Snowbird snowstake camera at ~11:30am on Monday, October 12th.
Snowbird snowstake camera at ~11:30am on Monday, October 12th.

Snow has arrived in Utah’s Cottonwood Canyons, giving all of us an early reminder that the 2026-27 winter season is getting closer. Solitude Mountain Resort, Alta Ski Area, and Brighton Resort all shared snowfall to their social media, while all four of the Cottonwood Canyon ski areas (Snowbird is the 4th) show some serious snow on their live cameras.

Snow Reaches Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons

Brighton noted that the weather would keep the resort closed for mountain biking, disc golf, and scenic lift rides.

The snowfall is an encouraging sign for Utah skiers eager to get back on the slopes after the summer break. This early-season snow certainly doesn’t mean the slopes will open immediately, but it does feel very nice to see.

Alta Reports First Measurable Snowfall

Over in Little Cottonwood Canyon, Alta Ski Area announced its first measurable snowfall of the season. The resort encouraged followers to keep an eye on its mountain cameras over the coming days as the weather system moved through the region.

Snowbird’s snowstake currently shows around an inch of snow with plenty more coming down. Despite the impressive snowfall that seems to be gathering at the tops of the mountains, it looks like the base of the mountains are currently just receiving rain.

A single early-season storm is not enough to establish how the winter will unfold, but measurable snowfall at Alta, Snowbird, Solitude, and Brighton certainly serves as an exciting preview of the season ahead.

Nolan Deck is a writer for Unofficial Networks, covering skiing and outdoor adventure. After growing up and skiing in Maine, he moved to the Denver area for college where he continues to live and work...