About Alta, Utah

The Little Cottonwood Canyon ski resorts share a common thread: they’re skier’s mountains and bucket-list destinations for powder hounds. Alta was the third resort in the U.S. to open a chairlift, and has remained independent—and owned by the same family—ever since. Part of the Alta tradition is no snowboarders. Sorry one-plankers. It’s one of three remaining resorts in the U.S. that do not permit snowboarders. Alta and Snowbird share Mount Baldy, and offer several access points and a shared lift ticket for a reasonable price.

Alta’s lodging options are mostly minimal and simple, but they appeal to hardcore skiers in search of a nearly bygone ski culture. Alta’s Peruvian Lodge is famed among the core ski industry as one of the coolest places to après-ski, just don’t expect anything fancy. Oh, and did we mention Alta averages about 560 inches of fluffy, Salt Lake-affect snow annually? In the winter, it’s snowing in Alta more than its not, so you’re almost guaranteed world-class powder.