Checking the Avy Report: SkiBuds in Little Cottonwood and the Utah Backcountry
SkiBuds
Editor's note: This story describes backcountry riding. Before entering avalanche terrain, check the Utah Avalanche Center forecast, carry a transceiver, shovel and probe, practice companion rescue, and ride with a trained partner. Neither equipment nor training removes the risk. Start with how to read an avalanche forecast.
Utah's Little Cottonwood Canyon comes up again and again in the SkiBuds archive. Founder Stephen Phillips spent the first months of the 2020 lockdown there, close to Alta. A year later the account was posting Snowbird laps with people met on the slopes, sledding and touring days, and one simple photo of a rider checking the avalanche forecast. This story follows those posts, with their publication dates, and what they suggest about finding a partner for the backcountry.
Lockdown near Alta
In March 2020 resorts across North America closed. In his history of SkiBuds, Stephen wrote that he flew back to Salt Lake City and stayed for the first two months of the lockdown “in little cottonwood, close to Alta.” On March 27, 2020 the account announced it would stop posting new riding photos “to respect all those who chose to stay inside or are unable to go backcountry due to county ordinances,” and asked followers to be kinder to each other online: “Self isolation is not easy and I am here for everyone of you who needs a friend during this time.”
That July, the account looked back on the best day of the season: “Favorite run and day of the season- backcountry in Salt Lake City across the street from alta.” It added advice that still applies every summer: “With summer comes a time to get prepared for next season by making sure to refresh your backcountry skills so you are ready when the pow drops.”
Alta itself is a ski-only mountain, so snowboarders need a different resort, such as its neighbor Snowbird. If your group mixes skiers and snowboarders, check each mountain's policy before you choose one. Our Alta guide also notes that during the posted 2026/27 reservation period Alta requires parking reservations from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday through Sunday and on holidays. Choose between the Albion and Wildcat bases before arranging a carpool.
Snowbird with new riding partners
The 2020/21 season brought more Utah days. On February 19, 2021 the account posted from Snowbird: “Easily the worst snow of the year, but good to meet up with shredder @mlehr2 and explore a bit of @snowbird.” Not every day with a new partner has to be a powder day. A firm, quiet day is a good time to learn how someone rides.
In April the account posted a sunny family photo: “Bluebird day with the fam @snowbird.” Snowbird has three distinct arrival and rental locations, Creekside, Snowbird Center and the Cliff Lodge, so our Snowbird guide recommends naming the lodge and a landmark such as the Snowbird Center Plaza Deck when you arrange to meet.
“Backcountry is still pretty unstable”
The same day as that Snowbird meetup, the account posted a photo of a skin track crossing a steep slope, with a warning: “Backcountry is still pretty unstable in Utah. Who has been going out this year and where have you been riding?” Three days earlier, at Park City, it had written that “tree wells and avy danger are super high and it's imperative to have someone with you if something goes wrong.”
On March 17 came the most useful photo in the Utah archive: a rider on a sunny slope looking at a phone, captioned “Just checking the avy report before doing some backcountry.” That is the habit that matters most. The Utah Avalanche Center publishes daily forecasts for the Wasatch, and our guide to reading an avalanche forecast explains the danger scale, avalanche problems and how they affect where you ride.
From resort laps to touring with someone new
On March 12, 2021 the account posted: “Nothing like meeting some cool people on the slopes today then heading into the backcountry for some laps and sledding.” Two weeks later it posted a backcountry day spent building a jump with another rider, and in April a series of touring days: “Not a bad day lots of freshies in the backcountry,” then “Backcountry laps... Flag and clouds.”
Meeting someone at the resort and touring with them the same day is a big step. In the backcountry your partner is your rescue plan. Before you go out with someone new, talk through:
- Training and experience. What avalanche courses have you each taken, and how recently have you practiced a rescue?
- Equipment. Does everyone have a transceiver, shovel and probe, and have you done a transceiver check at the trailhead?
- Today's forecast. Read it together, and agree on which slopes and aspects you will avoid.
- The plan and the turnaround. Agree on the route, a turnaround time and that anyone can call it off without argument.
- Who knows where you are. Leave your plan with someone who is not coming.
If any answer is “no,” ride the resort together first. Our guide to finding a backcountry ski partner covers this in more depth. Snowmobile access adds its own risks and rules, so check where machines are allowed and travel with someone who knows the terrain.
Why Utah keeps coming back
On March 10, 2021 the account posted a wide view of the Wasatch with its own short summary: “There is a reason Utah is one of the best places to shred in the world. It's steep, it's beautiful, and the powder is second to none.” Those same steep slopes are why the habits in this story matter. Ride with a partner, read the forecast, and get the training before you need it.
Every resort mentioned here has a SkiBuds guide with terrain by ability, arrival advice and a snow forecast. Start with Utah ski resorts, and read Park City powder days with new ski buddies for the resort side of the same winter.
Questions riders ask
Can snowboarders ride at Alta?
No. Alta is a ski-only mountain. Snowboarders can ride neighboring Snowbird, also in Little Cottonwood Canyon. Mixed groups of skiers and snowboarders should choose a mountain that allows both.
Where can I check the avalanche forecast in Utah?
The Utah Avalanche Center publishes forecasts for the state's mountains, including the Salt Lake area. Read it before every backcountry day and agree with your partners on which slopes to avoid. Our avalanche forecast guide explains the danger scale.
How do I find a backcountry partner in Utah?
Take an avalanche course and stay in touch with classmates, join a local touring group or club, and ride the resort with a new partner before heading into the backcountry together. Our backcountry partner guide has a checklist.
Photos and quotations come from posts on the SkiBuds Instagram account between March 2020 and April 2021, and from Stephen Phillips's 2021 history article. Dates are the dates the posts were published.