Utah LCC/BCC April 2026 conditions - Alta, Snowbird, Solitude, Brighton

[marzNC]

As I've been doing for 15+ years, I'm heading to Alta Lodge in early April to meet up with old friends at Alta Lodge. Several traveling Ski Divas will be around starting April 5 as well. There is a MOTH for anyone interested in meeting up for lunch or a few runs.

I pay attention to Alta with OpenSnow all season since it's my favorite resort out west. Of course, this winter Utah has had very few snowstorms. However, the overall total may well be higher than the worst season in the last decade, which was 2014-15.

Closing day for Alta is April 26. Per usual Snowbird will be open longer with limited lifts and terrain. Lately Solitude works to stay open longer as well. Per usual, Brighton won't announce a closing date until later.

Happily, April is starting with a big snowstorm in Little Cottonwood Canyon and Big Cottonwood Canyon. Forecasting totals is always a moving target.

OpenSnow Alta forecast as of March 31, 2026:


OpenSnow Alta forecast as of the afternoon of April 2, 2026:

 

[marzNC]

The Alta website snow conditions webpage is updated frequently during a storm cycle. Can be as often as once an hour. One display shows measurable snow for each hour in a moving time period. It got a lot colder on April 2.

Alta conditions as of 8:00pm MT on April 1, 2026:


Alta conditions as of 2:00pm on April 2, 2026:

 

[marzNC]

Alta Lodge has a web camera that makes it possible to see the lift lines for Collins and Wildcat. First thing in the morning there weren't that many people at Wildcat yet. By 10:00, the lines were noticeable but not unreasonable for storm skiing. Especially the way weather has been the past month has been in Utah.

 

[marzNC]

Looks like the Base Depth may be over 100 inches by the time I start skiing Alta this weekend.

Snow report as of 1:00pm, April 2, 2026:

Snow report as of 4:00pm, April 2, 2026:

 

[marzNC]

To get a sense of how much snow totals have fluctuated in the last decade, here are monthly summaries from the Alta website.

Starting with 2016-17, through March 2026:


Included to show 2014-15, a very low snow season, as well as 2015-16, which wasn't much better in March:


On April 8, 2015, Naomi Wain celebrated her 93rd birthday. She was very pleased to be able to ski fresh snow that morning. When she stayed at Alta Lodge, she was always at the Collins base by 9:00. That way, there were times ski patrol would ride up with her just before they declared it was okay to open the lift to the public. She's my role model for how to enjoy the Alta slopes as a "super senior" who skis for free starting at age 80.

Fair to say that although it was a low snow season overall, my friends and I had a very good time skiing Alta that spring.

 

[marzNC]

Even within LCC/BCC where the ski resorts are close together, there is usually a little variation in the snow totals.

Note that OpenSnow pulls directly from resort sources if at all possible. For Brighton, the 24-hr total for April 2 was flagged because it's seems out of whack. Looking at the Brighton website, it's easy to see where "16" for the past 24 hours came from. It feels like the 24-hr number should be 8 and then the 48-hr number also makes sense.

Brighton is offering a 50% discount for season pass holders at resorts that are closed. This spring that already applied to Sundance, Deer Valley, Snowbasin, Powder Mountain, and Nordic Valley by the end of March.

 

[TNtoTaos]

Even within LCC/BCC where the ski resorts are close together, there is usually a little variation in the snow totals.

Note that OpenSnow pulls directly from resort sources if at all possible. For Brighton, the 24-hr total for April 2 was flagged because it's seems out of whack. Looking at the Brighton website, it's easy to see where "16" for the past 24 hours came from. It feels like the 24-hr number should be 8 and then the 48-hr number also makes sense.

Brighton is offering a 50% discount for season pass holders at resorts that are closed. This spring that already applied to Sundance, Deer Valley, Snowbasin, Powder Mountain, and Nordic Valley by the end of March.

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This is great info! I like Brighton - we may just decide to head over there for a day, since we'll have the car.

 

[marzNC]

The forecasts for LCC/BCC resorts in the next week look like good spring conditions. A little on the warm side for a few days, but not unreasonable for early April. More importantly, the next storm system looks like a cold one.

From OpenSnow on April 3, 2026:

 

[marzNC]

Fair to say that one snowstorm is not enough to make up for no new snow in March in Utah. That's clear looking at Base vs Avg and the amount of open terrain on April 3. Note that some terrain is probably closed because ski patrol needs time to do their work.

From OpenSnoe at 10am, April 3, 2026:

 

[RachelV]

God, Utah is way ahead of Colorado from a base perspective. I didn't realize how much more snow than us they got this year. Maybe they also missed the brunt of that brutal heatwave a few weeks ago? It absolutely destroyed what little base we had. Maybe a May Utah trip is in my future this season...

 

[marzNC]

Maybe a May Utah trip is in my future this season...

Only Snowbird and Solitude intend to stay open into May. From past experience, will only be a few lifts running. But could be fun depending on how much it warms up after the next storm system.

While Brighton always waits until just a day or two before announcing a closing date, they don't usually go past late April. Locals are getting into spring activities even in early April.

From SkiUtah on April 1, 2026:

 

[marzNC]

To provide a sense of why LCC/BCC resorts are late season destinations, while Park City and Deer Valley are not, take a look at the snow totals for the recent snowstorm that started March 31. Alta, Snowbird, Solitude, and Brighton got 30+ inches. Park City and Deer Valley only got 13 inches. The base depths were undoubtedly higher in LCC/BCC than around Parley's Canyon given the 1000 ft difference in elevation.

Note that it's possible the 37 inches for Brighton is based on a number posted on their website that isn't correct. OpenSnow pulls in resort data whenever possible. The storm total on the Brighton website is 29 inches.

Previous 5-day snow totals from OpenSnow, April 3, 2026:

 

[Gonzogirl]

Storm skied Alta yesterday (with one lightening hold) & Snowbird today (mostly sunny). Showed up at both ready for action by 9:30. Both were amazing & the snow was not sticky or icy at any point. Deep fluffy powder all over snowbird with lots of fresh lines everywhere most of the morning. Pretty skied-out & deep in mineral bowl by late morning; heavier moving around noon. Tomorrow should be another fantastic day!

 

[marzNC]

Storm skied Alta yesterday (with one lightening hold) & Snowbird today (mostly sunny). Showed up at both ready for action by 9:30. Both were amazing & the snow was not sticky or icy at any point. Deep fluffy powder all over snowbird with lots of fresh lines everywhere most of the morning. Pretty skied-out & deep in mineral bowl by late morning; heavier moving around noon. Tomorrow should be another fantastic day!

Thanks for the first-hand comments! I saw a few pictures on another ski forum from the last couple days.

By the way, when you have posted a bit more then you'll be able to see the Meet On The Hill (MOTH) thread that I started a little while ago. I and several other traveling Divas will be staying at Alta Lodge next week.

Do you only ski LCC midweek for powder days? Do you ever ski Alta on weekends?

 

[marzNC]

The recent multi-day snowstorm put 2025-26 just over 2014-15 as of April 2. Getting to 300 inches overall is within reach now considering another storm system is expected later next week.

I have pictures of storm skiing on April 8, 2018. That was the next low snow season after 2015. My friends and I had a very good time. I took the family from NC, JF and her kids (tweens then), to Snowbird for the first time. The Peruvian Tunnel was still open and coverage was good on the groomers and off-piste.

 

[marzNC]

Deer Valley is already closed. Park City announced yesterday that it's closing on Sunday, April 5.

Hope there aren't too many people driving over from PC next week.

April 3, 2026

Park City Mountain surrenders to heat, announces imminent closing date

Recent storms dropped less snow than operators had hoped, leading to an abrupt end to the Utah ski resort's season.

www.sltrib.com

". . .
On Friday, it was offering spring break skiers and snowboarders 10 runs — three of which were groomed — off of six lifts. All of that was out of its Canyons Village base. The resort closed its lower-elevation Mountain Village base on March 29.

For the season, Park City Mountain reported receiving 171 inches of snow. That’s about half of its reported average of 350 inches.

Nearby, Deer Valley Resort closed last week, though the ski season is not over in Park City. Woodward Park City — one of the state’s lowest-elevation resorts — has said it will remain open through April 12."

 

[TNtoTaos]

Deer Valley is already closed. Park City announced yesterday that it's closing on Sunday, April 5.

Hope there aren't too many people driving over from PC next week.

Hmm, good point.

 

[marzNC]

The reason Snowbird is closing the base beginner lift, Chickadee, early this spring is not really because it's been a low snow season. The lift is being replaced. It's used in the summer as well, so the sooner demolition and construction can begin, the better in the long run.

Since I have Ikon, I might head over to Snowbird on Sunday afternoon to ride Chickadee. Have only ridden it once that I remember.

April 4, 2026

Skytrac to Build New Chickadee at Snowbird

This weekend is your last chance to ride Snowbird’s oldest chairlift, Chickadee. On Monday, Snowbird will begin work to replace the 1972 Thiokol double with a quad in partnership with Skytrac…

liftblog.com

"This weekend is your last chance to ride Snowbird’s oldest chairlift, Chickadee. On Monday, Snowbird will begin work to replace the 1972 Thiokol double with a quad in partnership with Skytrac. The new lift will come out from underneath the Snowbird Center deck, giving beginners more space to queue and load. Riders will also enjoy a loading conveyor, making boarding even easier.
. . ."

 

[marzNC]

Got pretty warm in LCC today, April 6. Mineral Basin was good at 10:00, but way too soft by noon.

Surprisingly, even though it was mid-30s at the top of Collins first thing in the morning, Ballroom was quite fun at 2:30. There was a couple of instructors who took their students onto Ballroom. One had a group of tweens. The other had three adults and was having them work on technique fairly far over where the lower section was almost skied flat and not that steep. Most people had given up by them, so loading at mid-station was easy.

 

[wernerslab]

giving beginners more space to queue and load. Riders will also enjoy a loading conveyor, making boarding even easier.

Personally, I don't think conveyors are easier esp for a beginner. I understand they are supposed to make it easier to load but they make me nervous!! Before this year, I had never seen one but they were at Lake Placid and Sunshine had one too. The ski hosts didn't like the lift bc it has a tendency to stop working and cause a lift pause. I guess they are more common in Europe according to my Estonian ski instructor at Sunshine.

Sounds like you are enjoying the skiing that is available!! Hope the incoming snow provides some additional terrain with few/no crowds!!