Best Backcountry Skiing in Utah
Trying to find the best backcountry skiing in Utah? Bivy has great hiking, biking, paddling, climbing, skiing, riding and more, with hand-curated trail maps, as well as detailed driving directions.
Utah, Salt Lake County
04 :11 hrs
6.5 mi
789.8418 ft
S4+
Benson hedges is a hidden couloir away from the traffic of upper Cardiff fork. It is tricky to find the entrance and the approach is quite exposed to large avy paths. Once in the couloir, you are greeted with high rock walls and just enough width to make jump turns comfortably. Exit out Cardiff.
Utah, Salt Lake County
02 :09 hrs
2.7 mi
703.0996 ft
S5
This is a great road side adventure. You boot pack up the famous Y couloir but take the right fork 3/4 the way up. Once you reach the top of the fork, look for a weakness in the ridge on the right. This will lead you to the head of the Y Not. A little over halfway down the couloir gets steeper and begins to narrow to not much wider than your skis. You will see anchors for the rappel on skiers left. You will need a 100 ft rope.
Utah, Salt Lake County
03 :45 hrs
5.3 mi
651.19434 ft
S4
This is the approach to the top of Tuscarora from Little Cottonwood Canyon. It walks across the top of wolverine cirque with great views of both Big and Little Cottonwood canyons. The seagull is a great chute ~700 vertical feet before it opens up to a big apron and you can let loose into the open bowl. There are multiple ways to approach this and plenty of options to ski off of Mt. Tuscarora if chute skiing is not your thing. You can keep heading downhill and you will end up at Brighton resort or you can exit with a short climb up and over Cathrine's pass into Alta ski resort. Map shows the exit via Alta.
Utah, Alta
03 :29 hrs
5.9 mi
1011.7407 ft
S3+
This area is a giant playground for skiing and is known for some of the best ski terrain in the country. It sees a solid snow pack each year with endless possibilities that vary from easy to deadly. This tour begins in Little Cottonwood and Canyon and ends in Big Cottonwood Canyon. This is high-risk avalanche terrain and expert backcountry skills and judgment are essential in this terrain. Park at the upper parking lot at Alta. Follow a dirt road passing Our Lady of the Snows Church and angle towards Cardiff Pass. Traverse the ridge to Mt. Superior. Drop northeast into what is known as Cardiac Bowl and down to Mill D South Fork (aka Cardiff Fork).
Utah, Alta
02 :45 hrs
3.7 mi
691.18335 ft
S4-
This area is a giant playground for skiing and is known for some of the best ski terrain in the country. It sees a solid snow pack each year with endless possibilities that vary from easy to deadly. Park at the upper parking lot of Alta located up Little Cottonwood Canyon. Follow a dirt road passing Our Lady of the Snows Church and angle towards the ridge observing conditions carefully. Once your reach the high point known as Cardiff Pass, traverse the rugged west ridge that leads to the summit of Superior. Descend off the south face to the canyon road. You will have a short walk back up to the trailhead.
Utah, Salt Lake County
03 :13 hrs
5.6 mi
704.6987 ft
S4-
Silver Fork is a good day tour with some excellent tree skiing on the head wall of its east bowl. There are many ways to arrive at the top of Silver Fork this route allows you to forgo a shuttle vehicle with a little help from the transit system in Big Cottonwood Canyon. Skiing in Silver fork can be hazardous; there are a multitude of terrain traps and many slide paths are crossed or skied when negotiating it. Much of the climb on this tour can be shaved off using the lifts at Solitude Ski Resort to reach the Highway to Heaven gate and heading for Twin Lakes Pass. Avalanche danger in this area can be extreme; adventurers should have a shovel, probe and transceiver and the skills to use them.
Utah, Alta
01 :58 hrs
2.5 mi
582.3384 ft
S3
This area is a giant playground for skiing and is known for some of the best ski terrain in the country. It sees a solid snow pack each year with endless possibilities that vary from easy to deadly. Park at the upper parking lot of Alta located up Little Cottonwood Canyon. Follow a dirt road passing Our Lady of the Snows Church and head north to gain the east ridge of Flagstaff Mountain. Drop down the west ridge and into what is known as Toledo Bowl.
Utah, Salt Lake County
03 :23 hrs
5.4 mi
575.7085 ft
S3-
This area offers quality snow and is a popular place to find some fresh snow. Park at Spruces Campground and follow the Mill D North Fork past Dog Lake and ascend the peak. Find a line off the northeast face to descend back to your approach trail.
Utah, Tooele County
03 :56 hrs
1.9 mi
912.3694 ft
S4
Deseret Peak is the tallest mountain in the Stansbury Mountain Range and rises with more than 5,000 ft. of prominence. The east couloir offers a narrow chute big enough for two sets of tracks down. The trailhead begins at a campground near the end of South Willow Road. The gate may be closed during high snowpack years and would add some distance to your approach. Climb directly up Mill Fork towards the summit and locate the east couloir. It’s well protected from the sun but wind can leave a crust. Follow your approach as the descent.
Utah, Utah County
05 :59 hrs
9.5 mi
1728.0079 ft
S3
Mount Timpanogas dominates the Utah Valley skyline and offers endless terrain for backcountry skiing. With over 5,000 ft. of prominence the vertical drops are epic. Beginning at the Aspen Grove Trailhead, this approach route follows the summer trail to the summit ridge. The descent drops off the summit ridge into the southwest bowl to the valley floor with over 3,000 vertical feet to ski. Intersect the summer trail in dry canyon. Leave a shuttle vehicle or arrange for a ride.
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