The storm delivered. Little Cottonwood Canyon is closed for avalanche control right now, heavy snow is falling, and the NWS is calling for 5–9″ today with 10–14″ more tonight. This is the day that justified keeping your powder skis waxed through April.
Overall day quality: 9/10 [█████████░]
LCC access is the only asterisk on what is otherwise an exceptional late-season powder day. When the canyon opens, it will be worth whatever wait you face at the bottom.
Today’s quick take
- New snow: 5–9″ falling today per NWS Alta point forecast, on top of snow that began loading overnight; 10–14″ more expected tonight
- Best move: BCC first — Brighton is open and accessible while LCC remains closed; then get in line for LCC the moment it reopens. Snowbird is running Blister Summit events through Friday so expect crowds once access opens
- Canyon note: LCC IS CLOSED as of this morning for avalanche control per UDOT/WasatchRoads — 27°F lower canyon, 23°F mid-canyon, heavy traffic at 61% capacity already stacked at the mouth. Monitor WasatchRoads and UDOT alerts for reopening. BCC is open
- Avalanche danger: HIGH above treeline, CONSIDERABLE mid-mountain per Utah Avalanche Center — human-triggered avalanches are very likely on west, north, and east aspects above 30°. Do not duck ropes or leave marked terrain today. Read the full forecast before you go anywhere near steep terrain
- What’s coming: Snow continues through Friday morning before clearing Saturday. Weekend looks sunny with highs near 29–33°F. Total storm accumulation at Alta could reach 18–25″ by Friday morning
Mountain-by-mountain conditions
Alta
- Base: 82″ per Ski Utah; 0″ reported 24-hour (storm was still loading at report time) — significant accumulation happening now
- NWS: High near 24°F, 100% chance of snow, 5–9″ daytime. That’s mid-winter density in April — cold, low-moisture snow
- LCC closure means Alta access is currently blocked; when the canyon opens, expect a rush. First tracks will be long gone but there will still be untracked terrain on a mountain with 109+ runs open
- Alta closes in approximately 11 days — this is one of the final big powder days of the season
Takeaway: Alta will ski as well as any day this season once LCC opens — 24°F high with 5–9″ of cold snow on an 82″ base is exceptional by any measure, let alone for mid-April.
Solitude
- Base: 54″ per Ski Utah; also in LCC and affected by the same closure
- Forecast: 3–5″ daytime, high near 32°F per Ski Utah — slightly less than Alta/LCC upper elevation but still a legitimate storm
- Closing April 19 — this storm may be the last significant powder day before their spring closure. If you haven’t skied Solitude this season, today and tomorrow are your window
Takeaway: Solitude is caught in the LCC closure but will be worth it once open — 3–5″ on 54″ base with cold temperatures is one of their better late-season storm days.
Brighton
- Base: 56″ per Brighton resort conditions; 4″ reported in the last 24 hours — already ahead of this storm, more falling now
- BCC is open and accessible — the immediate best option while LCC remains closed
- Forecast: 2–4″ daytime, high near 33°F, 100% chance of snow per NWS Brighton forecast; gusts to 38 mph on exposed chairs — dress for it
- r/UTsnow community is debating today vs. Friday — the storm track is slightly north-tilted, which typically favors BCC on the leading edge
Takeaway: Brighton is the move right now — accessible, fresh snow already on the ground, more falling, and the only BCC option that survives the storm cycle with Solitude closing Saturday.
Snowbird
- Base: 89″ per SkiCentral — the deepest base of any open resort; 14 of 14 lifts and 144 of 169 runs open
- Forecast: 2–4″ daytime, high near 41°F at base, SW wind 10–16 mph with gusts to 37 mph per Ski Utah — base elevation warms things slightly vs. upper mountain
- Currently inaccessible due to LCC closure; Blister Summit gear demo event running through Friday will add crowds once access opens
- 89″ base is the deepest in LCC — the snowpack here will absorb this storm beautifully
Takeaway: Snowbird on 89″ of base with a cold storm loading is about as good as late-season skiing gets — get in line for LCC the moment it opens and commit to the wait.
The week ahead
Today and tonight are the core of the storm. The NWS Alta forecast calls for 5–9″ Thursday daytime, 10–14″ Thursday night, then continued snow Friday morning before tapering. Lows near 20°F Thursday night lock in density. Total storm accumulation at Alta upper mountain could reach 18–25″ before it’s done.
Friday will have additional snowfall in the morning — possibly another 2–4″ — then clearing by afternoon. Saturday is sunny with a high near 29°F, which means cold groomed powder on top of the storm snow. That’s a legitimate second-day opportunity, possibly even better than today if LCC access was difficult.
Sunday and Monday look warm and sunny (highs 34–41°F) before another potential system arrives Monday night per the extended NWS Snowbird forecast. The season’s final stretch may have more left in it than anyone expected.
Daily gear call
- What to wear: Full mid-winter kit — insulated jacket, waterproof pants, face mask, goggles, warm gloves. High of 24°F at Alta summit with wind chills near 4°F. This is not an April spring day — dress for January
- Ski choice: Your widest powder ski. 105mm+ underfoot. If it’s been sitting in the garage since February, today is the day. Widen your stance and let them float
- Goggle lens: Low-light or flat-light lens — heavy snowfall and storm light all day. Amber or rose tint. High-contrast lenses will blow out in the flat light
What local skiers are talking about
- r/UTsnow — today vs. Friday debate: the community is split on whether the storm track favors today or Friday; the consensus leans today for LCC upper mountain, Friday for anyone who can’t get up the canyon this morning
- WasatchRoads live LCC tracker — the most important bookmark of the day; update every 15–20 minutes to catch the canyon opening
- Utah Avalanche Center — HIGH danger above treeline today; read the full forecast and understand what that means before you think about anything beyond ski area boundaries
- OpenSnow Utah via Ski Utah — Evan Thayer called this storm correctly as a colder-than-typical April event; the low density is the key variable that makes this a 9/10 rather than a 6/10 wet spring storm
Bottom line
LCC is closed and the storm is heavy — that combination means patience this morning, but the reward is one of the best powder days of the entire 2025–26 season. Brighton is open and skiing well right now. Get there or get in line. Tonight adds another 10–14″. Friday morning is a legitimate second bite. This is why you keep your season pass through April.