Hi all, Wanted to keep you posted on a couple of updates to the channel for the summer season! For the next few months, we will focus our energy on putting out mountain reviews, which have attracted more interest than other videos during this off-season time. We expect to have a new mountain review video up every 2-4 weeks. We will resume posting other videos, such as trail runs and lift rides, as the winter season approaches. Thank you for your continued support!
Very good review of Alta. My wife and I have made an annual trip to Alta for the past 8 years and are heading out again next week. It's our favorite place to ski. There are not many runs for beginners but everybody else will find challenging terrain. One of the things we like is that we can fly in to SLC, take a 45 minute shuttle ride to the lodge, and be skiing that afternoon. True, lodging is expensive, but the room rate at most of the lodges includes meals and gratuities. You don't need a car once you're there and don't expect any shopping (except ski shops) or discos. You go there to ski.
In 1979 I took a job at one of the lodges at Alta. I got to ski the place 6 days a week from beginning of season up to memorial day. By the end I was rated expert expert and skied mostly the back country. You can ski the back country from the top of the lifts but no patrols, no avalanche control, you better know what our doing. The year I was there the statistic was, on average, five deaths per year on the mountain. Avalanches, bad falls, running into rock walls, heart attacks, going over thousand foot cliffs were the causes. I personally watched a girl drop into Baldy chute, on her third turn she was going too fast and hit the rock wall. Her body slid for a quarter of a mile before stopping after it came out at the bottom. Ya she was dead. Baldy chutes.
Very similar experience for me in the year 2000 I took a job at Stevens Pass where I saw similar results. Four of my friends passed away three an avalanche and one over a cliff this type of tragedy just happens in the sport. It is extreme and expected.
Thank you for the review. Because of this video, I visited Alta during Christmas. And Alta blew my mind. While Snowbird was icy and thin covered at that time, Alta already had the best powder I've ever seen. The glades are very welcoming and gave me a lot of confidence. The long blue groomers are perfect for carving. Already booked another trip to Alta!
Love the channel. Fair and unbiased views. Also, thanks for keeping the snowboarders in mind. I went to Alta a few years ago and loved it, but it's a real shame I couldn't carve it with my board. I don't think Alta would lose anything to allow us filthy Boarders in. There's plenty of snow for whatever you ride and simply having a preference shouldn't exclude you. Maybe someday they'll get passed their bias, but until then I'll just have to enjoy on my skis.
I agreed with you until I saw how many traverses and sidesteps there are. Snowboarders would have a lot more issues safely and steadily moving around without impeding traffic.
Skied Alta in 1991 back when it had all fixed grip lifts and $25 lift ticket, if I remember correctly. Stayed at the Peruvian, great old fashioned ski lodge at the time. And the skiing was spectacular, despite only one day of pow. Awesome what you're doing at PeakRankings.
Great and honest review, Alta has all I want and need, and much more than I can handle. Unapologetically, it’s not for everyone and I don’t have any problem with that. A “skiers only” mountain is ideal for me, and with Snowbird right next door it’s just not an issue. If you go, the best/most snow is February/March!
I didn’t say there needs to be a skiers only mountain. I said it has all I want and need, and more than I can handle, and that a skiers only mountain is ideal for me.
@@GeoffVentures he’s not explaining well enough. Alta is low access and snowboarders would have a hard time getting around, and would end up clogging the traverses and sidesteps that lead to important parts of the mountain. To be honest, you wouldn’t be missing much unless you’re a top level snowboarder. Most boarders I find wouldn’t even be able to truly ski Alfa’s best terrain, I feel as if they just aren’t skilled enough. There are some but the majority of utah talent is in skiing rather than boarding. Alta caters to the top level perfectly.
I have been fortunate to have started skiing Alta in 1989. This was an excellent and accurate review. Yes Alta definitely has the snow and terrain that draws hard core skiers from all over the world. Since I retired from work I have been a season pass holder since 2014 and ski with friends who are locals. They definitely know where to go to find the snow. They got me into backcountry which is abundant up,in Little Cottonwood Canyon. It’s true that Alta doesn’t allow snowboarding but the term “ Alta is for Skiers “ is more about saying it’s a serious hard core challenge. You go for the snow and terrain challenge not for the fancy bars and parties. When skiers ask about Utah skiing and grooming I recommend Park City ski resorts. Alta is for Powder Hounds.
I'm confused, so are you saying that snowboarders aren't powder hounds that are hunting seriously hard-core challenges? Are you saying snowboarders are only looking for bars and parties? Yeah I'm a local from Salt Lake and honestly, you painting with a broad brush like that just goes to show why people like you are at Alta and why my friends and I (skiers included) and many other locals prefer that you snobs stay at Alta and out of our way. Honestly, its hilarious that most of you boomers will retire your skis soon enough and Alta will lose all their revenue 😂😂😂
We'll try to get a full video review of Telluride next season! Just need to be there when Palmyra is open 🤞meanwhile, we already have our written review up: peakrankings.com/content/telluride/
Besides some more high-speed lifts and a few extra amenities (and extra $$ to the lift prices) since I was there last I'm glad to see Alta hasn't gone the massive commercialized route its neighbor, Deer Valley has. If I want 5-star pampering I'll hit a casino resort :-) Thank you for the review!
The combined Alta-Bird ticket is frankly a waste unless you are so wealthy that cost is no object.- Don't get me wrong, I love both and split my days on my annual trip there between them. There is so much worthwhile variety at each that the time is better invested focusing on skiing on whichever is your pick of the day than plotting and spending time maneuvering to get back and forth in a timely manner to be where you want to be toward the end of the day. That said, the crossover point at the top of Mineral Basin (Snowbird) and the Sugarloaf and Collins lift at Alta is conveniently placed, especially from the Alta side, but at Snowbird you'll need to ski down into Mineral Basin to reach the necessary lift to return you to the Alta side.
Alta holds a special place in every skier’s heart who ever visits Alta. There’s a real sense of camaraderie and respect, just a very chill comfortable vibe. The terrain and snow are world class and you never get the feeling you’re sharing the mountain with a bunch of bone headed numbskulls. Everyone is an adult and most everyone knows how to ski. And even the food is good and reasonably priced. Skier heaven.
Stay at the Sheraton in SLC. Cheap (er) lodging, a Ski N See next door with good equipment to rent or buy and you're at the mountain in about 40 minutes. The biggest inconvenience has been the rise in lift ticket costs in the past ten years or so. It's getting out of hand and turning skiing into a hobby for the super rich.
you can now add paid parking on weekends and holidays along with a reservation system to Alta's costs. Alta has very limited parking, monstrous traffic jams going down the canyon and many days lost to avalanches on the road up. Local governments can't agree on any fix. Don't get surprised by the new-this-year parking add on. That and the very thin snow this year.
Could one theoretically access a lift at Snowbird and skin up to that gate on the Alta side? I may or may not have a friend that wants to poach a run or two at Alta via splitboard 😁
I was born and raised in Utah. My baby formula was made from snow collected at the top of the Germania lift. I learned to ski at Alta My parents had season passes there every year from 1978 → 1991. I have never tried a snowboard. Alta is dog$#!%. The lodges stuck in the 60s. The lift ticket prices are on par with more opulent resorts with more amenities. Lots of traversing to get to most of the decent terrain, so you have to bring skins, and I'd never ski off-piste without a probe, shovel and beacon -might as well go back country. The 'Supreme' lift has a kink on it and if you're not expecting it, it will scare the wits out of you when it bucks you around. And I am pretty certain that they fudge their snowfall numbers. If you're traveling to Utah to ski, go to Park City or Deer Valley instead.
The difference in snow quality in a skier only resort is obvious. Boarders tend to 'scrape' the snow more and their absence allows more consistent mogul runs to form. I look forward to visiting.
@@zman7689 Sorry champ, I didn’t know you had snowboarded Alta. What was I thinking? You know what? I’ll stand by my comment anyway, because my mogul runs, all over the world, during the 70s and 80s before snowboarding was a thing, would be considered a somewhat larger sample size.
I poached this mountain just to irritate the cringe boomer fest that is Alta, which is very easy to do. I purposely plowed as much snow as humanly possible too. LOL. The resorts around it are all better anyway, esp Solitude and Snowbird.
Compared to top end European resorts like in France it comes across as typically American, quaint, over reliant on back bowls, and with third worldish infrastructure.
Hi all,
Wanted to keep you posted on a couple of updates to the channel for the summer season! For the next few months, we will focus our energy on putting out mountain reviews, which have attracted more interest than other videos during this off-season time. We expect to have a new mountain review video up every 2-4 weeks.
We will resume posting other videos, such as trail runs and lift rides, as the winter season approaches. Thank you for your continued support!
Very good review of Alta. My wife and I have made an annual trip to Alta for the past 8 years and are heading out again next week. It's our favorite place to ski. There are not many runs for beginners but everybody else will find challenging terrain. One of the things we like is that we can fly in to SLC, take a 45 minute shuttle ride to the lodge, and be skiing that afternoon. True, lodging is expensive, but the room rate at most of the lodges includes meals and gratuities. You don't need a car once you're there and don't expect any shopping (except ski shops) or discos. You go there to ski.
This doesn't have a lot of views yet, but it sure will. Been looking for this channel for a looong time. THANK you!!!!!
👆top tier fan right here
In 1979 I took a job at one of the lodges at Alta. I got to ski the place 6 days a week from beginning of season up to memorial day. By the end I was rated expert expert and skied mostly the back country. You can ski the back country from the top of the lifts but no patrols, no avalanche control, you better know what our doing. The year I was there the statistic was, on average, five deaths per year on the mountain. Avalanches, bad falls, running into rock walls, heart attacks, going over thousand foot cliffs were the causes. I personally watched a girl drop into Baldy chute, on her third turn she was going too fast and hit the rock wall. Her body slid for a quarter of a mile before stopping after it came out at the bottom. Ya she was dead. Baldy chutes.
Very similar experience for me in the year 2000 I took a job at Stevens Pass where I saw similar results. Four of my friends passed away three an avalanche and one over a cliff this type of tragedy just happens in the sport. It is extreme and expected.
So sad, may she rest in peace. 😔
Thank you for the review. Because of this video, I visited Alta during Christmas. And Alta blew my mind. While Snowbird was icy and thin covered at that time, Alta already had the best powder I've ever seen. The glades are very welcoming and gave me a lot of confidence. The long blue groomers are perfect for carving. Already booked another trip to Alta!
Love to hear that!
Great review. Alta is definitely a must visit resort.
Love the channel. Fair and unbiased views. Also, thanks for keeping the snowboarders in mind.
I went to Alta a few years ago and loved it, but it's a real shame I couldn't carve it with my board. I don't think Alta would lose anything to allow us filthy Boarders in. There's plenty of snow for whatever you ride and simply having a preference shouldn't exclude you. Maybe someday they'll get passed their bias, but until then I'll just have to enjoy on my skis.
I agreed with you until I saw how many traverses and sidesteps there are. Snowboarders would have a lot more issues safely and steadily moving around without impeding traffic.
I love Alta, been there 4 times and wish I could live there. It’s heavenly euphoric.
Skied Alta in 1991 back when it had all fixed grip lifts and $25 lift ticket, if I remember correctly. Stayed at the Peruvian, great old fashioned ski lodge at the time. And the skiing was spectacular, despite only one day of pow. Awesome what you're doing at PeakRankings.
Great and honest review, Alta has all I want and need, and much more than I can handle. Unapologetically, it’s not for everyone and I don’t have any problem with that. A “skiers only” mountain is ideal for me, and with Snowbird right next door it’s just not an issue. If you go, the best/most snow is February/March!
Please explain why there needs to be a skier only mountain. Genuinely curious as I don’t find snowboarders very bothersome.
I didn’t say there needs to be a skiers only mountain. I said it has all I want and need, and more than I can handle, and that a skiers only mountain is ideal for me.
@@TheTomklinedinst3 why is it ideal though?
@@GeoffVentures it’s ideal because snowboarding is not allowed and it’s a skiers only mountain.
@@GeoffVentures he’s not explaining well enough. Alta is low access and snowboarders would have a hard time getting around, and would end up clogging the traverses and sidesteps that lead to important parts of the mountain. To be honest, you wouldn’t be missing much unless you’re a top level snowboarder. Most boarders I find wouldn’t even be able to truly ski Alfa’s best terrain, I feel as if they just aren’t skilled enough. There are some but the majority of utah talent is in skiing rather than boarding. Alta caters to the top level perfectly.
Man, Alta looks stunning. Have to make a trip out at some point!
I have been fortunate to have started skiing Alta in 1989. This was an excellent and accurate review. Yes Alta definitely has the snow and terrain that draws hard core skiers from all over the world. Since I retired from work I have been a season pass holder since 2014 and ski with friends who are locals. They definitely know where to go to find the snow. They got me into backcountry which is abundant up,in Little Cottonwood Canyon. It’s true that Alta doesn’t allow snowboarding but the term “ Alta is for Skiers “ is more about saying it’s a serious hard core challenge. You go for the snow and terrain challenge not for the fancy bars and parties. When skiers ask about Utah skiing and grooming I recommend Park City ski resorts. Alta is for Powder Hounds.
I'm confused, so are you saying that snowboarders aren't powder hounds that are hunting seriously hard-core challenges? Are you saying snowboarders are only looking for bars and parties? Yeah I'm a local from Salt Lake and honestly, you painting with a broad brush like that just goes to show why people like you are at Alta and why my friends and I (skiers included) and many other locals prefer that you snobs stay at Alta and out of our way. Honestly, its hilarious that most of you boomers will retire your skis soon enough and Alta will lose all their revenue 😂😂😂
Great video, appreciate you putting this out there! I hope to check this place out next time I'm out West!
Underrated channel! Best vid ever!
I will have to say that the vibe is very calming and soothing though - u can easily get into a flow state, not sure how it did it
Can you please do a review on telluride, and by the way great content👍
We'll try to get a full video review of Telluride next season! Just need to be there when Palmyra is open 🤞meanwhile, we already have our written review up: peakrankings.com/content/telluride/
Ohhhhh I’m so excited I ski the east haven’t been west yet I’m so pumped now tho 🤙🏻
Besides some more high-speed lifts and a few extra amenities (and extra $$ to the lift prices) since I was there last I'm glad to see Alta hasn't gone the massive commercialized route its neighbor, Deer Valley has. If I want 5-star pampering I'll hit a casino resort :-) Thank you for the review!
I love these videos!!!!
The combined Alta-Bird ticket is frankly a waste unless you are so wealthy that cost is no object.- Don't get me wrong, I love both and split my days on my annual trip there between them. There is so much worthwhile variety at each that the time is better invested focusing on skiing on whichever is your pick of the day than plotting and spending time maneuvering to get back and forth in a timely manner to be where you want to be toward the end of the day. That said, the crossover point at the top of Mineral Basin (Snowbird) and the Sugarloaf and Collins lift at Alta is conveniently placed, especially from the Alta side, but at Snowbird you'll need to ski down into Mineral Basin to reach the necessary lift to return you to the Alta side.
Very helpful.
Thank you for the correct pronunciation. Easy way to spot someone not from SLC.
Alta holds a special place in every skier’s heart who ever visits Alta. There’s a real sense of camaraderie and respect, just a very chill comfortable vibe. The terrain and snow are world class and you never get the feeling you’re sharing the mountain with a bunch of bone headed numbskulls. Everyone is an adult and most everyone knows how to ski. And even the food is good and reasonably priced. Skier heaven.
Bone headed numbskulls? Care to elaborate further on that?
Sick traverses
Stay at the Sheraton in SLC. Cheap (er) lodging, a Ski N See next door with good equipment to rent or buy and you're at the mountain in about 40 minutes.
The biggest inconvenience has been the rise in lift ticket costs in the past ten years or so. It's getting out of hand and turning skiing into a hobby for the super rich.
FYI - Albion base has a high speed quad now.
you can now add paid parking on weekends and holidays along with a reservation system to Alta's costs. Alta has very limited parking, monstrous traffic jams going down the canyon and many days lost to avalanches on the road up. Local governments can't agree on any fix.
Don't get surprised by the new-this-year parking add on.
That and the very thin snow this year.
Snow was really light this year huh
posted a year ago. But hey, 30 days of avvy closures and an early end of season is great, right?
Watched the whole video only to hear no snowboarders. 😢
Could one theoretically access a lift at Snowbird and skin up to that gate on the Alta side? I may or may not have a friend that wants to poach a run or two at Alta via splitboard 😁
You don’t even need to skin up. You literally duck the rope at the top of mineral basin from snowbird and you’re in Alta
people do it, I ski alta and I’m stoked when i see a boarder riding down
The fact that it’s not a board friendly resort is mind boggling. Really takes away half their potential profit margin. Bummer.
My Favorite Mountain. Oh, the stories. Only folks who've skied there will believe you.
I was born and raised in Utah.
My baby formula was made from snow collected at the top of the Germania lift.
I learned to ski at Alta
My parents had season passes there every year from 1978 → 1991.
I have never tried a snowboard.
Alta is dog$#!%.
The lodges stuck in the 60s.
The lift ticket prices are on par with more opulent resorts with more amenities.
Lots of traversing to get to most of the decent terrain, so you have to bring skins, and I'd never ski off-piste without a probe, shovel and beacon -might as well go back country.
The 'Supreme' lift has a kink on it and if you're not expecting it, it will scare the wits out of you when it bucks you around.
And I am pretty certain that they fudge their snowfall numbers.
If you're traveling to Utah to ski, go to Park City or Deer Valley instead.
alta, i love you
I'll do my climbing from home, thank you.
Btw, when you hear them say whoo, it's not a choice, when you go down black or double black whoo just comes out, your legs will be on fire
Any plans to hit Solitude?
Great timing with that question-written review is actually going to be up this weekend, and the video review will be up in the coming months!
Awesome mountain - Shhhhhh....
What's the logic of banning snowboarders?
Friends don’t let friends ski ALTA the mountains are for everyone
They banned snowboarding lol that’s so interesting
DOWN WITH THE SKIER ELITISTS! FREE THE SNOWBOARD
We boogie
The difference in snow quality in a skier only resort is obvious. Boarders tend to 'scrape' the snow more and their absence allows more consistent mogul runs to form. I look forward to visiting.
I've snowboarded down Alta and its no different than Snowbird, but keep clutching those pearls.
@@zman7689 Sorry champ, I didn’t know you had snowboarded Alta. What was I thinking? You know what? I’ll stand by my comment anyway, because my mogul runs, all over the world, during the 70s and 80s before snowboarding was a thing, would be considered a somewhat larger sample size.
Just trying to russtle up a gold miners daughter and do some Peruvian lines
I poached this mountain just to irritate the cringe boomer fest that is Alta, which is very easy to do. I purposely plowed as much snow as humanly possible too. LOL. The resorts around it are all better anyway, esp Solitude and Snowbird.
Wow, you're cool.
Noone at Alta cares. Ppl come over from Bird all the time. Only resort that compares is Bird, but the Vail like mgmt there is a joke.
I think this post says it all as to why people who love Alta love Alta.
0/100 cuz no boarders (and im a skier)
Stay in Salt Lake. Cheap.
#freeAlta
Alta SUCKS. Horrible employees and lines and prices. I would recommend Breckenridge.
Nice try dude, but no one is buying it.
ok bud
Its on the Ikon pass dude. So its free until you ski more than 7 days a season.
Breckenridge is for beginners.
Must be a snowboarder.
Compared to top end European resorts like in France it comes across as typically American, quaint, over reliant on back bowls, and with third worldish infrastructure.