Alta, Utah, is a picturesque mountain town that exists to service the enormous population of skiers who pass through every year -- about 500,000 -- and who come to sample some of the best skiing the Rocky Mountains can offer.
Alta's popularity is entirely deserved. It has unbelievably beautiful slopes that please novice and expert skiers.
My mother, brother, and I took a short ski vacation in Alta early last spring and had an amazing experience.
Alta Basics
Several pieces of information will be important to ensure that your experience at Alta is incredible. Its hours of operation on a typical day are from 9:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., though some lifts will close earlier than others. Consequently, it is a great idea to have a huge breakfast so that you can stay out on the slopes all day instead of having to come back to eat lunch. You will want to stay on the slopes all day because they are amazing, and lift tickets for a day are $75 for adults and $40 for children under 12.
The Slopes
Speaking of the slopes, there are about 166-plus runs at Alta; 25 percent of these runs are for beginners, 40 percent intermediate level, and 35 percent advanced level. Alta has some very challenging slopes but if you are not an expert, there is a large variety of other slopes that can be easily mastered. The best part of skiing at Alta is the bountiful amount of pure powder snow. Alta receives about 560 inches of snowfall every year and is 10,550 feet above sea level at its top elevation. And maybe the best part about Alta's slopes is that they are entirely free of snowboarders.
Alta has numerous lodging options. You can choose to stay in one of its five lodges or stay in one of the many condos positioned conveniently on the slopes. We stayed in the Goldminer's Daughter Lodge and had a great experience. The package that we had was all-inclusive, covering our lift tickets and all of our dining.
Everything was convenient and accessible; the lift was only a few feet from the lodge. Ultimately, Alta diligently provides an unparalleled skiing experience because of its amenities, lodging, and slopes.
