TUESDAY 2/18/2021 2:21 p.m.
COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS, Utah (ABC4) – Little Cottonwood Canyon is slowly reopening Thursday after being closed since Monday night.
The Utah Department of Transportation says S.R. 210 is now open for downhill traffic while uphill travel is open for essential travel only, meaning employees, residents, UTA rideshare/buses only.
As of 2:23 p.m. Thursday, there is no word yet from UDOT on when nonessential public uphill travel will be allowed access.
Earlier in the day Thursday, interlodge restrictions at Alta ended after a record-breaking 59 hours and 45 minutes. When these restrictions were lifted, only foot-traffic was allowed.
Alta is echoing UDOT’s notice, saying essential uphill travel is open.
WATCH: Helicopter triggers slides in Little Cottonwood Canyon
THURSDAY 2/18/2021 12:31 p.m.
COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS, Utah (ABC4) – While the record-breaking interlodge at Alta has ended, the closure in Little Cottonwood Canyon has not.
According to the Utah Department of Transportation, S.R. 210 remains closed as of 12:22 p.m. Thursday. In a tweet, UDOT outlines estimated road opening times:
- 2 p.m.: All downhill travel
- 2 p.m.: Essential uphill travel permitted to queue at the mouth. This includes employees, residents, and rideshare/buses only.
There is no time yet for nonessesntial public uphill travel.
Meanwhile, UDOT crews are continuing to clean up snow and debris from the roadway.
UDOT’s John Gleason shared this video, seen below, showing a helicopter triggering slides in hard-to-reach areas.
The nearly two minute long video shows the helicopter activating a slide. In the center of your screen, you can see the snow begin to travel down the mountainside, careening through the trees and creating a white cloud.
On Wednesday, two UDOT vehicles were hit by a natural slide in Little Cottonwood Canyon.
Original Story: Little Cottonwood Canyon closed Thursday morning
THURSDAY 2/18/2021 9:51 a.m.
COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS, Utah (ABC4) – Little Cottonwood Canyon remains closed Thursday morning for yet another day after yet another snowstorm battered the Wasatch Front.
The Utah Department of Transportation announced at 7:19 a.m. that S.R. 210 remains closed while avalanche mitigation continues. Extensive debris clean up will follow that work.
“Historic avalanche activity [with] slides across road in multiple locations,” UDOT says. “No [estimated] time of opening. Be patient, we will update ASAP.”
Photos included in the tweet shows crews working through snow and debris along S.R. 210.
Over in Big Cottonwood Canyon along S.R. 190, UDOT says avalanche mitigation will take place mid-morning at two locations – Storm Mountain and Argenta.
“This is not a full road closure and will only require traffic to be held at two locations for control mission. Expect minor delays.”
While Little Cottonwood Canyon is closed, Alta remains under interlodge restrictions.
As of 9 a.m., that interlodge has been in effect for 58 hours after first going into effect at 11 p.m. on Monday. That is likely a record for a consecutive interlodge in Alta.
