Location: Up Big Cottonwood Canyon, just past Snowbird.
Lifts: Eight lifts—six double, two triple.
Base elevation: 8,530 feet.
Top elevation: 10,550 feet.
Skiable acres: 2,200 acres with 40-plus runs—25 percent beginner, 40 percent intermediate, 35 percent expert.
Lift passes:
All-day $38
Half-day $29
Combined Alta/Snowbird $68
What it's known for: Alta is probably best known for its light, fluffy and deep powder. Typically, the resort gets the heaviest accumulation of snow from passing storms. Alta was the second ski area in the world to offer skiers use of a chair lift (the first was built in Sun Valley). The ski area is also known for its wide-open bowls, great fall-line runs and for having one of the most perfect ski runs in the country—Alf's High Rustlers.
A skier tackles the expert run on East Baldy at Alta Ski Resort.
Kristan Jacobsen, Deseret News |
If you go: During the busy periods and on weekends, head for the resort early—between 7:45 a.m. and 8 a.m.—and enjoy a big breakfast at the Albion Grill. Usually, the only ones in the grill at that hour are ski instructors, and it provides a good opportunity to pick their brains on the best runs. This also puts you among the first at the ticket window, first at the lift and first onto the powder runs. Ballroom, located off the Germania lift, is one of the more popular runs.
Collins Face, located off Collins lift, and Spring Valley, off the Germania lift, are two of the favorite runs for the advanced local crowd. The Saddle, off West Rustlers, is a popular steep intermediate run.
Best-kept secret: A short hike, which stops some skiers in their tracks, heads into the Catherines area. The gate is to the left of the Supreme lift. A traverse to the resort boundaries takes a skier to a spectacular view that looks down into Brighton, off to Summit County peak to the north and Mount Superior to the west. The way down is through a lightly gladed area that leads back to Supreme. There is also a trail down Grizzly Gulch that ends up at the bottom of Sugarloaf. Both are popular with the locals and not well used. Another secret area is Vail Chute off the new Sunnyside lift. It usually features some great powder turns on a good intermediate run and is good for beginning powder skiers. There is also a little-known cross country track groomed for skating that was built by locals who raised the money to buy a track setter. For information stop by Alta Java at the Albion base and ask for Lew. Also check Alta's Web site at www.alta.com.
