Major winter storms are set to deliver several feet of fresh snow to Salt Lake’s Cottonwood Canyons, offering perfect conditions and high confidence for President’s Day and Spring Break travelers.
SALT LAKE CITY, Feb. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Much of the American West has faced a challenging winter but the dry spell is coming to an end in Utah’s Cottonwood Canyons, located in Salt Lake County. Despite the winter’s fits and starts thus far, a significant weather pattern is bringing snow back to the Cottonwood Canyons just in time for peak spring break travel.
Salt Lake’s unique geographic advantages have kept the legendary Cottonwood Canyons consistent throughout an unpredictable weather. Fortunately, forecasts now indicate a major return to snowy conditions, with several feet of snow expected in the next two weeks. This influx of fresh powder arrives at the perfect moment for travelers planning President’s Day or Spring Break trips.
Even before this upcoming storm cycle, all four resorts in Cottonwood Canyons, Alta, Snowbird, Brighton, and Solitude, have remained resilient. While other regions struggled, these resorts have kept all lifts operating, maintaining quality conditions and the vast majority of terrain open.
“While Salt Lake’s world-famous powder is often the headliner each winter, one of the most impactful stories this year is the resilience of Salt Lake’s Cottonwood Canyons terrain,” said Kaitlin Eskelson, President & CEO of Visit Salt Lake. “The geography provides a massive competitive advantage even during dry spells. Now, with major storms on deck, travelers can book their President’s Day and Spring Break trips with total confidence that winter has returned in full force.”
The resilience of the snowpack in Cottonwood Canyons is a result of the location’s high elevation, low sun angles with north facing terrain, low humidity, and overnight temperatures that maintain snow quality. With base elevations significantly higher than surrounding areas, the Cottonwoods stay well below freezing overnight, preventing the melt-freeze cycles that can degrade snow quality. The topography of the canyons creates shading for much of the terrain, protecting the snow from excessive sun exposure even on warmer days. Lastly, the region’s low humidity prevents the snow from becoming heavy or icy, maintaining a condition ideal for carving.
Visitors have fantastic access to the terrain Utah is known for. These resorts are a true ski and snowboard paradise with downhill ski, cross-country, snowshoe, and more. For travelers that don’t partake, the four resorts offer fantastic restaurants, activities, and spas.
For travelers deciding where to book their winter vacation, Salt Lake offers an unmatched opportunity. With downtown Salt Lake less than an hour away from the ski lifts, and some of the best après in the West, the Cottonwood Canyons remain among the strongest options.
For live mountain cams, snow reports, and travel itineraries, visit https://www.visitsaltlake.com/things-to-do/skiing-snowboarding/snow-reports-conditions/.
Visit Salt Lake (VSL) is the private, nonprofit Destination Sales & Experience Organization (DSXO) dedicated to recruiting, retaining, and activating conventions, meetings, sporting events and leisure travel that fuels the region’s visitor economy. In partnership with Salt Lake County, hoteliers, members and public-sector stakeholders, VSL helps generate $6.15 billion in annual visitor spending, $575 million in direct tax revenue and $1,700 in household tax savings while supporting more than 56,000 jobs. By championing Salt Lake’s authentic urban-meets-mountain identity, VSL creates transformative experiences that benefit the community and visitors alike.
Media Contact
Visit Salt Lake, FINN Partners, 1 2035840773, [email protected]
SOURCE FINN Partners
