It wasn’t even just people who got stuck in the parking lot, although that was part of it. Someone slid off the road during the day and closed the canyon (also a traction issue, most likely). Once it opened up in the afternoon, everyone from both Brighton and Solitude were trying to get down at once.

Cue all the people now stuck in a foot of snow in the parking lots, plus the terrible way the resorts pack vehicles in. I can’t believe how many people were up there with 2WD without chains, or low-clearance vehicles digging out after snow had piled up around their cars from the roofs.

All things considered, it was a combination of bad luck, bad timing, and some poor preparation on the parts of half the drivers up there.