Welcome to Alta, an independently-owned ski area since 1938. Alta is proud to be a ski area and not a ski resort. Nestled at the top of Little Cottonwood Canyon deep in the Wasatch mountains, Alta is known around the globe for its powder skiing. With an annual snowfall average of 547” powder days are a way of life here. It’s a magnetic way of life that draws the same employees and guests back to Alta’s community each winter.
Come for the skiing. Stay for the skiing.
Alta ski resort is located 32 miles or about 45 minutes from Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC). It is in Utah’s Wasatch Mountain Range, at the top of Little Cottonwood Canyon. You can rent a car or book a shuttle, or you can take advantage of the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) public ski buses. There is free parking at the Wildcat and Albion base areas.
Located up the Little Cottonwood Canyon within the Wasatch-Cache National forest in Utah, Alta Ski Area receives abundant snowfall due to a unique microclimate surrounding the area. The snow is extremely dry and light, and has been heralded as The Greatest Snow on Earth®.
The terrain at Alta is a skier’s dream with spectacular scenery, great powder and amazing steep lines. With 2,614 acres to explore and more than 116 runs, Alta offers up a wide variety of unique natural features that are world renowned and should be a must-ski for any serious skiing enthusiast. Alta also has some great intermediate and beginner terrain that sometimes gets overlooked.
There is no differentiation between black diamond and double black diamond terrain. Skiers should scout lines from the chairlift before heading into unknown territory. The base elevation is 8,530 feet, and the top elevation is 11,068 feet with 2,538 feet of vertical drop. Average snowfall is 547 inches bolstered by 140 acres of snowmaking. The breakout of the runs is 15% beginner, 30% intermediate and 55% advanced. These are serviced by six chairlifts, including three high-speed quads, one high-speed trip and two fixed doubles.
Alta Ski Area and Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort offer the Alta-Snowbird Pass which enables skiers to access both resorts' terrain. A connection gate at the saddle separating Alta's Albion Basin and Snowbird's Mineral Basin is used to move between the two resorts. So, get a joint day or season pass.
Leave the car in the parking lot, and use the free Alta Town shuttle. It makes a continuous loop between major areas of the town. During the winter, you must either carry chains or have snow tires on your car to drive through Little Cotton Wood Canyon.