Best place on earth to ski run by amazing people that treat all employees and customer well

This is our family favorite ski location. Especially since Alta and Snowbird are connected (one pass). Wish we could come here more.

Although we stayed in Park City, we made the trek out here to ski multiple days last season. Loved it. After skiing the Sierra Cement in Tahoe, it was refreshing to ski some great snow. (Tahoe had crap conditions last January.) Even though cloudy and cold, it was a trade off for great conditions. Nice chutes and drops, challenging terrain, and always enough room to do your thing --- whether mellow or extreme (although I gravitate towards the former). And I could comment on the lack of those hellion snow boarders, but the mountain was big enough that crowds weren't an issue. Yet it was small enough that we could hook up later in the day (or for lunch if you wanted) with the people in our group. Very friendly staff, reasonable prices (even in the ski shop, where I needed to buy new poles to replace the one I'd broken), and no froo froo resort crap. Hopefully it will stay that way as a skiers' mountain. read more

Alta is for skiers. The best slogan in history. No snowboarders. Period. When I went to Alta I finally realized what real skiing is. Deep, fresh powder. It snows here all the time. Don't expect any sort of village/stores/restaurants. No frills here - just the sport itself. And you can pretty much ski anywhere you want! Just remember that the lifts don't have safety bars. Great runs for all abilities - and man you can find a challenge here. Great bowls. My favorite place is Catherine's Area - and most everything off the Supreme lift is great and lightly skied. When the sun comes out, it's an entirely different (equally awesome) place. If you're skiing here, it's easy to find discounted lift tickets. Try the Salt Lake Super Pass - it's the best deal going if you're skiing for a few days in a row. I will come back here as long as I possibly can!!! read more

Good mountain with banging italian sandwich in main lodge. Careful, lots of kids round lunch time, though tall pbr in a glass was $6. I'm a s snowboarder but had a fun day of skiing. read more

Yes, visitors and residents alike, you should thank us...every time we make the trek to Alta it snows all day on out first visit. I know it's been a dry winter this year, so, the 6+ inches we brought yesterday should help. Anyways, its some of the best skiing in the area. No boarding, which is still great. Friendly staff. Good stuff read more

This was my first time ever skiing. My wife loves skiing in Park City so it I wanted to learn so I can ski with her when she is over her knee surgery recovery. She likes Alta and so does her family so we trekked out there to take lessons and learn to ski. Plus lessons out there were a lot more reasonably priced than in Park City for both me and my 5 year old daughter. It was awesome! If you are looking to take lessons the instructors there are awesome. My first time ever, on the first day, my instructor John Corlito, had me skiing like a mad man. So much that we hit the mountain and conquered some green runs in the afternoon. He was great. Hanging with me the whole time making sure my technique was correct and pushing me to reach inside and do better. I finished the day skiing completely exhausted. Now the beginning runs there are not easy either. At times they were terrifying but really fun. I mean were we're flying at times. What a rush! We had so much fun there the first day that we went back for our second ski run two days later. I again took lessons this time with Angie and we hit the green runs right off the bat and by the end of my two hour lesson she had me carving some pretty amazing slopes. It was a blast! All in all we had an amazing time at Alta and will be going back. If you go and take lessons ask for John Corlito or Angie and they will have you skiing like a pro in no time and make it fun! Snowboards are not allowed.... Alta is for skiers! read more

This is easily my favorite US-based ski resort. It doesn't have the luxury feel of Deer Valley, and even Snowbird has more of a trendy resort vibe but Alta's terrain is outstanding. This trip the weather cooperated with about 2 ft of fresh snow. Unbelievable. My recommendation if weather looks dicey - stay up the mountain if you can; if not then catch the bus at Ft Union as it will fill up and you don't want to stand the whole way up. read more

My first, and so far only, skiing experience took place at Alta this past March, and it was a blast!!! I had been so nervous about it, and not having to worry about snowboarders (this was just shortly after a skiier was killed when a snowboarder landed on top of them) was helpful, and my experienced skiier friends there with me were very excited about this as well. It is one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen, and I dream about going back all the time. I had a great experience there, and all the staff were very helpful. They were full of great tips and information for me, and were very tolerant of how much trouble I had with the silly chair lift. They even cheered for me the first time I successfully got off the chair without promptly landing on my butt. :) A first-rate place for beginners and advanced skiiers alike. We all went home very happy that day. read more

Alta is one of my family's favorite places to ski. The snow here is always awesome, the slopes aren't crowded and the lift tickets are still relatively cheap. My mom really loves this place because she doesn't have to dodge any snowboarders laying around on the bunny slope. In fact, a lot of locals must come here because most people I saw were really good. However, if you are a beginner, they have a beginners chair ticket that only costs $32 ($27 for refill). It lets you ride on the Sunnyside and Cecret lifts which are the only places where there are green runs. There really isn't too big of a selection for beginners, but a lot of the blue runs are fairly easy which is good for an intermediate level, but nervous skier, like me! read more

The people who rented us skis at Alta Ski Rental were so helpful!! The adult ski class was excellent,too!

Freaking SICK mountain! No boarders, very rare these days . Pure, pure, powder. Good snow conditions well into April. Cons: Some lifts are slow and I want to get back to the top and do it again NOW. read more

Queen Alta, the majesty of your breathtaking summit views and the incredible powder skiing down your valleys/bowls is something that first-timers and regulars never forget. My beginner friends had such fun dancing down Albion valley with long rolling beautiful green runs. I spent the day traveling up Supreme/Sugarloaf chairlifts to blue/black diamond runs for challenges. And the fact that you continue to ban snowboarders keeps us skiers returning yearly. It's just nice to have a resort cater specifically to skiers. Alta is a skier's paradise! read more

Alta Ski Area - Ski Resorts Near Me - Alta, Utah

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This review is for the Alta Ski Shop at the Wildcat Base. It was my first time skiing Alta and Peter and Tiani really helped me out buy setting me up on some great skis. I told them my level and they got me the best skis. Also, I ended up buying the demos I rented because they were so good. Great shop with very helpful staff and cheaper than the other places. The quality of their skis is also high. My demos looked basically new and I rented in April!!! read more

Alta Ski Resort - it's old school, updated! Absolutely classic! Just love it - great runs for everyone. My kids learned to ski on the greens/blues while I got pow shots. Now they chase me through Catherine's. Definately in the top 5 in US - on the list with back bowls of Vail, Mammoth, Kirkwood Hopefully, It will never change! read more

Great ski resort in the Salt Lake Area. Recently visited there on a several day ski trip (skiied 3 days, 3 different places) This was our favorite of the trip. It had a pretty laid back, mellow vibe and was not as expensive as some of the others. I personally liked the fact that boarders are not allowed (no offense). They have a nice area of green runs for those that like to take it easy. They also have some nice long blues that stem from the top that are fun and challenging without being too stressful. The snow was great there and they get a good level of natural snow without having to blow it in. read more

Bluebird day after a storm and this makes Alta a bucket list destination. Fairly Advance runs, but they do have many Blue runs to accommodate intermediates. The ski school, at least my experience, wasn't great, but it was only a two hour group to contend with the deep powder. All in all, I wanna one back. read more

Ski Free after 3 baby! Every day during ski season you can ski here for free from 3 to 4:30pm! Although you're limited to the "bunny" hill and a few other green and blue slopes, plus a black diamond. It's a fantastic place for beginners because it's practically free! Renting equipment is easy and the staff is very experienced and helpful. Alta is a skiers' only place; sorry boarders! How's the snow? AWESOME! Utah in general gets great snow, but it's safe to say that Alta gets really good powder for folks who like to ski off the groomed trails. Great place for beginners through expert skiers! read more

Black and black-wanna-be skiiers, this is the place for you. Close to downtown and the SLC airport. What a pleasant experience. Forgot what it's like w/o snowboarders! Few beginners mean that there is little wait or having to slow down too much near the lifts. read more

This ski area has been one of the best I've ever skiied! The trails here are pretty challenging, so if you are a beginner, you might want to steer clear of Alta. Snowboarding? Not allowed! So if you are a snowboarder, try Snowbird! It's right next door! The thing is, skiing back to the Blackjack, The View, or the Sugar plum condos is VERY HARD! But other than that, a great experience! read more

Alta is simply awesome. The ticket price (relatively cheap), the terrain (excellent, steep, perfect for the advanced skier), and just overall a wonderful resort. You can ski 1000' of vert in one challenging run - at least I'm pretty sure Eagle's Nest is that much vert but I could be wrong. Nevertheless, it's worth all the effort of flying out there, getting a place to stay, and skiing your heart out. I can't wait for the next time I get out to Utah...Alta is first on my list. read more

This is the most ultimate place for skiers. Alta has pretty wide runs so it's great for skiers to carve up the mountain. Another plus is that it's only for skiers only but it's a major bummer for all my boarder friends. But then again that's why there's Canyons and Snowbird. Another great attribute is that the snow isn't sticky like it is in California/Nevada since it's pretty cold here. This is the first time I ever had to use foot-warmers but the runs are well worth it. The view from the mountain is breathtaking. I stayed at the Radisson in downtown and took the transit which takes you straight to the mountain and it was a great deal. Hopefully I can plan a trip for next year since I dream of Alta. read more

Greatest place to ski. Only problem is waiting for ski patrol to clear Devil's castle after a powder coating. Also Catherine's area off of the Supreme Lift can be a good place to go snorkeling, only draw back is waiting in line to get back up there. read more

I like alta a lot, really great skiing. I want to go back. I should get new skis though, mine are 15 years old. read more

I took first time adult beginner lessons with Tom Cadosa at the Alta ski school. I had never skied before and he was fantastic! Very patient and experienced and had a wicked sense of humor so I was laughing the whole time! My husband and son couldn't believe it was me on the green slope at the end of two days! I would HIGHLY recommend his as an instructor. read more

Our family has been frequent visitors to the Park City area for the past 15 years. Alta is normally our favorite spot to ski at. So much so in fact, we named our dog Alta. This year however, we were very put off by the customer service we received while skiing there the other day. We are healthcare workers so we are no stranger to the importance of mask wearing. Our family is always compliant and our children never complain of having to wear masks in school, during sports, or out in public. With that being said, my two elementary aged daughters were forgetful when pulling up to the Sugarloaf lift and didn't immediately raise their masks above their nose and mouth. An employee with gray-blonde hair, who I later learned named Nancy from one of the other lift operators, barked at my girls to raise their masks before proceeding forward. As they're fumbling to remove their gloves and hold their poles to raise it above their nose, she barks again to move faster as they were holding up the line. She then loudly tells another employee that she's tired of entitled children thinking they don't need to be compliant. Needless to say my girls were teary eyed as we took off on the lift. I was so baffled by her behavior I didn't say much in the moment except to help them hold their stuff as they raised their masks quickly so we could move on. Her behavior and treatment of my girls was really disappointing as this is a place we have always loved. It is amazing that one person can ruin a families experience at such a beautiful place. We reached out to management who didn't seem very interested in our experience so I felt compelled to share it here in hopes other families will know what type of treatment to expect when skiing with their children. read more

Our experience with the staff today was anything but professional. As with most resorts, and used to be with Alta, the beginner magic carpet is free and for the public. No where did it indicate it was for ski school only. So, us not knowing that, went to use it and we were treated very poorly by the staff. As we were walking away, one staff member in particular was too busy yelling at us and attempted to jerk my daughter away from our control to "escort" us off the hill, as he called it. And in this process he let one of his students crash into my daughter as well. Clearly he cared more about being a hot head rather than paying attention to his students and doing what he's been paid to do. It's not hard to be respectful and professional when there's a misunderstanding. So if it was me I wouldn't trust Alf Engen Ski School to be respectful with my kids, especially when I'm not looking. read more

My first time and probably one of the best ski mountains I've been too. Not geared towards beginners but great place if you like diamonds and moguls. Facilities are very nice. read more

Alta is a class act. Unfortunately because of Mother Nature I was unable to ski there this past weekend. But I had purchased a lift ticket online before I came to town. I called them and told them that I couldn't get there because of the weather. Within 2 days Alta refunded my money. I know it's the right thing to do but I thought it was pretty classy of them to do it so quickly without question. Thank you Alta and I do look forward to skiing you sometime in the future weather permitting. read more

when there is 2-3 feet of fresh pow and no lift lines, is it really possible to deliver anything less than a 5 star review of Alta? I think not. If you are a skier (sorry, boarders), you simply must ski at Alta at least once. You'll see why everyone raves about it and you will absolutely come back. read more

On a three day trip to Utah, I tried three completely different experiences: the super-upscale, homogenized experience (Deer Valley), the self-important experience (Snowbird), and the shut-up-and-ski experience (Alta). The vibe at Alta is so pure compared to the other places, with employees and customers who are down-to-earth and mellow. It truly feels like everyone is there to enjoy the mountain and not worry about anything else. No angry people like Snowbird (both customers and employees). No mansions interlacing with the slopes like Deer Valley. Just pure, unadulterated skiing. The terrain is great and if avalanches aren't a problem, the patrol seems to be pretty liberal with opening terrain. They allowed a run to be open when you needed a rope to get in because of no snow. That's cool! The prices are also reasonable. The nicest quirk for me in this category was being offered free refills on hot chocolate throughout the day at Alf's Restaurant with a receipt. Anyway, come to Alta for a down-to-earth vibe where skiing is all that matters and the terrain encourages exploration. read more

I pity the folks who are so old and out of touch that they are afraid of people who ski on one plank instead of two.

Skiers only! Fabuolus! Friendly skiers. Lodge is old and pretty much nonexistent. Again, no snowboarders!!!!!!!

Big-ass, harsh mountain that gets a ton of snow and has no safety bars on their lifts. Need I say more. 5 big fat stars!

This place is great. A wonderful mountain in a great location and they keep the costs down so it's affordable. The snow conditions are some of the best in the world. This is a great place to Ski. read more

By far the most over-rated ski resort in North America. Been skiing all of my life (+40 years) and skied most resorts large and small in UT, MT, CO, CA, ID and WY. Alta was the worst experience yet. The "resort" is not a resort, it's a a "ski-area" Which means that they treat you like $h&t and don't care if you come back. Famous for no snowboards steep terrain and great powder Alta has lived on it's reputation as a skier's mountain with no frills. Yep. But those "no frills" now cost you $125/day. Part of the IKON pass, Alta actually hates IKON pass holders. We had a ski shop employee retort, when asked if IKON pass holders got a discount in the ski shop "No, we charge them double". The "lodge" can't really be called a lodge. It's a cafeteria. Terrible food. Not enough tables/chairs to Small, awful smelling bathrooms. old tiny Lockers that require actual quarters. Nowhere to sit, put on boots or get geared up. Surly staffers rudely telling people not to put their tray tables or gear on the ledges, trashcans or any other surface not clearly a table. The bar area upstairs not open until 11AM - so even though the cafeteria at 8:30AM looks like the fall of Saigon, you can't take your tray up one level and sit it the dirty, dusty but somewhat larger bar area. Nope. Stay standing here. Above the bar is a restaurant. The mountain itself is filled with opportunity, Deep & steep. But the lift system is outdated, slow and terribly planned so that you almost have to take two lifts to get anywhere from anywhere. Oh, and no way to get from one base lodge to the other without taking at least three lifts - by my count, anyway. They do provide a "handy" flat rope tow you can take between the lodges. Guessing it's 500 - 600 yards. Worst value for $$ in Utah. The same ski shop employee who quiet Ikon-ers pay double also informed me, in her best haughty voice, that "No, we don't sell anti-fog spray here. We believe it counteracts the goggles natural anti-fog coating". Really? And if my "natural anti-fog coating" has stopped working? "You can take your goggles to the bathroom and run them under the hand drier. That sometimes works." From a 20 year old ski shop employee Thanks Alta. The BEST part of our day though - and by BEST, you know I mean WORST - was when the closed the canyon for avalanche control. Closing announced for 3:30. It had been snowing since about 10AM that day. We scrambled to get down and to our car - and we're ready to roll at 3PM - only to be told that the road had already closed. So we sat in the bar (having secured the last free table and chairs) for two hours waiting for the road to open. Got in the car at 5:00PM. Road opened at 5:30. No traffic coordination in the Alta parking lot AT ALL. No attendants, no nothing. It was a free for all and 1000 vehicles all went for the same one lane exit out at once. We sat - in our idling car - literally inching towards the exit - until 9:45PM when we finally made it to the short hill onto UT 210 and down towards SLC. The UDOT employees were lovely, and accommodating. Nothing at all but good things to say about them - and avalanche control is a serious business. But the staff at Alta couldn't care less. We actually gave our table up to a group of Alta ski patrollers and gate attendants who were drinking at the bar. If I owned that place, and my customers were stuck in the parking lot, I'd commandeer every employee and "volunteer" to get out and direct traffic until everyone is safely off the mountain and out of the parking lot. (that is if you want to keep skiing here for free). As it was, a decent day of skiing marred by terrible attitude, unbelievably poor planning during road closure, terrible food, terrible drinks, crowded and all for the low price of $125. Lose the attitude, Alta. It just makes you seem like assholes. You're not that special and you're not that good. And for anyone who comes to Utah to ski, try Snowbasin, Powder Mountain. Both equally good snow, friendly staff and about the same price. Or go to Snowbird. They're all nice there too. Or Park City. Or Solitude. Or Brighton. Alta thinks it's special. It is. Just not in the way it thinks. it's special b/c it's living on a myth that won't be sustainable much longer. It's terrible experience with a bad attitude. Enjoy! read more

The runs are good. Lift lines are long and slow. On a non-holiday Wednesday it took me almost an hour to rent equipment and another 15 minutes to buy a lift pass. This is unacceptable. I will ski elsewhere. read more

My favorite place to ski in the world. Best snow on earth by far. So much skiable terrain that is so diverse and challenging. Bring (or rent) something wide because you will need it! Also make sure you have steamers for your skis. They average like 550 inches of snow there a year so it's hard to miss a winter dumping if you stay for a week. Everyone is friendly there and it's easy to find ski groups if you come alone. Best to ski with someone who knows the mountain as there are lots of unmarked cliffs and amazing chutes in between that can be difficult to find. Also the price of a lift ticket is generally cheaper than some of the other more popular Utah resorts. Only negative some people say for the mountain is there is a lot of traversing but i actually like this because it means you can hike to find snow and keeps some great stuff fairly hidden! All this can be accessed only 45 minutes from slc airport! (and no snowboarders!) read more

Easily my favorite place to ski in the state of Utah. First of all there are no boarders here, skiing only. Not that I am a board hater, It's just nice to have somewhere to go where everyone is not sitting down all over the damn place. Consistently great snow, tons of great runs, never too crowded, fast lifts, and did I mention no snow boarders? read more

Have been skiing here since ski-bumming in '86-'87 (Peruvian), and while the lift ticket prices have caught up with the rest of the world, the skiing and the vibe remain out of this world. If you love the steep and/or the deep, save up all your bread and make at least one pilgrimage to this skiing Mecca. I'm still discovering new-to-me runs after all these years. This year it was Eddie's High Nowhere. After side-stepping through the "experts only" gate (not kidding with this one) up from the top of Collins, you traverse around to a rock outcropping. Grab ahold of the rope that's bolted to the rocks and work your way around the nose to a short traverse to the bottom of a narrow chute. Take your skis off and kick-step your way up, grabbing hold of another rope if it's not buried in snow. Once you get to the top, snap a photo and call your buddies back home and razz 'em that you're extreme skiing at Alta while they're at work! Ease into the backside chute (the entrance is pretty sketchy - not for the faint-of-heart) for a long and steep run down some of the softest, sweetest snow you'll ever find inbounds. Send the kids to ski school for a great introduction to tree and off-piste skiing. One of the best ski schools around! Staying in one of the lodges up there? Call Ted's Transportation for good service, $90 + tip each way for up to 6 or 7 people. read more