WEATHER

Four Utah resorts eclipse their all-time snowfall records

Mar 27, 2023, 5:30 PM | Updated: 7:09 pm

SALT LAKE COUNTY, UtahFour of Utah’s ski resorts set new records over the weekend for their snowiest winters ever. Alta, Deer Valley, Solitude and Snowbasin have more snow piled up than ever before, and they’re still adding more.

Alta shattered its record of 748 inches, which was the deepest of any of Utah’s resorts. That was set in the winter of 1981-1982, and it’s possible they’ll surpass 800 inches this winter.  

It hasn’t been easy getting the mountain ready to go every day.

“Our Alta team has worked tirelessly, just shoveling and keep up with the snow, and making sure we can run the lifts,” said Andria Huskinson, communications manager for the Alta Ski Area.

Little Cottonwood Canyon was closed again Monday morning until 11:30 for avalanche control, which seems only fitting in this season for the record books.

“I think we’re rooting for that 800 inches,” Huskinson said. “That’s a big number. We’ll see what Mother Nature delivers.”

Up at Solitude, they eclipsed 700 inches for the first time since they started keeping records, and there’s a lot more snow still in the forecast.

“It’s like thick and creamy and all kinds of wonderful,” said Michelle Behrend. 

Behrend was at Snowbasin when they broke their record Saturday, and she was enjoying seven inches of fresh snow at Solitude on Monday. It’s her third season skiing on the Wasatch Front and easily her best ever.

“This is probably my 75th day on the mountain this season. It’s great,” she said. 

Solitude broke its record of 675 inches, which was set in the 2004-2005 season. 

“We were a little bit behind pace. We didn’t think we were going to make it,” said Travis Holland, communications manager for Solitude Ski Resort. “But after over 180 inches in March alone, we blew right past that record, and we’re over 700 inches now.”

This will also be Solitude’s longest season ever. They opened a week early back in November and they’ve extended the season to May 21. The resort will remain open seven days a week until May 7 and two bonus weekends after that.

Utah ski resorts extending seasons due to heavy snowpack

“It’s just been consistent snowfall every month, all season long. We really haven’t had a break from it,” Holland said.

“It’s been about as good as it gets. It is filled in, and I can ski down steep stuff fast,” said Brad Callister. 

Callister grew up skiing in Utah and has more than 40 seasons on the mountain.  He’s optimistic there will be more like this one. 

“They’re going to start lining up now,” he said. “It’s just a matter of the jet stream. It goes a little north; jet stream goes a little south. And this year, it’s right on target.“

Right now, Alta still plans to close April 23 due to work arrangements, but there will still be plenty of skiing in Utah in May. 

KSL 5 TV Live

Weather

Lighting storm in Salt Lake City. (Courtesy: Paige Higley)...

Michael Houck

Lightning storm causes power outage in Salt Lake City

Over a thousand Rocky Mountain Power customers are without power due to a passing lighting storm Sunday evening. 

16 days ago

Northern lights by trappers loop...

Michael Houck

Northern lights could return to Utah

The northern lights could be visible to northern Utahns Sunday night, according to weather experts.

23 days ago

A makeshift cannel leading to the Bear Lake. (KSLTV)...

Shelby Lofton and Michael Houck

Garden City digs channels to redirect snowmelt to Bear Lake

Several neighborhoods are under a state of emergency as Garden City families are working to redirect the water coming down the mountain.

27 days ago

Emigration Creek water levels close to the dinner. (KSLTV)...

Dan Rascon

Flood warning in effect for Emigration Creek as spring runoff raises water levels

Emigration Canyon is under flood watch as the waters in the creek are running very high and very fast Monday.

29 days ago

The homepage of the floodhazards.utah.gov website....

Michael Houck

Utah officials launch flood watch, resources website

Utah's Division of Emergency Management released its 2023 spring runoff and flooding website Monday.

29 days ago

(Utah Department of Transportation)...

Madison Swenson

Big and Little Cottonwood canyons facing closures due to avalanche hazard

Closures up Big and Little Cottonwood canyons are set to continue Tuesday due to avalanche concerns, according to the Utah Department of Transportation.

29 days ago

Sponsored Articles

Asian little girl playing arcade game on the computer machines at the shopping mall outlets...

Get Out Pass

Family Fun Activities in Utah You Have to Try This Summer

These family fun activities will entertain you all summer, so if you ever feel stuck in a rut wondering what to do, refer to this guide!

Woman IT specialist in elegant suit working on notebook computer in data center next to server rack...

Les Olson

Your Complete Guide to Outsourcing IT Services

This guide covers everything you need to know about the different benefits of outsourcing IT services to meet your small business needs.

diverse group of friends dance outside under string lights...

Lighting Design

5 Frequently Asked Questions About Outdoor Lighting

Read for the most frequently asked questions about outdoor lighting to help narrow the search for your home.

Stack of old laptops with dark background...

PC Laptops

Old Laptop Upgrades You Need to Try Before Throwing it Away

Get the most out of your investment. Try these old laptop upgrades before throwing it out to keep it running fast and efficient.

Happy diverse college or university students are having fun on their graduation day...

BYU MBA at the Marriott School of Business

How to Choose What MBA Program is Right for You: Take this Quiz Before You Apply!

Wondering what MBA program is right for you? Take this quiz before you apply to see if it will help you meet your goals.

Close up of an offset printing machine during production...

Les Olson IT

Top 7 Reasons to Add a Production Printer to Your Business

Learn about the different digital production printers and how they can help your company save time and money.

Four Utah resorts eclipse their all-time snowfall records