Alta
No snowboarders. No nonsense. 547 inches of the lightest snow you'll ever ski.
3D Terrain
Download 3D Print Kit (.ZIP)Our Take
Alta's our favorite. There, we said it. One of three skier-only resorts left in America and they don't care if that bothers you. They care about snow. And they get it -- 547 inches a year of Utah's famous light-as-air powder. That's more than almost anywhere in the country. The terrain is a mix of steep chutes, wide-open bowls, and enough groomed runs to keep everyone happy, all served by lifts that are, let's say, charmingly vintage. Nothing fancy. No heated seats. Just cold steel and incredible skiing. Season passes won't bankrupt you either, which is kind of a miracle these days. When it dumps -- and it dumps a LOT -- locals just text each other 'Alta day' and call in sick. We get it.
Nerd Stats
Avg Snowfall
547"
Snow Density
~8%
Founded
1939
Skiable Acres
2,614
Fun Facts
- No snowboarding. Ever. Since 1939. They're not changing their minds.
- 547 inches average. That's over 45 feet of snow a year. On a regular basis.
- Lift tickets were $5 when they opened. Adjusted for inflation that's... still a great deal.
- Little Cottonwood Canyon has the highest avalanche path density in North America. Fun!
Why Alta?
Alta is skiing distilled to its purest form. No snowboarders, no fancy village, no pretense -- just 500+ inches of the lightest snow on earth falling on terrain that rewards good technique. If you care about the actual skiing more than anything else, this is your place.
The Lowdown
Local's Tips
- 1.Ski the Wildcat side first thing in the morning -- it gets sun-baked by noon on clear days.
- 2.The Collins lift accesses the best intermediate terrain. Sugarloaf has the steeps.
- 3.If you're staying at Alta Lodge, the ski-to-your-door setup is worth every penny. Wake up, clip in, go.
- 4.Alta-Snowbird combo ticket (AltaBird) is the best deal in skiing. Two world-class mountains for the price of one.
Don't Miss
High Rustler at Alta Lodge
White tablecloth dining in a 1930s ski lodge. The prix fixe dinner feels like stepping back in time. The cocktail hour before dinner is where you meet the interesting people.
Baldy Chutes on a powder day
Hike 10 minutes from the top of Sugarloaf. Steep, deep, and usually untracked until late morning because most people don't bother with the hike.
AltaBird traverse to Snowbird
With a combo pass, traverse from Alta into Mineral Basin at Snowbird. It's like getting two vacations in one day. Completely different terrain, same incredible snow.
Where to Eat
Our picks -- not just the Google results
Alta Lodge Dining Room
$$$American
The Alta Lodge has been here since 1939. The dining room has improved over the decades while maintaining the feel of a place where skiing is obviously more important than the food. Which is the correct priority at Alta.
The breakfast buffet is included with a lodge stay and is the correct fuel for a powder day. Don't skip it.
Rustler Lodge
$$$-$$$$American/Continental
Rustler Lodge pulls off the remarkable trick of being genuinely good while being the fanciest option at a resort that actively discourages fancy. The terrace views are spectacular and the wine list is better than you'd expect this far up a canyon.
Book ahead. Capacity is small and the demand is real.
Things You Should Actually Do
Beyond the obvious -- our insider picks
Little Cottonwood Canyon sidecountry
Snow Sport
Various patrol-accessible zones off the resort boundary offer some of the most consistently uncrowded powder skiing in the Wasatch. Ask at the ski patrol hut about current conditions and gate openings.
Conditions-dependent. Check the current avalanche forecast before asking about gates.
Combine with Snowbird on Ikon
Snow Sport
The Alta-Snowbird connection via the Albion Base area lets you ski both resorts in a single day on Ikon. Combined access is 8,000+ acres in the same canyon. Take the traverse toward Mineral Basin from Alta's side.
Go to Snowbird first (lower elevation, warms up later) then end the day in Alta's terrain.
The Vibe at Alta
Alta is the purest ski resort in North America. No snowboards, no gimmicks, and 547 inches of average snowfall in a canyon purpose-built by Wasatch geology to funnel every storm directly onto the mountain. You don't come to Alta for the amenities. You come because the snow is better here than anywhere else, and the skiers-only policy means the tracks fill in slower.