Utah, Usa · Ikon / Mountain Collective
Snowbird
Snowbird: 2,500 acres, 988m vertical, 12.7m annual snow. Little Cottonwood Canyon's iconic aerial tram & tunnel.
Season 2025 - 2026
Opens
28 Nov 2025
Closes
26 May 2026
Days open
179
Annual snow
42ft
The Overview
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
Snowbird operates across 2,500 acres in Little Cottonwood Canyon with a vertical drop of 988 metres from the 3,353-metre Hidden Peak summit to the 2,365-metre base. The resort receives an average of 12.7 metres of annual snowfall and features 171 named runs, making it one of Utah's most snow-reliable destinations. The iconic Aerial Tram climbs 884 metres in seven minutes, providing direct summit access, whilst the unique 183-metre Peruvian Tunnel connects the front side to Mineral Basin through the mountain's interior.
Terrain splits decisively towards advanced riders, with 43 per cent advanced and 24 per cent expert runs, whilst intermediate trails account for 25 per cent and beginner terrain just 8 per cent. The mountain divides into three distinct zones: Peruvian Gulch with the resort's longest runs, Gad Valley offering tree skiing and upper bowls, and Mineral Basin's 500-acre backside bowl accessed via tunnel or tram. Signature advanced runs include Great Scott, Silver Fox, and the Cirque Traverse, whilst intermediates favour Mark Malu and Mineral Basin's forgiving blue terrain.
The compact base village centres on the Snowbird Center and four slopeside lodges including the Cliff Lodge, with concentrated facilities that include The Summit restaurant atop Hidden Peak at 3,353 metres. The resort attracts skilled locals and destination skiers pursuing steep terrain and deep powder, creating a no-nonsense atmosphere focused on serious skiing rather than village life. Weekends draw crowds from metropolitan Salt Lake City, whilst midweek operations remain quieter and powder stashes last longer.
Snowbird appears on both the Ikon Pass and Mountain Collective, with the Alta-Bird joint pass providing access to 5,114 combined acres across both Little Cottonwood Canyon resorts. The 2025-26 season ran from 28 November to 26 May, reflecting Utah's longest operating schedule. The mountain suits confident intermediates through experts who prioritise snow quality and challenging terrain over extensive beginner infrastructure, with the caveat that Baby Thunder lift often closes midweek, limiting novice options.
3,241ft
Vertical
171
Runs
2,500 acres
Skiable
42ft
Annual snow
Ikon / Mountain Collective
Pass
The Terrain
171 runs across 2,500 acres skiable
Snowbird spreads 171 runs across 2,500 acres skiable of terrain. It leans advanced at 43%, with 14 beginner runs to find your feet and 115 advanced or expert runs when you want to push.
Terrain split
171
runs
171 runs across 4 grades
Beginner14 runs · 8%
Intermediate43 runs · 25%
Advanced74 runs · 43%
Expert41 runs · 24%
Time it right
When to visit Snowbird
The 2025-26 season operated from 28 November 2025 through 26 May 2026, transitioning to weekends-only operations in the final weeks before closing. Snowbird typically opens by early December and extends Utah's longest ski season into late May, occasionally reaching Memorial Day weekend in high-snow years. The resort opened just before Thanksgiving in 2025 but closed earlier than the previous season due to below-average snowfall totals.
Snowbird averages 12.7 metres of annual snowfall, receiving over 500 inches most seasons due to lake-effect enhancement from the Great Salt Lake. The base elevation of 2,365 metres and summit reaching 3,353 metres provide consistent cold temperatures that preserve Utah's famously dry powder. The 2025-26 season recorded approximately 305 inches by closing, well below the typical 500-inch average, demonstrating the resort's vulnerability to warm winters despite its elevation advantage.
January through March delivers peak powder conditions with the highest frequency of storms, whilst December focuses on base-building and terrain opening. April offers exceptional spring skiing on Snowbird's north-facing slopes, where cold preservation extends powder quality beyond most Utah resorts. The resort typically achieves 84 per cent terrain open by Christmas, though steep pitches require substantial base depths of 1.5 metres or more to safely operate.
Snowbird does not offer night skiing but operates from 8 AM until 2 PM during late-season weekends. The resort hosts the Wasatch Wildflower Festival in summer, Cirque series trail running races, and Speedgoat by UTMB mountain running events. Free daily mountain tours depart from the Plaza Deck at 9:30 AM and 10:30 AM, whilst the resort's six webcams monitor conditions from Hidden Peak, Mineral Basin, Gad Valley, the tram bull pen, Peruvian Gulch, and the official snowstake.
Season 2025 - 2026
28 Nov 2025
Opens
26 May 2026
Closes
179
Days open
42 ft
Annual snow
Getting there
Getting to Snowbird, and where to stay
Snowbird sits in Little Cottonwood Canyon within the Wasatch Range of the Rocky Mountains, 10 kilometres up Highway 210 from the canyon mouth. The unincorporated community lies within the Wasatch-Cache National Forest, with the base village at 2,365 metres elevation surrounded by steep canyon walls. Alta Ski Area sits 1.6 kilometres up-canyon to the east, accessible via the Baldy Express chairlift from Mineral Basin, whilst the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon lies 19 kilometres north.
Salt Lake City sits 39 kilometres northwest, with downtown approximately 45 minutes by road in good conditions. The suburb of Sandy lies 19 kilometres from the resort at the canyon entrance, whilst Cottonwood Heights sits 21 kilometres away. Little Cottonwood Canyon's mining history dates to 1869 when silver was discovered at the Emma Mine, which produced $3.8 million in ore before closure in 1941, and the resort opened in December 1971 under founders Ted Johnson and Dick Bass.
Access follows Interstate 80 east from Salt Lake City, then Interstate 215 south to the 6200 South exit, which becomes Wasatch Boulevard before transitioning to Highway 210 up Little Cottonwood Canyon. The 10-kilometre canyon road frequently closes for avalanche control, sometimes for hours during active storm cycles. Parking reservations are recommended on weekends, with free lots filling by 7:45 AM on peak days, and the narrow canyon's avalanche terrain makes it one of North America's most hazardous ski access roads.
Salt Lake City International Airport sits 47 kilometres away via a 45-minute drive in clear conditions, offering over 600 daily flights with direct service to major US cities. The Utah Transit Authority operates the route 994 ski bus from multiple Salt Lake City locations to the Snowbird tram, costing $5 per ride with 30-minute frequency. Private shuttle services including Canyon Transportation provide door-to-door resort transfers, whilst many visitors stay at one of four slopeside lodges to avoid daily canyon driving.
Where to stay
Search all stays →Hotels and lodges near Snowbird, powered by Stay22.
Latest News
From the SnowStash desk
Spain Moves to Ban Smoking at Ski Resorts Under New Tobacco Law
Spain's government has approved a draft tobacco law that would ban smoking across a wide range of outdoor spaces, including sports venues - a category Spanish winter sports media expect to cover ski resorts, potentially extending to slopes and lifts themselves. The rules would also apply to e-cigarettes and vaping devices, even nicotine-free ones. The bill still has to clear the Spanish parliament before any ban, signage, or fines can take effect.
22 July 2026
South Tyrol Approves New 16-Person Ciampinoi Gondola in Val Gardena
South Tyrol has approved a full rebuild of the Ciampinoi cable car in Selva di Val Gardena, replacing the current 12-person gondola with a 16-person cabin and a new mountain-station restaurant. Capacity is capped at 3,200 people an hour rather than the 3,600 the operator wanted, and 250,000 euros must go toward compensatory measures. No construction or opening date has been set, though the upgrade is partly aimed at clearing bottlenecks before the 2031 Alpine Ski World Championships.
22 July 2026
Resort Spotlight: Hoshino Tomamu - Corporate Japan's Mountain Playground Revisited
Hoshino Tomamu is the ski resort equivalent of a conference hotel that happens to have excellent powder. Built for corporate retreats and package tourists, it offers genuine Hokkaido snow on surprisingly limited terrain - 29 runs spread across 585 vertical metres.
21 July 2026
La Thuile's New Cable Car Replaces Two Ageing Chairlifts
La Thuile is spending 38.7 million US dollars on a new 10-person cable car linking Les Suches to Chaz Dura, replacing the La Combe and Chaz Dura chairlifts after nearly forty years of service. Built by Leitner, the new cable car runs 1,950 metres to a top station at 2,576 metres, carrying up to 3,000 people an hour with a six-minute ride. It also improves the connection to La Rosiere in France via the Petit-Saint-Bernard Pass, and is on track to open for the 2026/27 season.
21 July 2026
The Remarkables Adds Scarpa Bowl to Its Inbounds Terrain
The Remarkables is adding new inbounds terrain for winter, bringing the Scarpa Bowl - known locally as the Toilet Bowl - into its lift-accessed network after years as backcountry-only ground. The roughly 500 metre run is reached by bootpacking from the top of the Sugar Bowl chairlift, with a shuttle picking skiers up from the road at the bottom. It's a smaller, faster addition than the resort's planned Doolans expansion, though the new terrain hasn't opened yet due to a lack of snow this season.
21 July 2026
Ski Portillo Cut Off After Storm Dumps More Than 4.5 Metres of Snow
Ski Portillo remains isolated after an extended storm buried the Chilean resort under more than 4.5 metres of snow, with both ground and air access suspended since Tuesday while crews monitor avalanche hazards and worsening weather. Resort officials say further snowfall is expected in the coming days and haven't set a timeline for reopening the mountain road. Once access resumes, the scale of the snowpack could set up a strong season at one of the Southern Hemisphere's most historic ski resorts.
21 July 2026
Resort Spotlight: Lotte Arai - Japan's Corporate Ski Anomaly With 22 Metres of Annual Snowfall
Lotte Arai receives 22 metres of annual snowfall - exceptional even by Japanese standards - but its corporate ownership model and limited terrain create an unusual cost-benefit equation. Here's what the numbers actually mean on the ground.
19 July 2026
Resort Spotlight: Banff Sunshine Village - Nine Metres of Snow and a Season That Runs Until May
Banff Sunshine Village sits at 1,660m base and receives 9.27m of snow annually. Inside Banff National Park, it offers a six-month season and terrain split that skews heavily advanced - though the crowds and lift infrastructure tell their own story.
18 July 2026
Trail map & terrain
Terrain split
171
runs
Beginner8%
Intermediate25%
Advanced43%
Expert24%
2,500 acres skiable1,012 hectares
Resort Stats
Elevation
Base7,759ft
Summit11,001ft
Annual snowfall
42ft
Season
2025 - 2026
28 Nov 2025 - 26 May 2026
Trail coverage
171 runs
2,500 acres (1,012 ha)
About Snowbird's trail map
Explore Snowbird's full trail map with 171 runs across the mountain, colour-coded by difficulty and shown alongside the terrain split. Use it to plan a day that matches your ability, find lift-served pockets of your favourite grade, and see how the resort links together. Download the piste map (PDF) ↗
More Snowbird intelligence: snow report, lift system, webcams, resort overview.