Alta Ski Area is now closed as they prepare for opening on the 29th. Access to Grizzly Gulch and the Catherine's area via the Summer Road will remain open. The open and closed resorts have different uphill travel policies. C
heck with each resort for the current information.
Terrain in unopened resorts must be treated as backcountry.
The First Annual Statewide Avalanche Awareness Week is December 2-7. We have a week full of fun and educational events planned. Check out the schedule
here.
First the bad news: The Alta Guard station has recorded snowfall from November to April since 1945 (Alta Snowfall by Month chart
HERE). We currently have the driest November on record with 3" for the month. 1977 recorded 13" for the month of November.
Now the good news: We'll likely move out of last place by tomorrow morning and certainly later in the week as two storms are set to bring significant snowfall to the mountains. (Though we'll still be a bit shy of 94/95 November snowfall of 205").
Currently, skies are partly cloudy but as of 530, the radar tells the tale: snowfall should begin this morning and last throughout the day with perhaps 4-8+" by tonight with another couple overnight. The cold front crashes the dry spell by about midday.
Temps are in the mid to upper twenties but will fall to the low teens and near 10°F tonight. Winds are westerly at 15mph and may be gusty at times from the northwest with frontal passage.
1-2 feet of snow exists on the shady mid and upper elevation slopes of the upper Cottonwoods, and 6-18 inches at the upper elevations along the Park City ridgeline. Southeast through south through west facing terrain generally has this storm snow over bare ground.
More good news: we'll see significant snowfall (and some wind) with the two storms this week.
More bad news: the storm snow will fall on an exceedingly weak base and avalanches will be all but certain, becoming more likely and more dangerous as the week wears on. See more below -
Ski area avalanche control work produced a couple shallow 4-8" soft slabs in the highest most exposed terrain of upper Little Cottonwood canyon yesterday.