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McKenna Peterson's Top 5 Alta Moments of 2015-16

By Adam Fehr 06-09-2016

McKenna Peterson had the opportunity to ski all over the world this winter, but when she wasn't globetrotting she was rippin' around at Alta

1. Trading in Thanksgiving for powder

Pink ski pole emerging from cloud of snow from skier skiing deep powder

Of course my family understood when I told them I wasn’t making it back to Idaho for all of Thanksgiving week -It was snowing at Alta and I couldn’t leave. My parents and my siblings would have all made the same decision. But when Tuesday the 24th rolled around, my post powder shred stoke was squashed by a textbook motherly guilt trip “Sorry mama… I know there is snow in Sun Valley too… it’s not this good… OK OK, I’ll drive home tomorrow”, my natural response to smooth over my disregard for our annual family week together. And then it snowed another 6 inches and I skied bell-to-bell on Wednesday. And enjoyed face shots and powder drops Thanksgiving morning. Alta was back to its old ways and I couldn’t miss out. I made it to Sun Valley in time for pie and leftovers. Next year I’m hosting.

2. Baldy Shoulder

Skier with black helmet making turn in fresh deep snow

Capturing some Alta magic with Lee Cohen. Three feet of fresh snow, blue sky, a morning so cold that I can’t feel my toes, breathtaking sunrise, and great company. What more could you ask for? Every Alta athlete should have a day of shooting powder with Lee in their top 5.

3. Best day of the season

Skier girl jumping off short cliff with fresh snow

It was the beginning of February and I was only going to be in SLC for 36 hours after 6 weeks of travel. I had been out of the country and, per usual, had kept my eye on what was happening back home. I have to admit there was a twinge of FOMO due to the heavy January storms and I couldn’t help but get up to Alta and see how everything had filled in while I was away. I powered through lethargy and jet lag to drag myself up canyon and unassumingly had the best day of my season. The snow was soft and forgiving, my go-to lines were filled in and ready to send, and there were friends everywhere. The best part about Alta is being able to roll up to the resort solo and always find endless ski partners and good company, every time. The snow wasn’t deep and it wasn’t blue sky but a collective positive energy and exuberance surrounded the resort this day. Not a sleeper pow day… a sleeper epic day.

4. K2 shoot

Skier girl skiing deep fresh powder snow

I was psyched when I heard that K2 was going to do it’s catalogue shoot at Alta and Snowbird. The three feet of snow that we got the week of the shoot was icing on the cake. Not only did I get the opportunity to chase around some of the best skiers in the world, it was on my home turf —my favorite mountain. First tracks down the Ho resulted in some of the deepest and most enjoyable turns of my season. So good that I giggled like a child alongside a few formidable athletes that you would never expect to ‘giggle like children’.

5. Postseason shred

Skier with backpack skiing a steep slope

I’ve always secretly enjoyed the fact that Alta shuts down its lifts at the end of April. The resort opens to uphill traffic and I find (for the most part) my own private Alta. Drew Petersen and I had an incredible post-season spring day skiing Main Chute and High Boy in perfect corn. The High T was smooth and I didn’t hit a single rock going over piss pass. The only downside? -A nasty sunburn that will keep me rocking a sexy farmers tan through the summer.

McKenna Peterson is an Alta Ski Area athlete. To see more of her Alta moments from this past winter, or to follow along on her upcoming adventures, check her out on Instagram.