| Lake Catherine | |
|---|---|
| Lake Elevation | 9,950' |
| Lake Location | 40.5808° / -111.5932° |
| 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 the Twin Lakes drainage. (See an overview of these lakes.) Lake Catherine is surrounded by Pioneer Peak, Sunset Peak, Rocky Point, and Mount Tuscarora. It is easily accessed by Alta sidecountry skiers, although they need to boot back up to Catherine Pass.
From Big Cottonwood Canyon, you can reach the Lake Catherine drainage from Brighton by going toward the Dog Lake Chutes and continuing past Lake Mary and Lake Martha.
From Little Cottonwood Canyon, follow the directions to Catherine Pass from the Grizzly Gulch trailhead and ski down to the lake. The ease of access to the Lake Catherine area from Alta can result in a swarm of skiers.
About the name
In the 1870s, Catherine Brighton named Lake Catherine after herself, Lake Mary after her infant daughter, and Lake Martha after a friend. There was a fourth lake, Lake Phoebe, but it merged with Lake Mary when it was dammed in 1915. On older maps these lakes were referred to as the Granite Lakes.
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.
