Saturday, March 7, 2026
Cold temps held after this week’s storm cycle, and there’s still plenty of soft snow around the Cottonwoods this morning. If you want the best mix of fresh snow quality and easiest canyon driving, this is a go early, ski through late morning, then reassess wind for the afternoon kind of day.
Today’s Overall Rating: 8/10 ████████░░
Why: Strong 24-48 hour snow totals at Alta/Snowbird/Solitude/Brighton, mostly sunny skies, and generally light morning winds. Expect the best snow quality in sheltered off-piste and ungroomed pockets before daytime warming and skier traffic take over.
Quick Hit Conditions
- Alta: 13” in 24 hours, 114” base, 265” season total. Temps around 8-9°F early with light NW wind.
- Solitude: 6” in 24 hours, 16” in 48 hours, 85” base, 223” season total. Mid-mountain near 10°F early, light north wind.
- Brighton: 3” in 24 hours, 10” in 48 hours, 83” base, 233” season total. Forecast high near 27°F with NW wind around 7 mph.
- Snowbird: 13” in 24 hours, 27” in 48 hours, 102” base, 247” season total.
- Deer Valley: 2” in 24 hours, 5” in 48 hours, 51” base, 142” season total. Forecast high near 30°F with light NW wind.
- Park City: 3” in 24 hours, 11” in 48 hours, 71” base, 157” season total. Forecast high near 27°F with light NW wind.
Timing and Canyon Access Strategy
- Best snow window: First chair through about 11:00 a.m. while temps stay cold and soft snow remains less tracked.
- Big Cottonwood: Strong setup for quality morning laps at Solitude/Brighton after 48-hour refresh totals.
- Little Cottonwood: Alta/Snowbird both have deep recent totals; expect high demand and plan for early movement.
- Parking/logistics: Alta reports reservation-required parking Friday-Sunday from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., so lock that in before heading up.
- Wind trend: Most areas are light this morning, but several forecasts ramp winds into Sunday/Monday, so today is the cleaner quality window.
Resort-by-Resort Ski Call
Alta
Cold start, light wind, and a 13” 24-hour refresh keep quality high on shaded and sheltered aspects. With a 114” base, coverage is solid and soft snow should ski well through the morning.
Solitude
With 6” in the past day, 16” in 48 hours, and an 85” base, Solitude is lined up for packed-powder groomers plus soft side-hit terrain where patrol has already opened key terrain and continues morning control work.
Brighton
3” in 24 hours and 10” in 48 hours over an 83” base keeps Brighton in a very skiable spot today, especially for early groomer speed and playful tree laps while temps stay in the 20s.
Snowbird
13” in 24 hours and 27” in 48 hours over a 102” base means lingering powder quality where traffic hasn’t reset it yet. This should remain one of the strongest soft-snow options this morning.
Deer Valley
Lighter new snow totals than the Cottonwoods, but 150/202 runs and 25/31 lifts reported open keeps Deer Valley attractive for fast groomed laps and smoother visibility in sunny weather.
Park City
3” in 24 hours and 11” in 48 hours with 245/350 runs and 40/41 lifts open sets up a versatile day: groomers early, then mixed soft/firm off-groomer conditions as traffic builds.
NOAA/NWS Weather Context
- Cottonwoods today: Mostly clear to sunny, with highs mainly upper 20s to low 30s and light winds this morning.
- Park City side today: Sunny with highs around upper 20s to near 30°F and generally light NW flow.
- Next shift: Forecast guidance points to windier conditions by Sunday into Monday, making today’s calmer morning the better quality target.
What to Wear, What to Ski, What Lens
What to Wear
- Layering: Midweight merino/synthetic base + insulating midlayer for the cold start.
- Shell: Weatherproof shell still makes sense for lingering wind and cold chairlift exposure.
- Gloves: Warm insulated gloves in the morning; bring a backup pair if you’re skiing deep or hiking short shots.
Ski Choice
- Cottonwoods (Alta/Snowbird/Solitude/Brighton): Powder or wider all-mountain setup is the call this morning, then shift to all-mountain as lines get skied in.
- Deer Valley/Park City: All-mountain skis are the best one-ski choice today; firm-snow carver works if you’re staying groomer-focused.
Goggle Lens
- Morning: Low-light/rose lens for early shade and flatter light pockets.
- Late morning into afternoon: Swap to a medium VLT or sun lens as skies stay mostly clear/sunny.
What Locals Are Saying This Morning
- One skier posted “🫡 ❄️ 🤿” — about as concise as it gets for a storm-following morning.
- Parking and access are clearly on people’s minds, including Brighton reservation swap chatter and last-minute pass requests.
- The stoke is still high after this cycle, with posts like “SIK TIR” popping up overnight.
Bottom line: Today is a strong Utah ski day. Prioritize an early start, sort your canyon parking plan before wheels roll, and ski soft snow while the morning cold keeps quality high.