Grizzly Gulch Snowshoe

Grizzly Gulch is a popular backcountry ski area near the town and ski resort of Alta. While you usually see people skinning up on skis, there are a handful of snowshoe enthusiasts here enjoying the terrain as well. The steep ascent keeps most hikers on the lower sections, which are perfect for an easily accessible place to get a workout after work on a winter evening. The views of Alta are extra pretty at night as the small town begins to light up Little Cottonwood Canyon. Snowbird Ski Resort accesses its cat terrain from Grizzly Gulch, so there is often a flattened track heading up the gulch that makes the ascent easier.

The snow here starts early and stays late into the season. It can often be too deep and steep to ascend without serious effort. The terrain is steep and challenging and is meant more for enjoying the beauty of the landscape than casual snowshoeing. This area has a relatively bad track record for avalanches, and there have been several deaths here over the last few decades. I would only recommend going here on "green" days as designated by the Utah Avalanche Center.