Alta Ski Area facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Alta
Alta Location in Utah Show map of Utah Alta Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Alta, Utah, U.S.
Nearest city	Sandy, Utah, U.S.
Coordinates	40°34′51″N 111°38′14″W / 40.58083°N 111.63722°W / 40.58083; -111.63722
Vertical	2,538 ft (774 m)
Top elevation	11,068 ft (3,374 m)
Base elevation	8,530 ft (2,600 m)
Skiable area	2,614 acres (10.58 km2)
Runs	116+ total 15% easiest 30% more difficult 55% most difficult
Lift system	6 chairlifts - 3 hi-speed quads - 1 hi speed triple - 2 fixed doubles 5 surface tows.
Terrain parks	0
Snowfall	545 in (45.4 ft; 13.8 m)
Snowmaking	yes
Night skiing	none
Website	Alta.com

Alta is a famous ski area in the western United States. It is located in the town of Alta in the Wasatch Mountains of Utah. This area is known for its amazing snow.

Alta opened its first ski lift in early 1939. This makes it one of the oldest ski resorts in the country. It gets a lot of snow, with about 545 inches (13.8 m) falling each year. Alta is also special because it is one of only three ski resorts in the U.S. that does not allow snowboarders. The other two are Deer Valley in Utah and Mad River Glen in Vermont.

The ski area covers 2,614 acres (10.58 km²) of land. The lowest part of Alta is at 8,530 ft (2,600 m) elevation. The highest point you can ski is 11,068 ft (3,374 m). This means you can ski down a vertical distance of 2,538 ft (774 m)!

History of Alta

How Alta Started

Alta is one of the oldest ski areas in the U.S. It is located at the top of Little Cottonwood Canyon. This area gets a lot of snow, often light and fluffy.

Alta is famous for its long, straight ski runs. Some well-known runs include Alf's High Rustler and Eddie's High Nowhere. Even though it has some challenging slopes, Alta has always been a place for local people and families to ski.

The town of Alta began in 1871. It was a mining town where people dug for silver. A big fire in 1878 destroyed most of the town. Then, a huge avalanche in 1885, along with less mining, made the town quiet. It became almost empty, except for a few miners.

In 1935, the United States Forest Service asked a famous skier named Alf Engen to check out the area. They wanted to see if it would be good for skiing. Engen said it had great potential. He suggested buying more land to create a ski area.

In 1937, a lawyer named Joe Quinney and other local business people started the Utah Winter Sports Association. Their goal was to develop skiing at Alta. The next year, they began building the first Collins chairlift. It was made from parts of an old mining system. This was only the second chairlift of its kind in the United States, after Sun Valley. Alta first opened to skiers on January 15, 1939. A single ride on the chairlift cost 25 cents!

Newer Changes at Alta

Alta has added many new features over the years. In 1991, they put in their first triple chairlift. In 1996, they started using snowmaking machines to help cover the slopes with snow.

The ski area continued to get more modern. In 1999, the Sunnyside lift was replaced with a faster, detachable triple chair. This was Alta's first detachable chairlift. Two years later, the Supreme chair was updated. The Sugarloaf chair was also replaced with a detachable quad chair.

In 2004, the old Collins and Germania lifts were replaced with one new, faster quad chairlift. In 2007, Alta started using a new electronic lift ticket system called Axess RFID. This system helps skiers get on the lifts more easily. In 2008, they added a conveyor belt at the start of the Supreme lift. This helps skiers get on the lift faster.

Alta also added safety bars to its lifts. They put them on the Sunnyside lift in 2010. In 2011, they added safety bars to the Collins, Sugarloaf, and Supreme chairs. The newest lift was built in 2017. It is a high-speed quad that replaced the Supreme and Cecret lifts.

Alta is always planning for the future. They are looking at ways to improve the ski area even more. This includes thinking about new lifts and parking.

Alta currently has three fast quad chairs, one fast triple chair, two regular double chairs, and three surface lifts. About 15% of the terrain is for beginners. 30% is for intermediate skiers, and 55% is for advanced skiers.

Snowbird ski resort can be reached from Mount Baldy at Alta ski resort

In 2014, a group tried to sue Alta Ski Area. They wanted Alta to allow snowboarders. However, Alta Ski Area won the case. So, Alta still only allows skiers on its slopes.

The Ski Area Today

The Alta ski area is owned by several different people and families. The Laughlin family owns the biggest part (51%). The Quinney family owns 25%, and the Bass family owns 11%. The hotels at the base of the mountain are owned separately and are not part of Alta Ski Area itself.

Working with Snowbird

Since the winter of 2002, Alta and its neighbor, Snowbird, have worked together. They offer a special pass that lets skiers use both resorts. This means skiers can explore all the terrain at both Alta and Snowbird.

This partnership started when a new lift opened in Mineral Basin. Mineral Basin is a large area owned by Snowbird. This new lift made it easy to get from Mineral Basin to Alta. There are other ways to go between the two resorts too. Remember, this special pass is only for skiers because Alta does not allow snowboarders. Snowbird, however, does allow snowboarders.

Lifts at Alta

Summit of Point Supreme

Alta has nine lifts to take skiers up the mountain. Four of these lifts are in the Albion Basin area. Two are in Collins Gulch. One lift helps skiers move between the two main base areas. The last two lifts help people get to the hotels.

See Also

• Ski areas and resorts in Utah