As of May 28, 2019 at 6:38pm there had been 711″ of snowfall for the 2018-19 season at the Mid-Gad snow study plot located in Snowbird. ❄️
As of July 10, 2019 that was “all she wrote.” A substantial Winter season to be sure.
Records? I think so. Granted I’m comparing Mid-Gad snow study plot to the Alta Guard station study plot, so it’s not exact. But, if you look at season totals on the link below you will see that there are only 2 seasons where we’ve had 700″ or more at Alta Guard. Regardless as to if it’s any sort of official record, we had a hell of a lot of snow during the 2018-19 Winter. In my book 711 inches at Mid-Gad is rather rare and is certainly noteworthy. (Ya, but then there was the 2022-23 season which blew the doors off of 2018-19! See “Avalanches in Big & Little Cottonwood Canyon Early April 2023“)
Five seasons of 650″ or more at Alta Guard Station:
(Source: Utah Avalanche Center: Snowfall at Alta Guard 1945- Present)
- 5) ’92-93: 650.4″
- 4) ’07-08: 654.0″
- 3) ’81-82: 696.0″
- 2) ’83-84: 743.5″
- 1) ’94-95: 745.4″
Mid-Gad is a bit more exposed than Alta Guard and is 478′ higher. Both are in the upper reaches of Little Cottonwood Canyon. There are a few other differentiating characteristics but I’m going to say other than elevation they are roughly equivalent.
- Alta Guard snow study plot stats – Alta Guard is at 8799′ elevation
- Mid-Gad snow depth season data – Mid-Gad is at 9177′ elevation
Snotel listing current conditions:
Discussion on “When Will Snowbird Close” for 2018-19 by Jim Steenburgh.
It turns out that Snowbird was open for skiing and boarding on July 4th, 2019. It’s not very often that they are able to do that. As you’ll see in the photos below there was a lot of rock-skiing/boarding going on that day at The ‘Bird. Non-lift served skiing was still being had after that date by the true die-hards. (Take a look at the Utah Backcountry Ski Touring closed group on Facebook where someone summitted and skied Kings Peak in the Uintahs on July 7th. Dedicated die-hards to be sure.)
“Red, blue and a whole lot of white: Snowbird opened for skiing on the Fourth of July for only the fifth time in 48 years” published in the Salt Lake Tribune, July 5, 2019.
Image by Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune. – James Perry, from Salt Lake City, makes his way down the hill while waving a flag and dressed for the Fourth of July on the last ski day of the year at Snowbird Ski Resort on Thursday, July 4, 2019.
Images by Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune.
