Little & Big Cottonwood Canyons Snow Conditions
The epicenter of the Wasatch Range and Utah's 'Greatest Snow on Earth'.
Rising steeply east of Salt Lake City, Little Cottonwood Canyon and Big Cottonwood Canyon receive enormous orographic lake-effect snowfalls averaging over 500 inches annually. Famous backcountry zones include Superior Peak, Wolverine Cirque, and Guardsman Pass.
Activity Profile:
0.0/10
Poor: Thin 0" base, softening at 50°F, calm winds.
Aggregated telemetry score tailored for Little & Big Cottonwood Canyons terrain and elevation profile.
Data Freshness & Provenance
Settled Base DepthUSDA SNOTEL Sensor
Just nowFresh
Recent Snowfall AccumulationAutomated Telemetry
Just nowFresh
7-Day Atmospheric ForecastOpen-Meteo Numerical Stream
< 1 min agoLive
Historical Baseline (% of Normal)NRCS / NOAA 1991–2020 Normals
30-Yr BenchmarkBenchmark
Settled Base DepthAlta Collins (Little Cottonwood)
Modeled (HRRR)
0in
SWE (Water Eq.)N/A
24h New Snow+0"
72h Storm Total+0"
Historical Season Baseline105% of Normal
Why Conditions Currently Look Limited
Positive Condition Drivers
- Calm 0 mph winds with low windchill
Limitations & Caution Factors
- Thin 0" cover with active rock & shark hazards
- High 50°F temp causes rapid snowpack degradation
Mathematical Point Contributions:
Base Depth: 0 ptsTemp Thaw: -6.2 pts
7-Day Snow & Weather Forecast
High-resolution Open-Meteo atmospheric forecast
7-Day Total: +17.0" Snow
TodayOct 2
28°16°
💨 12 mph
SatOct 3
24°12°
💨 18 mph
SunOct 4
26°14°
💨 10 mph
MonOct 5
32°18°
💨 8 mph
TueOct 6
34°20°
💨 14 mph
WedOct 7
27°15°
💨 20 mph
ThuOct 8
29°17°
💨 11 mph
2026–27 Snow Season & Historical Baselines
Current vs Typical for Date
1%-99% below typical
Historical Average Peak Depth
115"Typically late Feb – early Apr
Typical Recreation Season
November - MayCore winter snowpack window
Methodology: Baselines represent 30-year median snow water and depth records calculated by USDA NRCS / NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information.
Official Avalanche Advisory Required (Salt Lake)
SnowBase condition ratings score snow depth and meteorological quality, NOT avalanche danger. Before backcountry skiing or mountain riding, you must check the official regional avalanche forecast and carry rescue gear (beacon, shovel, probe).
View Official Avalanche Center Forecast →