alta ski resort

Even on this warm day, north-facing Alta had decent skiing and no waiting in line. The spring breakers were not here and neither were the snow boarders. I like to ski the green slopes and I had plenty to choose from here. It was a good first day of our vacation. My only advice? If you are a cautious skier like me, be aware that you can buy a cut rate beginner lift ticket for only $40 and gain access to three decent lifts that will get you 1000' of vertical drop.

Friendly staff, great conditions, easy to access all of the terrain, and there was something for everyone there. I loves it!

What a wonderful day we had skiing at Alta. Over the last 30 years, I've had some of my all time best ski days here. The food at Alf's has gotten much better and I enjoyed the lunch - good job chefs. The ski shop did a terrific job of helping me out with my boot problem. I think Dave was the guy that helped me. He saved my day and gave some great advice about my stance!

World class skiing. No lines. Great ski school. Not good for beginners as the runs are mostly blue and black.

Like Snowbird this place needs some lodge upgrades. Great skiing, lifts are mostly high speed. We like this better than Snowbird.

We stayed in Snowbird next door, had 4 days in Snowbird with 2 days of the Alta upgrade. Huge contrast for a good skier who likes groomed slopes, blue or black. In SB I quickly realized the blacks are out of my league here. SB claims they have blues, but many of the blue runs are boring paths zigzaging down the mountain with no width, no space to cruise or go fast. Plus are often crossed by double blacks wth expert skiers and boarders crossing at high speed. No fun. For Snowbird you MUST like blacks and double diamond blacks, steep, little to no grooming, moguls. What a pleasure to find this little gem in the next valley. In Alta the experts skiers found plenty of challenge, black slopes, tree runs, powder and with short hikes beautiful untouched powder. I loved the big variety of wide groomed beautifully layed out runs. We had plenty of snow, neither crossing from Snowbird to Alta nor accessing the 2 sides of the Alta resort area were a challenge. Signage was MUCH better in Alta. Fellow skiers friendlier and more considerate than SB. The only reason not to give 5 points- I miss the footrests on the lifts. Having skis and boots dangle during the ride up makes my days less relaxing. If boots hurt ankles need a rest on the lift.

Alta Ski Resort is definitely a throwback to the days when you just wanted to…well…ski. Nothing’s pretentious or fancy here. It’s old-school skiing at its best. If you want to ski the super fresh powder, plan on hoofing or traversing it to get to where you need to be. No lifts that conveniently and strategically drop you off at the top of the bowls─and really no facilities up there to speak of either. The lifts are a little outdated and slow (i.e. a center pole, two-seater?), but the lines move quickly. They even have a tow-rope which gets you between the two bases─eventually. The best skiing can be found off the Collins and Supreme lifts respectively. And if you’re looking for the best bite on the mountain, the Collins Grill is it. I have to admit that it was nice to ski free from snowboarders, but don’t be fooled into thinking that there won’t be close-to-being-out-of-control-speed skiers on the mountain. I probably saw more skiers crash and burn here than anywhere else I’ve skied. If you haven’t skied at Alta before, then it’s worth getting a mountain guide for a couple of hours to learn your way around. There are lots of areas that are roped off for “expert skiers only” that actually don’t lead to double-blacks. However, you have to know where you’re going, and a guide will help you navigate the terrain (away from the groomers) that’s suitable for your skiing ability. Finally, the guys in the Alta Sports shop at the Albion base are fantastic, supremely knowledgeable and over-the-top accommodating. After the first day of skiing, we actually drove back down the mountain and returned our gear to the Sports Den in Salt Lake City, and rented from Alta Sports for the rest of the week. They have a great selection of everything and keep all the gear in ready-to-ski order. All in all, Alta is a great place to ski for better intermediate and expert skiers and is probably more appropriate for a long-weekend ski trip versus a weeklong vacation.

Don't know what to say. Powder steeps challenge. The only thing it lacks is a town at the base but everyone knows that and accepts it. I was very lucky to ski Vail, Stowe, Mad River Glen, Magic (VT) Snowbird and Alta this year. Alta is by far my favorite (MRG was damn good as well- Go Vermont!

Was lucky enough to visit on a day when the resorts had a 19-inch storm! Didn't arrive until 11:45 am though, the road to the resort was so bad. Terrain here is a skilled skier's dream. Nearly everything is steep, ungroomed, gnarly and just plain fun. I would NOT recommend that beginners or lower-intermediate skiers visit this resort. There is limited terrain for them. Wildcat lift accesses the best terrain. If you like to freeride, you'll find the ski area packed with natural kickers, cliff features, etc. This is clearly not fussy resort like those of the Park City area. This is a ski area, meant for skiers.

We left a very very snowy Boston and headed to Utah for a week of skiing over Presidents week. Unfortunately, when we arrived in Utah we discovered that Utah had received far less than its normal amount of snow as of mid-February. Nevertheless, Alta managed to provide very good skiing conditions and we had a great day of skiing. Not nearly as crowded as the Park City area and nice to ski at a place that does not allow snow boarders. The mountain is well laid out and the amenities (food and restrooms) are very nice.

Not trying to start a war between skiers and boarders but it is extremely pleasant to have a mountain exclusively for skiers and Alta does it right. It is 'old school', the mountain is great no matter what your experience level. Many new things to discover on each visit. A local introduced me to Eagle's Nest today - excellent.There are great dining options including the Collins Grill offering white table cloth dining and more importantly dining while wearing their provided slippers!Come to Alta and experience skiing.

There is a nice mix of runs here. The thing that we found strange was all of the roped off areas with limited openings to areas that were in bounds. Next to the openings were signs with dire warnings - cliffs, unmarked obstacles, double black runs, experts only. We finally decided to go thru one of these openings and what a surprise! The snow was great, the runs were more like a black (steep with some moguls), and they eventually merged back to the main runs. There was a little tree skiing which was very easy - mostly an entry to the run. Lots of these roped off areas were what you would see going up the chairlift and wonder how to get to. I'm not sure what the logic of these markings were but it was really frustrating for a tourist. The locals probably know all about it. The resorts in Colorado are better and better marked!

Skiing Alta, even in bad snow conditions, is awesome. The lifts are fast, the staff is friendly and genuinely enthusiast, and the trails are great. The biggest difference between Alta and somewhere like Aspen is the style of skiing. When you get to the top of the mountain at Alta, you can ski down a hundred different ways. There are defined trails, but they act more like suggestions with the mountain being totally open. The price is cheaper than most comparable ski areas and the overall feel is focus on skiing without the nightlife getting in the way.

There is nothing fancy about Alta...just good skiing for all levels. Great snow conditions and lift lines were quick and easy during the week. No snowboarders allowed! No major hotels here so house rentals or basic hotels. This is a slope for skiers!

This may be our favorite ski area and we have skied all over the west. We love the variety of terrain and the down to earth feel of the place. It is less expensive than the ritzier resorts and attracts friendly people who come to ski, not hang at a fancy resort. We actually drive 2 minutes up to Alta to apre-ski at the Goldminers Daughter after we spend a day skiing Snowbird (where we also like the skiing) because we like the atmosphere better at Alta. People who love Alta are known as Alta-holics for a reason. We stay in an inexpensive hotel (with a hot tub) in the southern SLC suburbs. We have everything we need there a nonresort prices and it is a quick drive up to Alta. Buy discount lift tickets at the local ski shops!!!