| Twin Lakes Reservoir | |
|---|---|
| Lake Elevation | 9,470' |
| Lake Location | 40.5969° / -111.6005° |
| Online Map | View on wbskiing.com |
There are five notable lakes between Brighton and Solitude. They are located in three drainages: Dog Lake, Lake Catherine (which contains Lake Mary, Lake Martha, and Lake Catherine), and Twin Lakes. ( See an overview of these lakes .)
The Twin Lakes Reservoir was created with a dam which is near the base of Mount Evergreen.
The Twin Lakes area is the hub between Brighton, Solitude, and Little Cottonwood Canyon. The lake is only 1,000 feet from Brighton's Milly chairlift and about 1,200 feet from Solitude's Summit chairlift.
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| Twin Lakes from Brighton | |
|---|---|
| Trailhead | Brighton Parking Lot |
| Ascent Vertical | 800' |
| Skinning Distance | 0.7 miles |
| Online Map | View on wbskiing.com |
From the top of the Milly chairlift, you can traverse into the Twin Lakes area without any ascending. And with just a little climbing (about 600 vertical feet), you can ski Thousand Turns Gully or Figure Eight Hill.
If you're not going to get a bump from the Milly chairlift, you can start at the base of the Milly chairlift and skin up the runs (assuming it is permitted by Brighton's uphill policy) while bearing slightly to your right. It takes about a half-hour to get to the Twin Lakes dam from the base of Milly.
If you're coming from Solitude, you might as well get a bump on Solitude's Summit chairlift, otherwise, you should start at the base of Milly.
From the top of the Summit chairlift, exit through the Highway to Heaven Gate and you'll already be in the Twin Lakes area. To go to Twin Lakes Pass and places beyond, take the Highway to Heaven Traverse.
Note that the terrain above the Highway to Heaven Traverse, and the terrain between the Highway and Twin Lakes Reservoir, is within Solitude's Forest Service permit area. Solitude frequently performs avalanche mitigation within this area as permitted by the Forest Service. Please be respectful of their work.
Follow these instructions to go to Twin Lakes Pass from the Grizzly Gulch trailhead. That'll put you above the Twin Lakes Reservoir.
Beginner terrain
that is good as you develop your backcountry skills and when the avalanche danger is higher. Click for details.
Intermediate
terrain that requires more experience in skinning and skiing. Click for details.
Advanced terrain
that requires strong skiing and skinning skills. Click for details.
Expert terrain that is
challenging and a small mistake can have serious consequences. Click for details.
Extreme terrain
that includes insanely difficult chute skiing and beyond. Click for details.
The difficulty of this terrain
varies widely. Click for details.
This terrain hasn't
been rated. Click for details.
