8 Reasons to Ski Utah
At the heart of Utah’s ski community is the incredible powder snow—the fluffiest, driest and most plentiful you’ll find anywhere. It's what we call The Greatest Snow on Earth®. Indeed…we feel so strongly about that claim that it's been trademarked. Since 1975 the state of Utah has held the trademark, but its history began long before that.
But why is Utah’s Snow THE Greatest?
It all boils down to consistency, quality and storm totals. We get storms that are “just right” for deep powder skiing. We call them Goldilocks storms. But, unlike Goldilocks’ opinion that her chair was just right, Utah’s claim of having The Greatest Snow on Earth® is backed up by science. Cold. Fluffy. Powdery. Facts. More on that here.
8 Reasons to Believe the hype of The Greatest Snow on Earth®
| #1 | Annual Snowfall |
Utah receives 500 inches of snow annually. In 2022–23 Utah saw a record-breaking season with 903 inches of snow falling at Alta Ski Area. Relive the incredible season above.
| #2 | Snow Quality |
Utah’s inland continental climate and high elevations allow for cold air to accompany most of our storms. This cold air leads to frequent low-density snow. Snow density refers to the amount of water content in the snow. Lower-density snow is considered higher quality for skiing/snowboarding, as it has less water per inch of snow accumulation – aka “fluff factor.” Utah’s storms tend to cool with time, which means medium-density snow falls early in the storm. This fills in bumps and provides the necessary “float.” Then, colder air at the tail end of storms allows for low-density snow to pile on top – this is the fluffy stuff that provides for Utah’s famous powder faceshots.
| #3 | Utah Powder Days (UPD) |
Utah has 24 Utah Powder Days (UPDs) per season on average. We define a UPD as 12” or more falling within a 24-hour period at one or more of our state’s resorts. These storms make for pretty incredible powder skiing days after a storm. If you live locally, you might have noticed our sign changes colors. The colors signify storm warnings and UPDs. Learn more about this beacon of light shedding positive news to snow lovers across the valley.
| #4 | Accessibility to the Snow |
With 10 resorts within an hour of SLC International Airport, you’re never far from the pow.
| #5 | Spring Snowfall |
Forego the beach vacay! On average, Utah receives 80” of snow in April. Pair that with warm spring sunshine, and it’s a heavenly powder paradise. Many resorts stay open through the end of April, conditions permitting, for spring enthusiasts to enjoy as much snow-sliding as possible.
| #6 | Utah Has Always Been at the Forefront of Avalanche Mitigation |
Avalanche forecasting and mitigation in North America got its start in Little Cottonwood Canyon at Alta Ski Area in 1939, and we’ve been at the forefront ever since. Dive in to learn more about the history of avy mitigation from the early days at Alta, and see how far we’ve come with advancements in technology, from utilizing military artillery to modern-day systems that are controlled remotely.
| #7 | Lake Effect |
What in the world is lake effect? Simply put, it has to do with cold storms moving across the relatively warm Great Salt Lake, sucking up moisture, and then pushing up into the mountains. But we’ll leave it up to local weather experts, Kevin Eubank, Craig Gordon, Evan Thayer and Jim Steenburgh to dive in and explain this incredible phenomenon.
| #8 | Number of Ski Days Per Year |
Trust us when we say there’s A LOT of skiing to be had. Over the past five years, we’ve averaged 143 days of skiing per year. Skiing 40% of the year isn’t too shabby for a state that is also famous for its red rock desert and five national parks. And for a handful of folks in the Wasatch, it’s possible to ski every month if you work for it. Enter The Streak. This group of guys has skied every month in our state for just about 30 years. Who wants to join ‘em?
Tracking the Snow
Enough, enough. Hopefully we’ve convinced you by now that Utah’s snow is something special. So special, in fact, we’ve developed Utah’s Official Snow Report that can be found online, via email and by downloading the Ski Utah app. Sign up for custom snow alerts to get messages when it’s snowed in Utah via email or push notification. You can thank us later for never missing another powder day.
Still want to know more about The Greatest Snow on Earth®, or you feel like you’ve officially joined the cult of fellow Utah snow lovers and weather nerds? Check out Secrets of The Greatest Snow on Earth (editions one and two) written by Utah’s own Jim Steenburgh, Professor of Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Utah.
And now you know why Utah truly has The Greatest Snow on Earth®!
