{"type":"resort","slug":"alta-ski-area-ut","name":"Alta","country":"United States","country_code":"US","state":"UT","canonical_url":"https://sknow.live/resort/alta-ski-area-ut","content":{"summary":"Alta Ski Area is a major Utah destination in Little Cottonwood Canyon, best known for serious skiing and a classic, ski-focused mountain culture. It’s a top pick for advanced skiers and anyone planning a dedicated ski trip, with a strong reputation that makes it a flagship Utah resort. Treat it as a destination anchor rather than a casual local hill.","description":"Alta Ski Area is one of the clearest examples in North America of a mountain built around skiing rather than broad resort packaging. Founded in 1938 in Little Cottonwood Canyon, it carries a historic, purist identity that still defines the place. The terrain tilts advanced, with 65 black trails out of 119 total, yet Alta is not one-dimensional: there are also 18 green and 36 blue trails spread across 2,614 skiable acres and 2,538 feet of vertical. What makes Alta feel different is not just the numbers. It is the combination of steep, rugged lines, consistently dry Utah snow, and a mountain culture that has never tried to smooth off its edges for mass-market appeal.\n\nThe operational side is intentionally lean compared with larger destination resorts. Alta has just 6 lifts, including 2 high-speed quads, and only 5% snowmaking coverage. That minimal snowmaking is not an oversight; it reflects both altitude and natural snowfall. Average annual snowfall is 538 inches, among the biggest numbers anywhere in North America. The summit reaches 11,068 feet, the base is 8,530 feet, and the drive from Salt Lake City or Salt Lake City International Airport is about 0.8 hours.\n\nTwo facts matter immediately for trip planning. First, Alta is one of the oldest ski areas in the United States, with roots in a former silver mining camp. Second, it is one of the few remaining American resorts that bans snowboarding. For some travelers that is a drawback; for others it is central to Alta’s appeal. Either way, Alta remains one of the most distinct ski cultures in the country.  ","content_generated_at_utc":"2026-02-11T19:31:35.456Z"},"forecast":{"snow_10d_cm":13.86,"snow_24h_cm":0,"snow_past_24h_cm":0.77,"snow_past_7d_cm":28,"daily_snow_cm":[0,0,0,0,0,0.21,4.41,0.21,2.59,6.44],"daily_time":["2026-04-04","2026-04-05","2026-04-06","2026-04-07","2026-04-08","2026-04-09","2026-04-10","2026-04-11","2026-04-12","2026-04-13"],"past_daily_snow_cm":[0,0,0,0,11.34,15.89,0.77],"past_daily_time":["2026-03-28","2026-03-29","2026-03-30","2026-03-31","2026-04-01","2026-04-02","2026-04-03"],"last_updated":null},"passes":[{"id":"ikon","name":"Ikon Pass"},{"id":"mountain_collective","name":"Mountain Collective"}],"nearby_resorts":[{"slug":"brighton","name":"Brighton","country":"United States"},{"slug":"deer-valley-resort-ut","name":"Deer Valley","country":"United States"},{"slug":"nordic-valley","name":"Nordic Valley","country":"United States"},{"slug":"park-city","name":"Park City","country":"United States"},{"slug":"park-city-mountain-resort-ut","name":"Park City Mountain Resort","country":"United States"}],"webcams":{"has_webcams":false},"is_gold":true,"generated_at_utc":"2026-04-04T10:41:39.529Z"}