Sunday is more of a timing day than a powder day around Salt Lake. The Cottonwoods still have deep coverage, the Park City side picked up just a little fresh snow, and the main theme everywhere is cold morning snow plus steady northwest wind. If you want the best turns, this is a show-up-early, ski-the-groomers-first kind of day.
Alta is sitting at a 96-inch base with 260 inches for the season, Solitude is at 72 inches with 72 of 82 trails listed, Brighton is at an 83-inch base with 73 of 77 runs available, Snowbird is at an 89-inch base with 138 of 149 runs available, Deer Valley is at a 46-inch base with 144 of 202 runs available, and Park City is at a 64-inch base with 188 of 350 runs available. New snow is basically a non-factor in the Cottonwoods this morning, while Deer Valley is showing 1 inch in the past 24 hours and Park City is showing 1 inch overnight and 1 inch in the past 24 hours.
What stands out this morning
- Best window: First chair through late morning looks strongest, especially on groomers and on terrain that stays a little more sheltered from the wind.
- Fresh snow: Little to none in the Cottonwoods, with just a light refresh on the Park City side.
- Main weather factor: Cold temperatures and northwest wind will keep exposed terrain feeling sharper and more wintry than mid-March usually does.
- Travel angle: Alta lists Little Cottonwood Canyon road status as open this morning, and parking reservations are required there from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday through Sunday.
- Surface trend: Expect firmer early snow, best edge hold on groomers, and mixed texture anywhere the wind has been working.
Resort-by-resort conditions
- Alta: Alta is reporting 0 inches in the past 12 and 24 hours, a 96-inch base, and 260 inches for the season. Early temperatures are about 18° at the base, 10° mid-mountain, and 8° up top, with northwest wind around 22 mph and partly cloudy skies. The latest NWS-linked mountain forecast calls for a windy day with a high near 20°.
- Solitude: Solitude is showing a 72-inch base, 224 inches for the season, 0 inches in the past 24 and 48 hours, 72 of 82 trails available, 9 of 9 lifts, and 28 groomed runs. Mid-mountain is 10° with a wind chill near -10° and east-southeast wind around 23 mph. Solitude is also calling out firm snow, with groomed terrain the best bet early.
- Brighton: Brighton is at 0 inches overnight, 0 inches in the past 24 hours, an 83-inch base, and 233 inches year to date. Terrain is listed at 73 of 77 runs, 8 of 9 lifts, and all 5 parks. Today’s forecast calls for a high near 22° with northwest wind around 14 to 17 mph and gusts up to 34 mph after a colder, windier overnight period.
- Snowbird: Snowbird is reporting 0 inches overnight, 0 inches in the past 24 hours, an 89-inch base, and 248 inches for the season. The mountain is listed at 138 of 149 runs and all 14 lifts. Today’s outlook is mostly sunny with a high near 31°, wind chill down around 1°, and northwest wind around 10 to 13 mph with gusts up to 32 mph.
- Deer Valley: Deer Valley is reporting 0 inches overnight, 1 inch in the past 24 hours, a 46-inch base, and 144 inches year to date. Operations are listed at 144 of 202 runs and 25 of 31 lifts. Today looks mostly sunny with a high near 27° and northwest wind around 11 to 13 mph.
- Park City: Park City is showing 1 inch overnight, 1 inch in the past 24 hours, a 64-inch base, and 158 inches year to date. The mountain is listed at 188 of 350 runs, 39 of 41 lifts, and 5 of 8 parks. Forecast highs are near 24° with northwest wind around 14 to 17 mph and gusts up to 30 mph, and Park City is leaning into groomer laps this morning.
How to ski it
This is not the kind of Sunday where you need to overthink it. Start on groomers, trust your edges, and use the first half of the day to stack quality laps before the wind and traffic make things busier. Alta, Solitude, Brighton, and Snowbird all still have plenty of coverage, but the lack of fresh snow means your best skiing should come from chalkier groomed snow and protected pockets rather than chasing a storm cycle that is not really here.
On the Park City side, Deer Valley and Park City at least have a light freshening, but the bigger story is still cold air and manageable surface conditions rather than a meaningful reset. If you are choosing between canyons and the Park City side, the Cottonwoods still have the deeper base. If you want slightly fresher snow, the Park City side gets the nod, but only by a little.
What locals are talking about
- Same-day chatter in “Where to ski tomorrow (Sunday)” is right on the morning question: where the best early laps will be once you weigh coverage, cold snow, and wind.
- A fresh “Solitude” thread fits the way Solitude looks on paper today: edgeable snow, groomer value, and a mountain that will feel colder than the calendar says it should.
- “Glad I didn’t cancel” is probably the right energy for today overall: not an all-time storm day, but still a very skiable one if you get after it early.
Daily gear call
What to wear
- Layers: Go with a midweight base layer plus a real insulating midlayer. It is cold enough this morning that a spring-only setup will feel thin on the lift.
- Shell: Wear a proper shell with good wind protection. Today’s discomfort comes more from breeze and chairlift exposure than from falling snow.
- Gloves: Bring your warmer gloves, especially if you are headed to Alta, Brighton, or Snowbird where exposed rides can feel much colder than the air temperature suggests.
Best ski choice
- Best overall pick: An all-mountain ski with decent edge hold is the best tool today.
- If you want maximum fun early: A frontside or firmer-snow setup will reward you on morning groomers.
- What not to reach for: Full powder boards are not the obvious call today unless you simply want the comfort of a wider platform in chopped-up snow later.
Goggle lens
- Best lens: A rose, amber, or other high-contrast mid-VLT lens makes the most sense this morning.
- If the sun wins out: Pack a slightly darker lens for brighter late-morning light, especially on open groomers.
Overall day quality
6/10 — ██████░░░░
There is still plenty of skiing to be had, especially in the Cottonwoods, but this is a quality-over-hype day. Coverage is good, temperatures are cold enough to keep the snow respectable, and the light refresh on the Park City side helps a little. The tradeoff is that wind and firm morning surfaces keep this out of the top tier. Get there early, ski with a plan, and it should be a good one.