Everybody has heard the news. Avalanches everywhere. Big ones, small ones. Widepread all over the US and Canada. The avalanche forecast for Utah has gone down  from Extreme to Considerable. The Utah avlalanche forecaster Bruce Tremper claims Considerable to be more dangerous than Extreme because people start to go into the backcountry. So just don’t go. It’s not worth it. Luckily for us the Cottonwood Canyons held a ton of great powder, especially Brighton, so we weren’t seduced into the dangerous backcountry. Shredding around with a low snow pack there were more features than we could count. Our friend Eliel Hindert showed us some of his favorite spots at Brighton. After a crazy Christmas week of tons of snow and big storm we had some warm temps and wind. So sunsets, mellow runs and showing around our friends from Sweden were the new years highlights.

Milly Bowl sure looked good, Julian just wanted to check it out

Julian really didn't mind since he found all this epic in-area pow

Eliel showing us some perfect Brighton Pillows

Happy Holidays from Brighton

Rachael Burks is good at finding sunny pow, plus she's sporting a breathable face mask

Julian doesn't need a face mask since he's apprenticeing to be a wizard

The snow is still soft and pillowy in 2009

This is Julian at 10am, in bounds, no lift lines, on a weekend. Why hike when you can shred Brighton

Eliel finding all the soft spots

Our Swedish friends Stina and Jennifer stoked they visited Utah. Little Cottonwood Canyon

I know we all want to hike to shred lines like Coalpit Headwall, but we’re going to have to just wait, enjoy in area skiing and look at photos from last year.

So go jump off some rad pillows

And remember to check www.utahavalanchecenter.org/