Best Time to Ski Solitude
When to go for the best snow, smaller crowds, lower prices and cheaper flights, from ZRankings' snow data and on-the-ground knowledge. Updated for 2026–27.
Solitude snow month by month
Snow score by month (higher means deeper, more reliable snow). The month ranks also weigh how much terrain is open and how steady the snow is. Tap a month for its full guide.
Best time to ski Solitude for snow: Feb 1 to March 31
By ZRankings' snow data, February is Solitude's best month for snow, followed by March and January. Snow conditions peak from Feb 1 through March 31, topping out at a snow score of 84 around Feb 15, while December is the riskiest month (33). Solitude averages 437" of True Snow, our measure of average annual snowfall, a season.
Solitude this winter: El Niño
NOAA's latest reading shows strong El Niño conditions heading into 2026–27. Over 40 winters, El Niño winters have brought Solitude 7% less snow than average, and about the same snow in the strongest ones. Little effect: no clear difference from a typical winter.
How El Niño affects Solitude → · El Niño and Utah ski resorts
Best time to ski Solitude for smaller crowds: Jan 6 to Jan 31
The busiest stretches are the week between Christmas and New Year's, Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, Presidents' Day weekend and spring-break weeks in March. Powder days and weekends also bring heavy traffic up the canyon, and several Cottonwood resorts now use paid or reserved parking on busy days. For the smallest crowds, ski midweek from the first week of January to the end of the month, outside MLK weekend. Solitude is the quietest of the Cottonwood resorts on most days.
Cheapest time to ski Solitude: Jan 6 to Jan 31
Lift tickets at Solitude are priced by demand: buying online well ahead is much cheaper than the window, and the highest prices land on holidays and weekends. The best value overlaps with the quietest times (Jan 6 to Jan 31, outside the holiday weeks), when lodging rates drop too. For 2026-27, Solitude is on the Ikon Pass (unlimited), which usually beats window prices for multi-day trips; see our 2026-27 Season Pass Guide for prices and blackout dates.
Best time to fly to Solitude: Midweek, outside holiday weeks
Salt Lake City International (SLC) is about 45 minutes from Solitude up Big Cottonwood Canyon (SR-190), which can close for avalanche control after big storms. Fares are usually lowest on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and outside the holiday weeks.
Where to stay in Solitude
Solitude snow through the season
Solitude Snow Quality Across Full Winter
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FAQ
- When is the best time to ski Solitude?
- For the best snow, Feb 1 to March 31. For smaller crowds, Jan 6 to Jan 31. For lower prices, Jan 6 to Jan 31. By ZRankings' snow data, February is Solitude's best month for snow, followed by March and January. Snow conditions peak from Feb 1 through March 31, topping out at a snow score of 84 around Feb 15, while December is the riskiest month (33). Solitude averages 437" of True Snow, our measure of...
- What is the cheapest time to ski Solitude?
- Jan 6 to Jan 31. Lift tickets at Solitude are priced by demand: buying online well ahead is much cheaper than the window, and the highest prices land on holidays and weekends. The best value overlaps with the quietest times (Jan 6 to Jan 31, outside the holiday weeks), when lodging rates drop too. For 2026-27,...
- When is Solitude least crowded?
- Jan 6 to Jan 31. The busiest stretches are the week between Christmas and New Year's, Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, Presidents' Day weekend and spring-break weeks in March. Powder days and weekends also bring heavy traffic up the canyon, and several Cottonwood resorts now use paid or reserved parking on busy...
- When is the best time to fly to Solitude?
- Midweek, outside holiday weeks. Salt Lake City International (SLC) is about 45 minutes from Solitude up Big Cottonwood Canyon (SR-190), which can close for avalanche control after big storms. Fares are usually lowest on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and outside the holiday weeks.
Solitude photos
