Wasatch Mountains, UT, Report: Brutishly Deep Pow and Blistering Cold

Report from Thursday, February 23, 2023

Yesterday we got to the trailhead in the wee hours of the morning to ski before we had to go into work and it was cold. 

Two pairs of gloves, blistering cold.

The windy ridgeline before our first descent was another level—wind chill had to have been in the negative teens.

We transitioned quickly and skied a low angle, east-facing shot in Big Cottonwood Canyon that was slightly wind-affected, ultra-deep powder. 

Avalanche danger was considerable—three feet of snow had fallen in the past two days. 

I had my 124 underfoot ON3Ps on and it was barely enough.

The snow was a consistent waist-deep depth for the whole line. 

At the bottom we threw skins back on and set out for another line in protected evergreen trees, this time west-facing. 

Skiing down here it was literally almost too deep to ski, and 70% of the run was spent trying to keep enough speed to not get swallowed whole by the pow. 

Towards the bottom the pitch got a little steeper and we made some smooth, sensational turns in brutishly deep powder. 

It was the deepest day I had touring this season and one of the deepest I’ve ever had.

At some point earlier this winter, the faucet turned on for the Wasatch, the handle broke off, and it’s just been spewing snow…

We ain’t complaining though! 

Avalanche Forecast

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