Alta is renowned for its world-class powder skiing in a natural mountain environment, but what truly sets it apart is its small yet vibrant community that has kept the stoke alive since 1938. This community is made up of diverse individuals from all walks of life who, despite their differences, share a common bond: skiing. Our passion for the great outdoors has fostered a community of stewards dedicated to protecting, educating and celebrating the place we call home.
It is the Alta Environmental Center's (AEC) responsibility to act as a resource for our community by promoting sustainable initiatives through various partnerships and stewardship opportunities. Additionally, we work to foster environmental education and research through internal and third-party collaboration.
Stewardship and education
The AEC partners with local nonprofits and community organizations to offer free, hands-on environmental education and stewardship opportunities year-round.
Summer events
During the summer, we invite our community to get involved in hands-on restoration projects that help protect and preserve Alta’s natural mountain environment. These efforts include planting native trees into Alta's forest, harvesting trees from groomed ski runs, planting native plants into restoration areas, removing invasive and noxious plant species and maintaining trails.
Volunteers remove invasive plant species on Community Volunteer Day | Photo: Lexi Dowdall
In addition to our stewardship programs, we also partner with local organizations to offer a variety of environmental educational events that encourage recreators of all ages and abilities to explore their natural playground.
Birding Hikes with Tracy Aviary (left) and Alta Kids' Day with the Cottonwood Canyons Foundation (right) | Photo: Rocko Menzyk
You can learn to identify Alta's birds with experts from Tracy Aviary on our monthly Birding Hikes, get an up-close look at live raptors with HawkWatch International or explore Alta’s mining history on a guided hike with the State Historic Preservation Officer. Connect with even more Utah-based environmental organizations at the Wasatch Wildflower Festival and Kids' Day.
Winter events
In the winter, we team up with our partners to offer a variety of weekly environmental education experiences on skis and snowshoes.
Snowshoe Through Historic Snowscapes with UCSS (left) and Birding on Skis with Tracy Aviary (right) | Photo: Rocko Menzyk
Explore the mountain on a birding ski tour with experts from Tracy Aviary, ski with an arborist from TreeUtah to learn about the trees of Alta or join a ranger to discover the area's ecology, geology and rich mining history. If you're wanting to trade in your planks for a pair of snowshoes, join naturalists from the Cottonwood Canyons Foundation to discover Alta's winter environment, or step back in time with Utah Cultural Site Stewardship to explore the history of recreation in Little Cottonwood Canyon. To wrap up a great season on the slopes, we host our annual Alta Earth Day every April to bring local organizations together for a day of building connections.
Research and Education
Investing in our future is central to our mission—and it takes a community. Together, we protect the air, land and water of Little Cottonwood Canyon by supporting research and environmental education.
Junior Ranger
Junior Rangers help steward Alta by protecting its plants, wildlife, landscapes and history—learning why conservation matters now helps shape our future skiers.
SKE-COLOGY
Explore Alta on a self-guided scavenger hunt and uncover fascinating facts about the area's ecology, geology, wildlife and history.
Bird Survey Program
Ongoing research on Alta’s bird populations advances understanding of their ecological roles and high-elevation adaptations while supporting bird-friendly practices.
Black-Rosy Finch Study
If you’ve spent a winter at Alta, you may have spotted flocks of small, dark birds gathering near feeders or darting across the snow. Among them is the Black Rosy-Finch, a unique alpine bird that breeds in some of the West’s highest, most rugged terrain—making it one of the least studied bird species in North America.
Since 2018, Alta has been an important research site for the Utah Rosy-Finch Project, a collaborative conservation effort to study this rugged species. Three RFID-enabled feeders—located at the top of Collins lift, outside the Town of Alta office and on Bypass Road—have recorded more than 11,000 visits from 91 tagged finches, helping researchers better understand this elusive alpine species.
Town of Alta Archaeological Dig
In the summer of 2025, Alta Ski Area began replacing aging snowmaking lines along the Transfer Tow—an area that once served as the heart of the original Town of Alta. Buried beneath the surface for decades, remnants of the historic mining town began to emerge during excavation, revealing unexpected discoveries that made international headlines and sparked a renewed interest in Alta’s past.
As archaeologists and the Utah State Historic Preservation Office began piecing together these discoveries, it became clear there was more to uncover. Researchers returned to Alta in the summer of 2026 for a controlled archaeological excavation to recover artifacts and better understand life in the former mining town. With little written documentation of Water Street—once Alta’s bustling commercial hub—these artifacts offer a rare glimpse into the daily lives of those who called this mountain home.
Learn More About the History Beneath Our Skis >
Partners
We’re proud to work alongside these nonprofit, state and federal partners. Their support and commitment have made our progress possible—and we’re grateful for their continued partnership.
These collaborations are essential to the success of the Alta Environmental Center. Our partners’ involvement allows us to continue supporting the Alta community, our region and the ski industry in advancing sustainability. Together, we expand opportunities for ecological research, education and stewardship.