Welcome to Alta's 88th season.
From a rip-roaring silver mining outpost at the turn of the century to a single chair assembled from an old mining tramway, the memories here run deeper than our powder snow. For 88 years, Alta skiers have left their ephemeral tracks within the snow, sharing stories about a place that time mostly forgot. To experience Alta is to be steeped in tradition while immersed in the present. Many a visitor has quit their job, left a life behind and moved to Utah to continue their pursuit of that Alta Magic.
88 Years of Family, Friends & Fun
The 2025–26 season will signify a memorable milestone for Alta Ski Area and we hope you join us. We cordially invite you to bring your family and friends and celebrate 88 years of timeless turns. Join us in paying homage to Alta’s rich history for our 88th winter by visiting your favorite powder stash and leaving powder 8s in your wake. The figure 8s we leave in the snow are a visceral link to the skiers who came before. Your powder 8s commemorate the stories, tales and tradition that define the community of this special place.
Alta's opening day for our 88th anniversary season is set for November 21st—conditions permitting >
Share your powder 8s with us on social and we will celebrate together all winter long—tag @altaskiarea and use #Alta88th
Alta's Deep Roots
From halcyon days when silver was king to the avalanches that wreaked havoc and destruction on the little mining town, Alta has stood witness to dreams and disaster. By 1920, the Wasatch Mountains had been savaged by decades of mineral extraction, grazing and environmental degradation. The nearly treeless slopes of Little Cottonwood Canyon presented an avalanche problem and the polluted watershed threatened Salt Lake City's water supply.
Once forged in silver, Alta's fate would shift to snow, thanks to the wisdom of Norwegian ski champion, Alf Engen.
To the United States Forest Service, Alf Engen recommended the head of Little Cottonwood Canyon as the prime site for the development and promotion of winter recreation in the Wasatch Mountains. Alf believed the deep snow and hanging glacial basins would suit skiers and jobs would be created by the need to replant and repair the watershed. The din of clanging mines was soon replaced by the reverberation of explosives meant to keep avalanches at bay so skiers could enjoy the superb mountain scenery.
Circa 1950: Engen Brothers put down some early Powder 8s on High Rustler | Photos: Sverre Engen
Alta's first skiers explored the slopes on eight-foot-long skis fashioned of the finest hickory. While the equipment, outerwear and chairlifts have certainly evolved, what hasn’t changed is Alta’s mission to provide an authentic skiing experience in a natural environment. To this day, skiers continue to experience that exhilarating exhale before leaving a plume of powder snow in their wake, thanks to Alta's independent ownership and commitment to stewardship.
From leather boots and beartrap bindings to carbon fiber skis and boot heaters, our appreciation for this special mountain remains constant beyond the passage of time.
2025: Alta Ski Patrol and Alta locals lay some powder 88s | Photos: Lee Cohen & Photo-John
88 Years of Powder Skiing Evolution
Since 1938, Alta Ski Area has shaped North American skiing culture.
- Alta was home to the first chairlift in Utah—the fourth in North America
- Alta served as the birthplace of snow science and avalanche mitigation in North America
- Early Alta skiers helped create the methodology and curriculum of the Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA)
- Alta's bountiful snow inspired the creation of the modern Powder Skiing Technique
- Alta Ski Patrol was established as the fourth ski patrol in the western United States
- Little Cottonwood Canyon was the first location in North America to utilize Wyseen Towers (RACS) for avalanche mitigation purposes
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