Found out that Goldminer's Daughter is staying open through the closing weekend for Alta lifts, April 25-26. Alta Lodge, Peruvian, and Rustler will close for the winter season after this weekend.
-
Women skiers, this is the place for you -- an online community without the male-orientation you'll find in conventional ski magazines and internet ski forums. At TheSkiDiva.com, you can connect with other women to talk about skiing in a way that you can relate to, about things that you find of interest. Be sure to join our community to participate (women only, please!). Registration is fast and simple. Just be sure to add [email protected] to your address book so your registration activation emails won't be routed as spam. And please give careful consideration to your user name -- it will not be changed once your registration is confirmed.
Utah LCC/BCC April 2026 conditions - Alta, Snowbird, Solitude, Brighton
- Thread starter marzNC
- Start date
Evan of OpenSnow was happy this morning . . . it not only snowed in LCC/BCC, it was quite cold so the snow was fluffy. Won't last long after it warms up in the sun, but should be a fun day for my ski buddy, Bill, who isn't leaving Alta Lodge until Sunday, April 19.
When I'm skiing at Alta and staying at Alta Lodge, I rarely look at the Terrain Report before heading out to ski in the morning. In late season, it's usually fairly obvious whether or not terrain such as the High T or Devil's Castle is likely to get open after a snowstorm. At least for people who have been skiing off-piste at Alta for a few days before fresh snow arrives.
For locals, the Terrain Status report may make a difference when they are deciding whether or not to drive up the LCC road first thing in the morning. The parking lot doesn't open until 8:00am, regardless of whether or not parking reservations are required. That's relatively new, but allows the parking lots to be plowed much more efficiently. During late season, parking reservations are only required on Closing Day.
For locals, the Terrain Status report may make a difference when they are deciding whether or not to drive up the LCC road first thing in the morning. The parking lot doesn't open until 8:00am, regardless of whether or not parking reservations are required. That's relatively new, but allows the parking lots to be plowed much more efficiently. During late season, parking reservations are only required on Closing Day.
At this point, Alta, Snowbird, and Brighton have enough lifts open to be fun. Solitude hasn't closed but has very limited terrain open. Next weekend after another snowstorm, April 24-26, there will be open lifts at Alta, Snowbird, Solitude, and probably Brighton. After April 26, Snowbird will keep a few lifts open, as they usually do.
After April 19, only Snowpine and Goldminer's Daughter will be open for overnight guests. Snowpine is the only year round lodge in the town of Alta.
From OpenSnow on April 17, 2026:
After April 19, only Snowpine and Goldminer's Daughter will be open for overnight guests. Snowpine is the only year round lodge in the town of Alta.
From OpenSnow on April 17, 2026:
Interesting...
Spring skiing in LCC/BCC means that after a powder storm, it doesn't take long before the sun and warm air temps mean even fluffy snow isn't as much fun. Can be a few hours or a day or two. That's when knowing how to ski trees is helpful for finding cold snow that gets plenty of shade. Of course, the higher elevation terrain has cold snow longer. But even there when it's full fun, the snow consistency changes fairly quickly. What looks inviting might not be much fun.
From Alta website on April 18, showing warm temps midday the day after a snowstorm:
From Alta website on April 18, showing warm temps midday the day after a snowstorm:
Devil's Castle and the mid-line traverse for Baldy were open today. Along with the other off-piste areas off the traverses for Ballroom, High T, Backside, and Catherine's. Typically in the spring it takes a day before ski patrol is comfortable with opening up Devil's Castle after a snowstorm that drops more than a few inches. Local powder hounds know how to find out before they make the drive up to LCC whether or not the larger off-piste areas are likely to be open
Looks like Albuquerque Bill had a good time on Ballroom the other day after 7 inches of new snow and before it warmed up. The line for Collins was relatively short at 9:10. Main Street was not groomed at all, neither was Aggie's Alley.
From Bill's FB post on April 18, 2026:
From Bill's FB post on April 18, 2026:
For future reference in case someone reads this thread and is interested in the Alta Gold Card, it is possible to upgrade on a day-to-day basis in order to have a combo Alta/Snowbird ticket. The upgrade charge in 2025-26 was $75.
Alta season passes for next season and pre-paid multi-day cards go on sale May 1. Prices usually go up a couple times before December. Someone who has a Gold Card pays 50% off based on the usage, going direct-to-lift. For instance, if someone only skis Sunnyside then the charge is for a Beginner ticket that day.
Alta season passes for next season and pre-paid multi-day cards go on sale May 1. Prices usually go up a couple times before December. Someone who has a Gold Card pays 50% off based on the usage, going direct-to-lift. For instance, if someone only skis Sunnyside then the charge is for a Beginner ticket that day.
Last edited:
Given the forecast for coming week, locals may be having a good time in LCC/BCC for a few days. Might not be that many people in t-shirts and shorts for Alta's Closing Day on Sunday, April 26. 
The season snowfall total for the most comparable season was 323 inches by the end of April 2015. The current total is 301 inches. It will be close whether or not the 2025-26 total gets over 323.
From OpenSnow on April 21, 2026, 5pm ET
The season snowfall total for the most comparable season was 323 inches by the end of April 2015. The current total is 301 inches. It will be close whether or not the 2025-26 total gets over 323.
From OpenSnow on April 21, 2026, 5pm ET
The cold front has arrived in LCC/BCC. But not with much moisture, as Evan noted a couple days ago was likely to happen. The automated snow forecast dropped for Wed-Thu.
Not going to be the typical Closing Day at Alta on Sunday, April 26. Parking that day has been sold out for a while. Reservations have been required on Closing Day for a few years, even though during the last few weeks of the season people didn't need parking reservations on weekends.
From OpenSnow on April 22, 2026:
Not going to be the typical Closing Day at Alta on Sunday, April 26. Parking that day has been sold out for a while. Reservations have been required on Closing Day for a few years, even though during the last few weeks of the season people didn't need parking reservations on weekends.
From OpenSnow on April 22, 2026:
There's some wiggle room but the goal is at least once every 2 hours.
Closing Day for Alta is indeed a powder day. Can see that from the Alta webcams. As of 11am MT, there are folks in the maze from Collins and a bit of a line for Wildcat from what I could see on the Alta Lodge webcam still shot. The snow started around midnight and kept up into Sunday morning.
From OpenSnow late evening on April 25, 2026:
From OpenSnow late evening on April 25, 2026:
For future reference . . . as was mentioned in another thread, the UTA buses up to LCC/BCC end on April 12.
Parking reservations for Alta weren't required in for early April weekends. However, parking reservations were required for Alta's Closing Day, April 26. Those were sold out weeks ago, but there might have been people who were mostly interested in a warm spring day for costumes and parking lot tailgating fun who cancelled in the last few days.
Parking reservations for Alta weren't required in for early April weekends. However, parking reservations were required for Alta's Closing Day, April 26. Those were sold out weeks ago, but there might have been people who were mostly interested in a warm spring day for costumes and parking lot tailgating fun who cancelled in the last few days.
Meanwhile, free parking is probably full at Snowbird from what I can see from a webcam. No reservations required all season at Snowbird 2025-26.
Although it's going to keep snowing all day in LCC, Snowbird plans to be closed Mon-Thu this coming week. After that, the plan is to open a few lifts Fri-Sun, May 1-3, for sure and perhaps afterwards for weekends. No closing day has been announced yet.
Although it's going to keep snowing all day in LCC, Snowbird plans to be closed Mon-Thu this coming week. After that, the plan is to open a few lifts Fri-Sun, May 1-3, for sure and perhaps afterwards for weekends. No closing day has been announced yet.
The storm total at Alta as of 7pm MT was 7 inches. With more to come in the next 24 hours.
I've been comparing 2025-26 to 2014-15 the last couple months using the graph on the Alta website. The season total as of the end of April 2015 was 324 inches. As of tonight, the 2026 season total is up to 319 inches.
I've been comparing 2025-26 to 2014-15 the last couple months using the graph on the Alta website. The season total as of the end of April 2015 was 324 inches. As of tonight, the 2026 season total is up to 319 inches.
At the beginning of April 2026, the season total for this season was 288, as compared to the total for 2015, which was 263. As of Closing Day, April 26, still below the total for the same April date in 2015. But by the end of the month, the overall total may end up being a bit higher for 2025-26.
Alta is closed for the season. Snowbird will re-open on Friday, May 1 for at least one more long weekend. Since Alta slopes are on U.S. Forest Service land, there may be backcountry skiers out there once the snowstorm ends in the next day or so.
What's not obvious from looking at a graph of the season total is the warm temps that caused more melt than usual in March. While the snowpack was deep enough for fun on lower angle slopes in April, the mountain tops visible in LCC were very bare compared to all the years I've been at Alta Lodge during late season since 2008.
View from Ballroom, April 10, 2026
From Alta website on April 27, 2026:
Alta is closed for the season. Snowbird will re-open on Friday, May 1 for at least one more long weekend. Since Alta slopes are on U.S. Forest Service land, there may be backcountry skiers out there once the snowstorm ends in the next day or so.
What's not obvious from looking at a graph of the season total is the warm temps that caused more melt than usual in March. While the snowpack was deep enough for fun on lower angle slopes in April, the mountain tops visible in LCC were very bare compared to all the years I've been at Alta Lodge during late season since 2008.
View from Ballroom, April 10, 2026
From Alta website on April 27, 2026:
Last edited by a moderator:
