LITTLE COTTONWOOD CANYON, Utah — Wednesday was a powder day in Utah, but with the resorts closed, people had to find other ways to take advantage of the snow.
Backcountry skiers packed up their gear and headed up to a popular spot just above Alta for a fun day in this fresh powder.
Caden Midgley and Hans Pande are a couple of backcountry skiers, looking to escape the quarantines and isolation brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.
"We’re heading to an area called Grizzly Gulch," Pande said. "We’re going to ski around, I’ll probably make a fool of myself but you know it’s all in good fun. It’s just great to actually get out there and finally get some good snow and try to have a good day.”
Normally on a powder day, Little Cottonwood Canyon would be packed with people heading to the resorts, but now it looks a little bit different.
"It’s weird looking at the canyon like a ghost town, so used to seeing that big long snake of cars coming down. On a day like today it would definitely be super busy," Midgley said.
But even with the resorts closed due to the coronavirus, a lot of people are still trying to make the most of the situation.
"It’s a little bit unfortunate but I do think these are precautions that we need to be taking from my point of view," Pande said. "Though it’s kind of nice to have a lot fewer crowds and less people vying for that, you know the powder panic, so that’s been a big benefit.”
Both Pande and Midgley said just getting out and exploring all that nature has to offer is a huge benefit to their mental health.
"It’s actually been fun to see everyone outside, you actually see more people out on their bikes and running around which is cool," Midgley said.
If you are headed to the backcountry to enjoy the snow, there is moderate to considerable avalanche danger.
Check the latest forecast from the Utah Avalanche Center here.
