Spring 2026 in Utah Cottonwood Canyons
- Thread starter cbgarrett
- Start date
It was dumping heavy early morning and continued all day...even some thunderstorms which drove everyone into the lodges for about an hour.
Most everyone was at collins so we stayed at supreme and sugar..
Today at S Bird was good until the fog rolled in around 1.
Road to provo closed for a while for a slide.
I found the goods next to regulator..puckerbrush and the gad chutes.
I don't know s bird as well as alta so I just poked around until vis went to shit.
Alta website shows Supreme Bowl closed, along with Backside and everything off the High T. That’s a lot of Alta’s prime powder terrain. I’d guess the T lost coverage during the March heat wave, not sure that would true for Yellow Trail on the way to Backside.
Last edited:
jimk
Well-known member
12 Apr 2026, a change is in the wind. Winter coming back to Snowbird for a least a week. This was just my second day back after three weeks away.
Lower mountain hanging in there, but just barely.
Upper mountain doing ok.
Mineral Basin view with some buddies.
The place was dead quiet today.
Son got me a deal ($10 total) for four days of the Blister ski demos this week Tues-Fri at Snowbird, so that will add a little spice to the less than inspiring conditions. Also, we may get 4" tonight and maybe more around Thursday with cool temps all week.
Lower mountain hanging in there, but just barely.
Upper mountain doing ok.
Mineral Basin view with some buddies.
The place was dead quiet today.
Son got me a deal ($10 total) for four days of the Blister ski demos this week Tues-Fri at Snowbird, so that will add a little spice to the less than inspiring conditions. Also, we may get 4" tonight and maybe more around Thursday with cool temps all week.
I spy former admin's green helmet in the pic above!
You might want to check in with Jimk and/or his son for insider knowledge.
I never understood why Backside was closed, so glad to see some flexibility reopening it with the new snow.
jimk
Well-known member
I'm having a ball at Snowbird demo-ing skis at the Blister Summit this week, 14-17 Apr 2026 . Really adds some sparkle to the late season. I don't know how well Blister and Snowbird advertised this event as the crowds are modest, but there are about 20 manufacturers and it's been super easy to do demos in decent spring conditions and very small crowds. Lots of swag too. Walk on demos and walk on trams 
Beautiful weather, more like early spring conditions.
Beautiful weather, more like early spring conditions.
You kant go wrong with Kästle.
Given how the lower section of Ballroom was on the warm days that Backside was closed after I arrived on April 6, it wasn't a surprise.I never understood why Backside was closed, so glad to see some flexibility reopening it with the new snow.
The 4 inches on April 13 was the right density to be fun if you knew where to go. Fluffy snow would've meant dust-on-crust everywhere off-piste. Main Street and quite a few other areas normally groomed in the spring on the Collins side were not groomed at all. Above mid-station there was just one groomer track down Mambo for people who wanted groomed snow. Skied Ballroom as my warm up run after leaving the Alta Lodge locker room. Was headed to Supreme to meet up with friends, but stayed on the Collins side for an hour instead. Advantage of starting the ski day solo instead of coordinating with a group.
Ballroom with Main Street ungroomed, 9:45am on April 13, 2026:
Views riding up Collins around 10:45am
snowbird surfer
New member
Forecasted totals have been dropping but are conditions still good enough to justify 8 hrs round trip in the air for a 4 day weekend?
If you only want to ski terrain off the High T, Backside, or Devil's Castle . . . I wouldn't bother to fly.
My ski buddy (mid-70s) who drove from Albuquerque isn't headed home until Sunday, as has been his habit for a decade. He'll have a good time this weekend before he starts driving on Sunday afternoon, April 19. He and I had a good time skiing cold snow in the short shot into Three Bears and wandering in Cabin Hill the past week, including the morning of April 14 just before I left. All he did off the High T was a run down Sunspot with one of my ski buddies from the east coast. I did a couple runs on Race Course mid-afternoon. We can ski harder terrain but didn't bother.
My intermediate friends who drove from the southeast opted not to ski in the morning on Tuesday before they started the drive east. They didn't miss much, even for the woman who mainly skis groomers for a few hours a day . . . at age 76 . . . since she didn't start skiing regularly until after age 60.
Our annual April trip is more about getting together with old friends and making new friends at Alta Lodge than chasing snow. We've caught deep powder storms a few times in the past 20 years, but that's a bonus and it usually only lasts a couple days. Not because of powder hounds, but because of spring weather.
Last edited:
jimk
Well-known member
I've skied LCC the last five days. Sunday was not so great and quite firm. Monday was surprisingly fun with 4" dust on crust. Tuesday was quite fun in early spring type conditions, starts firm, gets soft later. Wed similar, afternoon especially good and soft. Today rather firm, but partial sun made some good moments. Tonight expecting 3 or 4 inches, tomorrow probably dust on crust situation again. And colder. Hoping for lots of dust
It's spring so things are up and down. Actually, the best thing at this time is mild sunny spring skiing or surprise dump of some significance. In between is what's not so good.