Utah's children need 'Ski after 3'

On Feb. 15, Alta Ski Lifts discontinued its "Ski Free After 3" program, which allowed anyone with skis on their feet to ride the Sunnyside, Albion and Cecret chairlifts free of charge after 3 p.m. These three lifts service Alta's beginner terrain, which best suits first-time skiers and families with screaming, snowplowing children. Alta's website outlined the "evolution" of the program, stating that it would continue as "Ski After 3." It will now cost $10 to access these lifts after 3 p.m., or $5 if you reload a reusable Alta card. A $25 Ski After 3 season pass is also available.

"We hope the change will improve the quality of the skiing experience for Alta skiers," Alta officials said.

In its 12th year, the program's change was due to its "overwhelming success." Success is a nice way of saying that the lines were long, the runs crowded and sprawled-out yard sales the norm. Doing something to thin the crowd was certainly in Alta Ski Patrol's best interest, but ending a program that so easily accommodated young beginners sends a bitter message to local skiers.

Alta's history is intimately woven with the local skiing community. Developed by Salt Lake City skiers for their own winter recreation, Alta was the spark that led to Utah's skiing boom in the mid-20th century. Alta's success can be directly attributed to its accessibility to local residents, as well as to institutions like the Deseret News Ski School. Led by Norwegian-born ski legend Alf Engen, the school recruited and taught thousands of Salt Lake City youth the joy and challenge of skiing in their big, mountainous backyard.

Engen was hooked on the now world-famous Wasatch powder with one soft, silent turn. So hooked that he remained present throughout Alta's growth and left a legacy that includes Alta's Alf Engen Ski School, Alf's High Rustler (the marquee run at Alta) and his title as "The Father of the Powder Skiing Technique." Despite his passing in 1997, it's fair to say that Engen's love and enthusiasm for skiing still permeates the staff, programs and even the mountains themselves.

In many ways, Ski Free After 3 was an extension of that legacy. It gave everyone the chance to experience the peaceful, perfect rush of a powder turn. In an industry fueled by tourists and hardcore powder hoarders, giving something back to beginners, particularly the local kids, was an admirable and celebrated policy.