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Alta Ski Area, Alta, UT

Photo: Sbvr6, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

Sport & OutdoorOutdoor AdventureIconic

Alta Ski Area

Highway 210, top of Little Cottonwood Canyon · Alta, UT

Why you should go…

Alta opened in 1939 with a single chairlift, the second in the United States, and sits at the top of Little Cottonwood Canyon about 32 miles from Salt Lake City International Airport. It averages around 545 inches of snow a year across 2,614 skiable acres, and more than half the terrain is rated advanced. Alta is a skiers-only mountain where snowboarding is not allowed. A joint pass links its terrain with neighboring Snowbird.

  • #ski resort
  • #skiing
  • #powder
  • #little cottonwood canyon

Good to know

General sport & outdoor guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Weather calls the shots

    Check the forecast the morning of and keep an indoor backup in your pocket for the day it turns.

  • Shoes, water, sun cover

    The three things that decide whether you last the whole outing or cut it short after an hour.

  • Parking and launches fill early

    On a nice weekend, lots and trailheads are often full by mid-morning.

  • Daylight shrinks in shoulder season

    Spring and fall visits need an earlier start than the same trip in July.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Alta Ski Area, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort

    $25–$50

    A Little Cottonwood Canyon resort with legendary powder in winter and an aerial tram with valley views in summer.

    1.0 mi awayMore like this

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Iconic

    Park City Mountain

    $50+

    Ski or ride a huge network of lift-served terrain in winter, then hike, bike and ride the alpine coaster in summer.

    8.1 mi awayMore like this

  • Tours
    Local Gem

    Park City Day Tours

    $50+

    Guided half-day sightseeing tours around Park City and the Heber Valley, from Main Street to the Olympic Park.

    8.4 mi awaySwitch it up: Tours

  • Museums
    History Buff

    Park City Museum

    Under $25

    Downtown Park City museum with interactive exhibits on the town's mining and ski history.

    8.4 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Tours
    Quirky Fun

    Park City Ghost Tours

    $25–$50

    Guided evening walking tour of ghost stories and haunted history on Park City's historic Main Street.

    8.4 mi awaySwitch it up: Tours

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Black Tie Ski Rentals of Park City

    $50+

    Ski and snowboard rental delivery service that fits gear at your lodging near Park City's resorts.

    9.0 mi awayMore like this