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| The Alta Addiction - Courtesy of Alta Ski Area |
Alta is all about longevity and
loyalty and a likeminded love of snow! Skiing is dominated by diehards from
the 70s and many of the stay-put staff have been happily working there for decades. Ancient
Alta addicts appear from all over the Salt Lake City area to vie for downhill
dibs whenever there is a new snowfall. And, although the demographics even out a bit
on busy weekends, in the weekdays you're going to see a lot of ski-niors!
There's even a dedicated group called The Wild Old Bunch, self-dubbed 'an extended group of "old
time" skiers capturing Alta's long tradition of
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| Alta Peruvian Lodge heated pool - Courtesy of AltaPeruvian Lodge |
In the hot tub at
the cute and cosy Alta Peruvian Lodge (where we stayed) the conversation always
started with 'and how long have you been coming here?'. Our 'this is only our
second time' was easily outdone by everyone else. The first day we skied with
instructor and guide, Julia Howlett who has been living in a slopeside
cottage there for the past 35 years. And, in a career where people seasonally
move about all the time, Connie Marshall has beaten the odds by working firstly
in the ticket department for 19 years and then 24 years for Alta's PR and
Marketing department.
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| Hike to Devil's Castle - By Simon Hudson |
So, why does everyone keep coming
back? The scintillating skiing, of course, is a main component in that. An average seasonal snowfall of 551"
(1,400 cm) is the most compelling stat, coupled with a top elevation
of 10,550 ft, a 2,200-acre layout of over 116 runs, and countless off-piste
options accessed by hike and traverse - for example Devil's Castle, a vast
sidecountry bowl, where we skied with Julia. Although it is known as an
expert's enclave, there's also 25 percent beginner terrain and 40 percent
intermediate runs, so plenty for every standard. Local skier, Richard Badenhausen (who I interviewed for my Snowbasin blog last week) faithfully
skied Alta while his family was growing up: "We
skied at Alta for ten years after moving to Salt Lake City in 2001. We absolutely
loved Alta—our kids went through all the programs there and my actual Utah
license plate read '5kialta' - I had to replace the 'S' with a '5 because the
S-version was taken." He was drawn by the terrain at Alta and also the
solid snow record: "They get great snow - the lake effect is especially
pronounced at times. When other resorts are getting 3-4 inches, Alta can still
get pounded with a foot."
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| Social dining at Alta Peruvian Lodge - Courtesy of Alta Peruvian Lodge |
It is also the likeminded aspect
which is highly significant in attracting high rates of repeaters to Alta. At
accommodation like the Alta Peruvian Lodge, offering a European chalet-style
atmosphere, everyone gets to mix and mingle and the home-from-home ambiance results in 75-80 percent return guests. "Since John Cahill purchased the lodge in
1970, he has been adamant about maintaining the social aspects of the
lodge," explains general manager, Todd Collins. "The 'family style' seating at all three meals each day is just one
aspect of the effort to encourage our guests to get to know each other." Because the Peruvian provides all meals and even 'tea-time' snacks, everyone comes back
to the same place several times a day - rather than dispersing around a variety
of après ski offerings - and there is immediate recognition and rapport. This
pervades the lounge area, the upstairs bar (which is incidentally the local
workers' pick, too) and hot tub. Later, at dinner, everyone is randomly seated
at round tables, dinner-party style, forcing everyone to open up and interact.
Not for wallflowers, perhaps, but wonderful for everyone who likes to share
their ski and mountain enthusiasm - and you never know, you may even sit down
with Brian Cahill, one of the family owners of the lodge.
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| Alta Village - Courtesy of Alta Ski Area |
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| Courtesy of Alta Ski Area |
Instead of
a Main Street, the 8,530 ft high village which borders the slopes has slipped its services in the quaint
lodges. There's a Childcare Center and the Ski School, of course, and a few ski
shops and rental outlets dotted around the base. Other facilities are all attached to the
accommodation lodges. For example, there's a spa at the Rustler Lodge, and just opposite is the Post Office and Library in the Community Centre. There's a
medical clinic in the Goldminer's Daughter Lodge but no grocery in the resort - although Connie recommends the Albion Lodge for typical market fare. Other more recent innovations at Alta include the Backcountry Adventures program which includes cat skiing, Ski Six Resorts in One Day, Utah Mountain Adventures and heli skiing. These days, a volunteer naturalist from the
Cottonwood Canyons Foundation heads up Alta's Tour with a Ranger program on
weekends and holidays. The 45 minute free tour shows skiers around the groomed runs off the Sunnyside
and Cecret Lifts, educating them about the fascinating flora and
fauna.
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| Parallel Powder at Alta - Courtesy of Alta Ski Area |
Alta is also part of the Mountain Collective, which means passholders can ski two days there as well as two days at Snowbird next season (this winter Alta/Snowbird was treated as one venue). The pass offers 32 days in total at 16 resorts which also include Snowbasin from next season. A great three-centre itinerary for passholders would be Alta , Snowbird and Snowbasin.
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| Traverse to Ballroom - Courtesy of Alta Ski Area |
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| Me at Alta |
The Wasatch Mountain terrain at Alta is rugged, steep in places, with most runs following the undulating topographical contours.
There is really interesting terrain in the black bowls, accessed by brief
traverses through gates. There are bigger hikes, too, for example into Baldy’s
for those after couloir cachet. I loved Devil's Castle, my fave groomer this visit was Race Course, and bowl of the day was Ballroom which we managed to hit after the slightly
sun-baked crust from the day before had softened.
There are many different ski groups
which have chosen Alta as their hub. The Wild Old Bunch is probably the oldest, with more than 100 members who are ardent Alta addicts from all over the country as well as further afield from Quebec, Australia,
England and Germany. "Most are avid skiers, but as some age
they participate more for the social aspects," says Harriet Wallis, an award-winning journalist and photographer who is communications
specialist for the group. "Most
are in their 60s, 70s and 80s. But one gentleman is 99-1/2 and he skis like a
teenager." Many of the members come just for the ski season, staying in Alta or further down the Little Cottonwood Canyon if they are from out of town,
or commuting in from the Salt Lake City area. "They meet
informally at the only round table in Alf's mid mountain restaurant about 11
am daily," says Harriet. "However, some days there's a large
group and other days it's just a few. And if by chance other people are already
sitting at the round table, the group splits up to other tables." It's
actually a lovely stop-off point with a great sun-drenched patio on clement
days. Can't get a latte there yet, but they do serve various maté drinks.
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| Me wearing my fur-trimmed Helmet Hugger (over my helmet - I know it just looks like a hat!) at Alf's Restaurant, Alta Photo by Simon Hudson |
Alta's technical terrain has prompted
a multitude of ski progression workshops over the years. The resort runs
advanced and expert off-trail tuition for adults - These 2 1/2 hour workshops meet every afternoon outside of the Watson
Shelter (cost $85). With a maximum of five skiers, the focus is on
accomplished adult skiers (although older teens are also considered). The Alf Engen Ski School has identified three levels within the expert designation. "The first is an entry level to skiing off trail
terrain for advanced skiers confident on all groomed runs and just starting to
ski off-trail in small bumps, powder and ungroomed conditions. This entry level
group usually has a lot of coaching to develop off-trail skills," says Ski School Training Director, Scott Mathers.
"The top skill level group
is composed of expert skiers with the skills and capability to ski any terrain
and snow conditions at Alta including hiking and traversing to the highest
country. The format for this expert group tends to be a lot of guiding to the
best snow and terrain with a pointer or two for each participant to ski a
little smoother, with more fluidity and rhythm in challenging situations."
And there is a mid-level group which concentrates on honing skills and tactics
in most black terrain off-trail terrain. It's a great
way for newcomers to discover the full extent of Alta's expert territory:
"Our workshops are quite popular with new skiers to Alta coming to learn Alta’s terrain. Many have such a great time in the workshops that on any given
day quite a number of participants are return workshop takers," says
Scott.
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| Advanced Workshop at Alta - Courtesy of Alta Ski Area |
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| Kristen Ulmer's Ski to Live program at Alta - Courtesy of Kristen Ulmer |
Celebrated professional extreme skier
and author, Kristen Ulmer holds her 'Ski to Live' program at Alta. I met her in SLC a few years ago and heard firsthand about her motivational
mindset-only camps: no technique tips, the aim to get 'mentally unstuck'. Running for 14 years at Alta, the 2, 3 or 4 day camps are life changing experiences for intermediate, advanced and even pro skiers. "We first take a deep dive into your unconscious mind to see where you are
stuck in any patterns that don't work for you anyway, and set you free," says Kristen. "Once in
flow, we then explore other forms of consciousness together, that maybe you've
never had access to. By the end of the camp you are taken all the way into a
whole mind, infinite experience." Insights gained from the weekend adventure radically impact skiing as well as life, relationships and work, she adds. Kirsten chose Alta as it is known for being the heart and the soul of skiing. "The vibe there is really lovely, down to earth, and the management is
exceptional. They treat me really well and allow me to do something very very
different than what is offered at other ski resorts."
And Alta could be the ultimate place
to switch to telemarking. The
Telemarking Workshop is for beginners and intermediates (who are already
accomplished alpine skiers) and there are private lessons for advanced
telemarkers. By the way, have you ever actually seen a beginner telemarker? I haven't - they all seem to be born to it!
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| Alta Peruvian Lodge - Courtesy of Alta Peruvian Lodge |
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| Hot Tub at the Peruvian - Courtesy of Alta Peruvian Lodge |
More about Alta Peruvian Lodge:
Dating back to 1948 when it was
constructed from a dismantled World War II nursing barracks, the Alta Peruvian Lodge has
rustic rooms ranging from dorms to large two-bedroom suites (none of which have
TV which I thought was great as it gets people out of their rooms and into the sizzling
social scene - often in their hotel bathrobes). This is a purposeful policy, says GM Todd Collins, "to encourage our guests to spend most of their time in the common areas of the lodge, such as the main lobby, where they play cards and board games, do jigsaw puzzles, or simply relax, converse or read by the large fireplaces. The outdoor heated pool and 2 hot tubs is another fantastic meeting area. This concept gives our lodge a much friendlier feel, and even helps develop returning groups of skiers who arrange their future reservation to coincide with new-found friends."
In terms of ambiance, think quaint, cosy, with lots of wood and wainscoting, stairs leading down from the comfy reception and lounge area to the restaurant, outdoor hot tub and heated pool. The pool area has its own bar, encouraging everyone to linger with a libation longer to benefit from the fiercely therapeutic jets, soul-soaring views, and fun conversation. On the top floor of the lodge is another bustling bar, open until 10pm, and frequented by resort workers and locals. Having a bouncer by the door suggests the lively level of levity there.
Food at the Peruvian is phenomenal! The breakfast buffet has all the typical hungry-hot and Continental-cold options plus custom-made omelettes, fruits, yoghurts, cereals. Lunch is another bountiful buffet, there are afternoon tea tidbits downstairs by the hot tub bar, and then dinner is gourmet with several choices for each course. Todd says the lodge is run like a cruise ship with a captive audience: "We know that the physical facilities, particularly the guestrooms, are called 'sparse' by some, mainly due to the size of the rooms compared to larger modern hotel rooms. For this reason, we feel it is important to raise the bar where we are able to, and this is where our fine dining food comes into play. Given that all meals are included with our guestroom packages, we know that we need to attempt to make sure that we provide a variety of culinary options each night. We make sure there is a beef, pasta, fish, vegetarian, and other options which change each night, as well as a grand buffet on Saturday nights. Our guests have also come to look forward to the baked treats and appetizers that we put out at 4:30pm each day. Little added touches can go a long way to making the guest experience even better." As a self-professed fair-weather 'advanced intermediate' skier, Todd's tip for visitors is the loop from the top of Collins, down to the Supreme Lift and then down to the Albion side of the resort.
In terms of ambiance, think quaint, cosy, with lots of wood and wainscoting, stairs leading down from the comfy reception and lounge area to the restaurant, outdoor hot tub and heated pool. The pool area has its own bar, encouraging everyone to linger with a libation longer to benefit from the fiercely therapeutic jets, soul-soaring views, and fun conversation. On the top floor of the lodge is another bustling bar, open until 10pm, and frequented by resort workers and locals. Having a bouncer by the door suggests the lively level of levity there.
Food at the Peruvian is phenomenal! The breakfast buffet has all the typical hungry-hot and Continental-cold options plus custom-made omelettes, fruits, yoghurts, cereals. Lunch is another bountiful buffet, there are afternoon tea tidbits downstairs by the hot tub bar, and then dinner is gourmet with several choices for each course. Todd says the lodge is run like a cruise ship with a captive audience: "We know that the physical facilities, particularly the guestrooms, are called 'sparse' by some, mainly due to the size of the rooms compared to larger modern hotel rooms. For this reason, we feel it is important to raise the bar where we are able to, and this is where our fine dining food comes into play. Given that all meals are included with our guestroom packages, we know that we need to attempt to make sure that we provide a variety of culinary options each night. We make sure there is a beef, pasta, fish, vegetarian, and other options which change each night, as well as a grand buffet on Saturday nights. Our guests have also come to look forward to the baked treats and appetizers that we put out at 4:30pm each day. Little added touches can go a long way to making the guest experience even better." As a self-professed fair-weather 'advanced intermediate' skier, Todd's tip for visitors is the loop from the top of Collins, down to the Supreme Lift and then down to the Albion side of the resort.
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| An Alta Addict - Courtesy of Alta Ski Area |
With such a close proximity to SLC (32 miles from the international airport which incidentally now has direct flights to London Heathrow), weekends can naturally be popular at Alta -
particularly Saturdays - so the Canyon road can be slow. And whenever there is
fresh snow, Alta addicts appear to track out the powder pitches early.
"There’s a reason people refer to the 'Powder Hour' at Alta: after a
storm, the place gets tracked out in an hour or two. The testosterone/bro
factor has also gotten pretty severe there," says Richard
Badenhausen. So try to plan your visit to encompass some of the weekdays and make sure to arrive against the
traffic. Because of Alta's phenomenal snowfall, the Little Cottonwood
Canyon is prone to occasional road closures, so it is wise to consult the road status on
their website before setting off.
However, this means that lucky locals, and those already staying onhill, can get
marooned there with all that perfectly-pitched powder to themselves!
No news on events yet, but next season Alta turns 80 so be prepared for the powder party!
No news on events yet, but next season Alta turns 80 so be prepared for the powder party!
Social Media Links:
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| Courtesy of Alta Ski Area |
