Wasatch Storm Day Essentials: 6 Gear Tweaks That Keep You Lapping When Visibility Drops

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. SlopeRiders may earn a commission if you buy through links on this page. We only recommend gear we have actually tested in the Wasatch.

August is when Wasatch locals start thinking about the days nobody films. Not bluebird. Whiteout. The Little Cottonwood interlodge morning when Gadzoom is spinning on wind hold and the light goes flat between chairs 2 and 3. You can hear the snow guns at Brighton but you cannot see the rollers. That is when good gear choices matter more than new skis.

Storm days in Little and Big Cottonwood are not about staying warm. They are about staying able to see, breathe, and grip your poles. After a few winters of lapping Alta and Snowbird through full whiteout and Brighton night laps in snow, these six tweaks are the ones we actually use. They are small, cheap compared to a new setup, and they fix the three storm killers: fogged goggles, cold fingers, and a soaked base layer.

1. Low Light Lens You Actually Like

Most goggles ship with a dark sun lens. In a Wasatch storm that lens turns everything to flat gray and you lose the bumps on Lower Rustler or the traverse cut across Milly Chutes.

Switch to a true storm lens in the 50 to 70 percent visible light range. Rose, yellow, or clear. For quick swaps we use Smith I/O MAG with storm rose lens at AltaBird and low light goggles at evo when we are testing budget picks. The easier the swap, the more likely you will do it in the tram line. If you only buy one extra, make it a low light lens, not a second goggle.

Local tip

At Snowbird, Mineral Basin flatters out in whiteout. A rose lens makes that traverse readable. At Brighton, night skiing is the same problem. That same lens works under the lights better than a mirrored sun lens.

2. Goggle Anti Fog Routine That Works in Interlodge

Fog is not the goggle, it is your face heat and a wet strap. We stopped wiping the inside. Wiping ruins the coating.

Night before a storm, air dry your goggles, clamp included. In the morning, seat the goggle on your helmet, not on your forehead. Skin oil floods the foam. Carry a tiny microfiber in your chest pocket, not your pants, so it stays dry. If you must clear, dab, do not rub.

For real whiteouts we keep a second pair in the car at the Bird or at Brighton base. The OutdoorMaster PRO goggle is our cheap second that lives in the center console. At $40ish it beats skiing blind when your main pair ices on the traverse.

3. Balaclava That Lets You Breathe Without Fogging

Wasatch storms are 12 to 25 degrees with wind. A heavy balaclava overheats on the skin up Collins and then freezes on the ride down. The fix is a thin, hinged merino or synthetic with a dedicated breathing hole.

We use a BlackStrap Hood Balaclava that pulls down under the nose when you are working and pulls up over the nose on Wildcat chair. Look for mesh over the mouth, not fleece. Fleece ices in three runs and you end up mouth breathing into your goggles.

When we break down Wasatch hardpack edge control breakdown, the same breath control idea applies. If your core is overheating, your face sweats and your lenses pay for it. Vent your shell on the boot pack, not after you are already fogged.

4. Shell Layering: Pit Zips Beat Puffy

Storm skiing is stop and go. Gates, wind holds, traverse traffic. A big puffy is great in the lot and terrible at 9,200 feet in wind. What works is a waterproof shell with real pit zips and a light active midlayer underneath.

Wash your shell now, in August, before you need it. Detergent kills DWR. Use tech wash, then spray or wash in DWR. We detail the wash routine in our July piece on shell care but the short version is wash cold, extra rinse, then heat activate in the dryer for 20 minutes. A shell that beads water keeps your goggle foam dry from the outside too.

For midlayers we like a thin grid fleece you can ski in all day. Heavy insulation stays in the car for lunch. On Little Cottonwood storm days you hike more than you think and a soaked midlayer is what ends your day at 11 a.m.

5. Mittens That Keep Dexterity for Beacon and Buckles

Cold fingers end storm days fast. The trick is not the warmest mitten, it is a system that lets you keep heat without pulling your hand out every time you adjust a binding.

Our system is a thin merino liner with a trigger or split mitt shell. Hestra Heli Ski Mittens with the removable liner, or any split finger with a leash, works. We also toss HotHands hand warmers in the wrist, not the palm. On the palm you lose grip. In the cuff they warm arterial blood and you keep feel on your poles.

If you are sorting out your early season parking and timing plan anyway, this is the same layer you want for Brighton first chair to night laps when you are standing still more than moving. Cold hands during night laps are the same problem as whiteout days, still air plus long chair time.

6. Small Kit Fixes: Strap, Leash, and Lens Wipe Discipline

Three little things that save a storm day at Alta and Snowbird:

• Goggle strap over helmet, not under. Under gives a gap and snow drives in on Collins road side. Over seals.
• Pole straps off in trees. On a Brighton low vis day in the Aspens or at Alta in High Rustler trees, straps snag. Go strapless so you can punch out of a tree well grab.
• Dry your gloves at night. Wasatch storms stack. If your liners were damp Tuesday, they are frozen Wednesday. Put them on the boot dryer or over the vent, not on the floor.

These are boring fixes, but they are the difference between four laps and a full day. If you want a refresher on how easy it is to burn your legs out early on a storm cycle, read powder day mistakes that burn your legs by 10 a.m.. The same start too hard, over gripped, overheated pattern wrecks whiteout days too.

Putting It Together for Opening Day

You do not need new skis for storm days. You need clear vision and dry hands. In August, lay out your kit on the garage floor and check four things. Do you have a low light lens you can find in 30 seconds. Do you have a thin balaclava that breathes. Does your shell bead water. Are your liners dry with a spare pair of warmers in the box.

If any answer is no, fix it now. Prices are lowest in August and you will be happier when Snowbird spins on a 7 a.m. storm cycle and everyone else is wiping their goggles in the tram line.

FAQ

What is the best lens for Wasatch whiteout days at Alta and Snowbird
A high VLT low light lens, usually rose or yellow in the 50 to 70 percent range. It lifts contrast on flat light so you can read the traverses and small rolls in Mineral Basin or the runout under Collins.

How do you keep ski goggles from fogging on storm days
Keep the inside dry and untouched. Do not wipe the inner lens. Seat goggles on the helmet not on sweaty skin, vent your shell before you overheat, and use a breathable balaclava with mesh over the mouth so steam does not dump into the goggle.

Are mittens or gloves better for Little Cottonwood storm skiing
Mittens with a removable liner are warmer for long chair rides on Gadzoom or Wildcat. Use a thin liner for buckles and put hand warmers in the wrist of the mitt, not the palm, so you keep grip and still warm up between laps.

Slope Riders Team

Our team is made up of avid skiers, seasoned instructors, and gear experts dedicated to bringing you the most reliable and engaging content. Read full bio