The Best Ski Tours Near Alta and Snowbird

Ski the perfect powder and diverse backcountry terrain of Little Cottonwood Canyon.

Resort Ski Touring, Ski Touring Easy, Moderate, Difficult, Severe

Description

Alta is the famous skiers-only resort topping 2500 acres, and Snowbird is its equally-huge next door neighbor. Both of them bask in a whopping 540 inches of annual snowfall and are located only 45 minutes from downtown Salt Lake City, at the end of the steep and curvy drive up Little Cottonwood Canyon. Despite their immensity, the two resorts do not occupy all the terrain at the head of this canyon. Untouched mountains rise on either side, creating vast terrain for backcountry skiers and riders to explore. When driving up the canyon, the view is of a jagged skyline and plummeting couloirs. Their names denote legendary ski objectives: Mount Superior, Pfeifferhorn, Thunder Mountain, and more.

If you come to Little Cottonwood with your sights set on these peaks, you will certainly not be alone. This is one of Salt Lake’s top backcountry skiing destinations, thanks to the supreme quality and easy access. You will also share the road with traffic bound for Alta and Snowbird, which often stalls the highway to a crawl. The congestion is no reason not to go, but it does necessitate an early start and a solid game plan.

Use this guidebook to explore the lines you might ski, and use the information as a starting point for preparation. In each description, you’ll find details of the route, some clues to the conditions you’ll want, and an idea of the skillset you’ll need to get safely up and down. Though there are some mellow tours in Little Cottonwood, many of these lines are advanced undertakings with serious consequences. Even if they remain out of reach for now, use this guide for the inspiration to someday get there!

Routes included

Dry Fork

Short steep laps

Difficult Ski Touring

Distance: 367 m
Ascent: 5 m
Descent: 90 m

Scotty's Approach

This is the safest way to approach the classic north facing powder run, called Scotty's Bowl.

Difficult Ski Touring

Distance: 1.5 km
Ascent: 463 m
Descent: 18 m

Lake Peak Chute

Lake Peak Chute is a fun little gem deep in the Wasatch.

Severe Ski Touring

Distance: 4.7 km
Ascent: 53 m
Descent: 972 m

Little Pine

Little Pine is the king of S facing lines in Little Cottonwood Canyon.

Difficult Ski Touring

Distance: 1.6 km
Ascent: 0 m
Descent: 956 m

Rocky Point

Short bowl skiing littered with cliffs

Difficult Ski Touring

Distance: 354 m
Ascent: 1 m
Descent: 129 m

Sunset Peak

North facing lines down to Catherine Lake.

Difficult Ski Touring

Distance: 320 m
Ascent: 0 m
Descent: 176 m

Grizzly Gulch

The most popular backcountry ski area in the state

Moderate Ski Touring

Distance: 686 m
Ascent: 127 m
Descent: 1 m

Birthday Chutes at Snowbird

The Birthday Chutes are some of the most classic sidecountry lines in the Wasatch. Snowbird doesn't open the gates to ski these all that often so touring up to them is a great option.

Difficult Ski Touring