Nordic Valley are located, about 1.5 hrs north of the SLC airport

UTDOT has several Twitter accounts related to the LCC/BCC canyons roads as well as the general UTDOT traffic map. There are links for traffic and weather on the resort websites. Definitely pays to check one way or another before driving up in the morning or heading down in the afternoon.

 

[marzNC]

Alta has posted the parking process for 2022-23. Pretty much the same as last season with the addition of Fridays together with weekends and holidays.

I and my friends made a parking reservation for the Saturday that was the Alta Demo Day last April. Since one friend needed to get a day ticket, we got $15 off the $25 parking fee. Since he booked the ticket several days in advance, that ended up less money overall than the Ikon F&F discount (25%).

The actual parking process is the same as before paid parking was implemented. No one checks as people drive into a parking lot. They scan all the license plates after people are parked. The fine is $75 for parking without a reservation, which apparently doubles after 10 days. Alta season pass holders park for free but still need to make reservation using a code. Ikon/MCP folks need to pay $25 to park on the restricted days.

 

[marzNC]

Snowbird will use the same hybrid free/paid parking system they had last season. The price was $10 for a spot for a day in 2021-22. Can either reserve in advance or pay on entry, assuming there is space left in a pay lot.

 

[marzNC]

Here are the prices for parking at Solitude for 2022-23. Parking is free after 2pm. Clearly someone who wants to drive solo during busy times is going to pay a premium price for a parking space. Friday is now part of the "weekend."

 

[marzNC]

In case anyone is wondering if April is too late to try to catch powder turns, here are my trip reports for Alta from 2015 and 2021. April 15, 2021 is the day I skied the deepest powder so far in my skiing experience. Only lasted a day but was great fun while it lasted.

Note that there is not as much reason to plan late season trips to SLC months in advance. Especially if planning on staying in the city. There is plenty of lodging by then. However, flights can be worth checking out if there is any interest. Spring break weekends around Easter can get expensive. For the non-stop flight back to RDU on a Sunday last April, my friend paid $800 1-way for his son. Going to SLC was only $250 non-stop on a Monday.

TR Alta in April 2015

Even though snow totals were low for Utah this season, the skiing at Alta in April turned out to be quite fun. While some days were pretty warm, there were also cold days in the 20s and snowstorms. I got to ski with old friends and new, which makes spring skiing even more enjoyable. Warm...

www.theskidiva.com

TR Alta in April 2021

I made it to SLC yesterday for my annual stay at Alta Lodge. Will be meeting up with old friends and new over the next couple weeks. Most like to be spring conditions but blue skies and soft snow can be great fun with company. For those with enough posts to Divas Only, there is a MOTH thread...

www.theskidiva.com

In April 2022, it stayed relatively cold for a few days after a snowstorm.

Utah LCC/BCC Mar-Apr 2022 conditions - Alta, Snowbird, Solitude, Brighton

️❄️⛷️Powpow day at brighton. Yummy silky ❄️. 27F in the parking lot. 4" overnight. Wind blowing up top so the chairs had to run slow & Western peaks was closed. Big flakes all morning probably another couple inches. The ice was covered & the snow packed down by 3p. Tree skiing was phenomenal.

www.theskidiva.com

 

[marzNC]

First snowstorm of the season for Utah is a pretty big one. LCC/BCC should end up with 2-3 feet when it's all over by the end of the week.

 

[marzNC]

For the folks willing to hike and think 23 inches is enough to ski Main Chute at Alta, clear skis meant a day for adventure.

 

[marzNC]

SkiUtah has a fundraising effort for Discover Winter happening until Dec. 1. Prizes include a heli ski trip and Rossignol gear. The number of entries depends on the donation amount, starting at $25 for 10 tickets.

 

[Ermit]

I've been following the changes to the ski bus routes that have been announced for next year. Does anyone have thoughts? Last year I made 2 trips and took the bus both times (and free with IKON), it was fantastic.

Details: Route 953, which travels from Midvale Fort Union Station to Alta Ski Resort, will be suspended. Route 901, which travels from Salt Lake City to Park City, will also be suspended.

• Route 972, which travels from Midvale to Solitude/Brighton will change from a 15-minute service to a 30-minute service.
• Route 994, which goes from Sandy to Snowbird/Alta, will also shift to a 30-minute service.

 

[marzNC]

SkiUtah has a thorough overview of the UTA ski buses, including maps and ways to pay or plan a bus ride. The schedule is noticeably different because of a continuing shortage of drivers.

October 2022

How To Ride The UTA Ski Bus - A Comprehensive Guide

Save the earth and beat traffic one ride at a time! Use this information to find the UTA Ski Bus Schedule and ski bus info for the sate of Utah.

www.skiutah.com

 

[marzNC]

Going to be a lot more snow on the ground in LCC/BCC by the middle of next week. Snow started today and keeps going for a while. Alta and Solitude have announced Nov. 18 as opening day a few weeks ago. With a blizzard and good snowmaking temps, shouldn't be a problem.

Brian Head is planning to open by this weekend. The storm track is favoring the southern Utah mountains this time. Brian Head is on the Power Pass after being purchased by the owner of Purgatory, Nordic Valley, and several other resorts in the southwest.

OpenSnow Alta forecast as of Nov. 2, 10pm

 

[marzNC]

Here is the info on the UTA website about the plans for the 2022-23 ski bus routes. Definitely won't be as useful as in previous seasons. The stated source of the the problem is lack of drivers.

Having watched from the Collins lift line when two UTA buses slid on the access road to the Wildcat parking lot where the Goldminer's Daughter bus stop is located, I can understand a bit the "safety concerns" that are supposed to be the reason that bus stop won't be used. The alternative is to get off next to Alta Lodge. Can walk down one flight of stairs and then ski down from the lower floor of the Powder House shop. That's near the top of the handle tow lift that Alta Lodge guests use. At the end of the day would need to walk up the steps. The advice I've used is to head down canyon from Albion in the afternoon.

The situation at the Wildcat base shifted when Goldminer's Daughter changed the nature of the ground floor room that locals used as a public locker room. That was completely off limits during the pandemic seasons. The interior has been redone with fewer tables and no place to leave bootlegs for free. Alta Lift Co. only has locker rooms at the Albion base. There are free cubbies and paid lockers in the locker room next to the ski school office.

Ski Service

www.rideuta.com

 

[marzNC]

Evan's conservative estimate for this week's storm is 1-2 FEET of dense snow, perfect for building up the base.

OpenSnow for Alta, as of midday Tuesday, Nov. 8

 

[marzNC]

Evan of OpenSnow was a happy camper when he woke up this morning.

November 9, 2022

Some Count Votes, I Count Inches | Utah Daily Snow Forecast | OpenSnow

Absolute dumpage! Utah picked up significant, dense snow yesterday and last night. The storm will gradually wind down over...

opensnow.com

 

[marzNC]

The storm that started yesterday delivered the goods in LCC/BCC! The final storm total at Alta will be close to 3 feet when it moves out completely.

 

[marzNC]

Slight adjustment to the totals before this morning's Alta snow report. Evan said that the actual season total is 97". Not that it will really matter when Alta opens in a week.

November 10, 2022

Weather and Snow Report

New snowfall, historical snowfall, hourly temperatures, mountain cams, forecasts and more will help you stay connected with Alta's most precious resource—snow.

www.alta.com

 

[marzNC]

Snowbird just announced that they will open on Nov. 18. The previous date on SkiUtah was Nov. 30.

That means, Alta, Snowbird, Solitude, Brighton, and Park City will be open by Nov. 18. Solitude and Brighton are opening tomorrow, Nov. 11. Deer Valley plans to open in early December as usual.

From Snowbird website on Nov. 10:

Opening Day​

We are excited to announce our opening day for the 2022-23 season has moved forward and will be Friday, November 18!

Due to some much appreciated recent storms amounting to over 7 feet of new snow since October, Snowbird is now scheduled to open early for the 2022-23 winter season on Friday, November 18, conditions permitting. With a look toward the future, Snowbird welcomes the new Trams while focusing on ways to improve safety and the local environment.

Keep an eye out next for details about opening day operations including lift & terrain openings, lift tickets and services.

We can't wait to see you and get those first lift turns of the 2022-23 season!

 

[snoWYmonkey]

This is such great news for SLC area and us up north. We won't be overrun again early season as is often the case when they can't run races, etc...

So excited for this winter season!

 

[marzNC]

Came across a video review of Alta that is quite comprehensive. The creator is from the PacNW. Keep in mind that early March 2022 was a time of unusually low snow in LCC.

March 2022

 

[marzNC]

The new red tram at Snowbird is ready to go for the 2022-23 season. It was supposed to be available for the 2022 summer season but the installation process in June did not go as planned. A new one had to be built.

November 7, 2022

Snowbird's New Red Tram Cabin Installed

Snowbird's new red Tram cabin is installed. The new Trams will be operational for early-season skiing and riding.

www.snowbird.com

"
Snowbird, Utah – Snowbird’s new red Tram cabin was installed on Saturday, Nov. 5, and is now hanging on the cable line. This cabin serves as a replacement to the cabin that was damaged in June. The installation of the red Tram was the final step of Snowbird's Aerial Tram upgrade project which included two new Tram cabins with floor-to-ceiling windows, automated doors and gates as well as a new drive system.

“The installation of the new red Tram was a welcome sight,” said Snowbird President and General Manager Dave Fields. “Having our two new cabins operational early season is vital not only for our guests to have the best experience, but also for our Mountain Operations team to open terrain efficiently.”​

The initial new red Tram cabin was damaged beyond repair during installation in June due to a rigging malfunction. Doppelmayr was responsible for the install and has worked closely with Snowbird to provide a replacement cabin prior to the winter 2022/23 season.

“We’re grateful to Doppelmayr, CWA, Garaventa and everyone involved for the quick delivery and installation of the replacement red Tram cabin,” added Fields.

The remainder of the new systems installation and final commissioning will take place over the next few weeks and both new Tram cabins are slated to be operational for early season skiing, riding and sightseeing.