Four inches fell in the Cottonwoods Monday, and overnight brought a bit more. Tuesday morning is the payoff window — calm winds, cold temps, and softened storm snow that hasn’t had time to set up. Get there early. By afternoon the clouds thin out and the consolidation clock starts running.
Overall day quality: 7/10 [███████░░░]
This is a solid follow-through day from Monday’s system — not a headline powder day, but meaningfully better than a groomer-only spring outing. The bigger story is what comes Thursday, when the next system arrives with the potential to drop 10–14 inches in the upper Cottonwoods.
Today’s quick take
- New snow: 4″ reported across Alta, Brighton, and Solitude overnight; Ski Utah shows 4″ 24-hour across the Cottonwood resorts as of this morning
- Best move: Alta or Brighton first thing — Powder.com forecasters specifically call out these two for the best Tuesday turns with 3–5″ of lighter snow and calm winds
- Canyon note: LCC and BCC are running normally; no significant storm-related access issues expected today
- Avalanche danger: Ratings are elevated from Monday’s storm cycle — check the Utah Avalanche Center before going near any steep terrain; storm slabs and deeper weak layers remain a concern on north and east aspects above 30°
- What’s coming: Wednesday clears out completely, then Thursday brings the season’s biggest remaining storm — NWS Alta point forecast calls for 5–9″ Thursday daytime and 10–14″ Thursday night, with totals potentially pushing 20″+ by Friday morning
Mountain-by-mountain conditions
Alta
- Base: 84″ — strong late-season depth for mid-April
- New snow: 4″ overnight per Ski Utah; OnTheSnow shows 5 of 8 lifts and 109 of 118 runs open (92%)
- Temps: High near 31°F today, low 22°F tonight — cold enough to preserve the morning surface through mid-morning
- Wind: NWS has N winds around 8 mph — essentially calm for Alta standards
- Snow showers possible after noon with little additional accumulation expected today
Takeaway: Alta is the first call today — near-full terrain open, cold calm morning, and 4″ of fresh on an 84″ base is as good as mid-April gets in the Wasatch.
Solitude
- Base: 58″ mid-mountain per Ski Utah (65″ upper per skiresort.info)
- New snow: 4″ overnight; 5 of 9 lifts open, 36% of terrain — thinner coverage than LCC neighbors
- High near 31°F, NW wind 9–13 mph — reasonable, but slightly windier than Alta
- Closing April 19 with a planned spring reopener April 24–26 per Ski Utah
Takeaway: Solitude’s terrain is more limited right now with only 36% open, and the upcoming closure makes Thursday’s storm timing tricky — worth knowing before you plan around it.
Brighton
- Base: 56″ per Ski Utah; 4″ overnight
- Open 9 AM – 4 PM; terrain and lift status loading on the resort site but operations appear normal
- High near 33°F, NW wind 8–11 mph — similar to Alta, slightly more moderate elevation means a touch warmer by afternoon
- Powder.com pairs Brighton with Alta as the top call for Tuesday turns
Takeaway: Brighton is the BCC answer to Alta — same overnight refresh, good terrain coverage, and a slightly mellower crowd making it an underrated Tuesday option.
Snowbird
- Base: 75″ per Ski Utah; 4″ in the 24-hour window
- Open 9 AM – 5 PM; SkiCentral shows 14 of 14 lifts and 144 of 169 runs open — widest terrain availability on the mountain
- High near 41°F today — warmer than Alta/Solitude/Brighton at Snowbird’s base elevation, which means afternoon softening will arrive sooner
- Wind: N winds 6–11 mph, manageable for the ridgelines
Takeaway: Snowbird has the most open terrain in LCC and the deepest base at 75″, but the warmer base temps mean you’re on a tighter morning window before conditions soften — be up top by 9 AM.
The week ahead
Wednesday is a gift — sunny, calm, highs near 37–40°F depending on elevation. Use it for a resort day or don’t; the real reason to care about Wednesday is that the snowpack gets a chance to consolidate and settle before Thursday’s loading begins.
Thursday is the main event. The NWS Alta point forecast calls for 5–9″ daytime Thursday with 10–14″ Thursday night — a potential 15–20″+ storm total through Friday morning. Models have been consistent on this system. The density could be heavier given the 34°F daytime high, but Thursday night dropping to 20°F should tighten it up. This is the storm worth clearing your schedule for.
Friday morning is the question mark — more snow showers possible with some thundersnow, then it clears by Saturday. OpenSnow Utah has been tracking this system as one of the more significant late-season events remaining on the calendar.
Daily gear call
- What to wear: Full mid-winter kit this morning — insulated layers, goggles, face coverage. Temps in the 20s at summit with light wind. By early afternoon you can shed a layer but don’t get complacent; it’s still April in the Wasatch
- Ski choice: Your all-mountain or powder ski — the 4″ of fresh on top of Monday’s base is soft enough to reward float but not so deep you need full powder planks. 95–105mm underfoot is the sweet spot today
- Goggle lens: Low-light or all-conditions lens for the morning; storm light with some flat-light patches. By midday a medium-VLT lens works fine as the sky opens up
What local skiers are talking about
- r/UTsnow — the community is watching Thursday’s storm closely after Monday’s system delivered as advertised; conversation is centered on whether Thursday’s totals hold up as models sharpen
- OpenSnow Utah (Evan Thayer) — tracking Thursday’s system as a legitimate late-season event; expects the Cottonwoods to outperform the Park City side on this one
- Powder.com Utah forecast — specifically calls Tuesday at Alta and Brighton for the best turns before the mid-week clear
- Utah Avalanche Center — elevated danger persists from Monday’s loading; read the full forecast before going anywhere near steep terrain today
Bottom line
Tuesday is a genuine ski day — not a drop-everything powder day, but a morning of soft storm snow on a deep base with calm conditions and most terrain open. If you went Monday, go again. If you skipped Monday, today is your second chance before Wednesday’s clear. And then Thursday arrives, and the conversation changes entirely.