Alta Chalets Blog

The town of Alta and world-renowned Alta Ski Area are located at the top of the Little Cottonwood Canyon in Utah’s scenic Wasatch Mountain range. Alta is less than 30 miles from downtown Salt Lake City and accessible only on a single stretch of road – Utah’s Scenic Highway 210, aka Little Cottonwood Canyon. Scenic Highway 210 is a glacier carved corridor that winds up through the Little Cottonwood Canyon...

The 50th Annual Snowbird Resort Oktoberfest The Oktoberfest celebration originated in Munich, Germany over 200 years ago when Bavaria’s Crown Prince Ludwig called for a five day festival to celebrate his marriage to Princess Theresa of Saxony-Hildburghausen. This was the beginning of what is today known as the annual Munich Oktoberfest, the world’s largest party attended by over 6-million visitors annually.  Can’t catch a flight to Munich? There are many...

Situated at an elevation of 9,500 feet at the top of Little Cottonwood Canyon, Albion Basin sits above the Alta Ski Area and Snowbird Resort and is one of the most spectacular and renowned destinations in the Wasatch Mountains (and the US!) for wildflower Alta viewing.  The wildflower season in Albion Basin is world-famous and draws thousands of visitors to the summer slopes of the Alta Ski Area and Snowbird...

The Alta Ski Area near Salt Lake City is known for its authentic ski experiences with world-famous ski slopes, an old school ski town, and spectacular alpine scenery high in the Wasatch Mountains of Utah. From a bygone era of silver mines, saloons and ski pioneers to a bucket-list destination for year-round outdoor recreation, here’s 10 things you likely didn’t know about Alta, Utah – and endless reasons to add...

The town of Alta sits at an elevation of 8,530 feet at the top of Little Cottonwood Canyon in Utah’s Wasatch Mountains, an alpine splendor only 25 miles southeast of Salt Lake City. One of the highest cities in Utah and the US, Alta is world-famous for the greatest snow on earth, alpine adventures, and a laid back way of life that makes Alta unique to other US ski resorts. ...

The town of Alta is nestled in the beautiful Wasatch Mountain only 28 miles from Salt Lake City. Surrounded by towering peaks, steep walled canyons, granite cliffs, secluded trails for hiking and biking, and miles of creeks, streams and high-altitude alpine lakes, Alta is near to some of the top fishing spots in Utah and the Wasatch Mountains. Alta is renowned for its world-class skiing and perfect powder, but the...

Choosing the right ski resort for your family vacation can be a painstaking process and for many parents it comes down to one thing – finding a fun and safe learning environment for the kids to play on the mountain! Utah’s Little Cottonwood Canyon is home to two of the top powder destinations in the USA, the skier-only Alta Ski Area and Snowbird Ski Resort, a powder haven for both...

The Little Cottonwood Canyon in Utah’s Wasatch Mountains is an awesome winter sports destination famous for the “Greatest Snow on Earth”, world-class skiing at Alta and perfect powder at Snowbird, one of the top freeriding destinations in the US! Packing for your winter vacation requires preparation! The Little Cottonwood Canyon is a magnet for winter storms, receiving over 500 inches of snow a year, and some of the best powder...

Alta has a classic ski culture with cozy lodges for fireside dining, patios with views for bluebird days, casual family-style restaurants, upscale bistros, and laid-back slopeside aprés ski saloons and bars. From kick-starting your day with a shot of caffeine slopeside to shot skiing at a late-night aprés ski venue (and everything in between), there’s plenty of cafés, restaurants, and fun aprés venues to indulge in Alta! And … to...

Winter arrived early at Alta Ski Area with a good start to the snow season and the snowiest October since 2004, with over 80 inches of snow already falling to date! The stoke for the Alta ski season is high, and there’s no better way to spend the holidays than celebrating your favorite holiday traditions in the scenic Little Cottonwood Canyon and on the world-class slopes of Alta and Snowbird,...

Thanksgiving is a special time of celebrating family traditions, feasting on our favorite food, attending harvest festivals and giving thanks for blessings passed, and those to come. Thanksgiving is also a favorite time of year for visitors celebrating the opening of one of the snowiest places in the world, the Alta Ski Area. Nestled in the scenic Little Cottonwood Canyon of Utah, the Alta Ski Area opens for the 2021-2022...

You’re about to embark on a trip to the “Top Powder Destination in the USA” and one of the most scenic mountain destinations in Utah, the Cottonwood Canyons. Big Cottonwood Canyon is home to the Brighton and Solitude Ski Resorts and nestled at the end of the Little Cottonwood Canyon are Alta and Snowbird, a ski area paradise for powder hounds with winter activities for the whole family. Travel looks...

Alta is a historic mining town and famed Utah ski resort nestled in the heart of Utah’s scenic Little Cottonwood Canyon, surrounded by the beauty and wilderness of the Wasatch Mountains. The Alta/Snowbird area offers an abundance of outdoor activities year-round with the “Greatest Snow on Earth” in the winter and miles of secluded and scenic wilderness in the spring, summer and fall.   Whether you’re travelling for world-class winter...

Even though Alta, Utah, is known for its world-class skiing and snowboarding, the summer season is a peaceful time to watch the area come alive with colorful wildflowers, diverse wildlife, and summer sports.  Don’t miss the chance to explore the Albion Basin without the distraction of winter tourists. Here are a few ideas of fun things to do in the Town of Alta during the summer!    Hiking    Hiking...

Escaping to the mountains for a winter ski getaway may be the most popular thing to do in Alta, Utah—but that doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty to do during the other seasons, too!   One of the most popular outdoor activities you can’t miss when visiting Alta during the summer and fall is exploring Cecret Lake. Here’s everything you need to know about this fun, scenic destination!    Where is Cecret...

Working remotely never skied so good. We can all agree this year–and this winter–looks very different than what we’re used to, and there are many things we miss.  But, there are also many things we can find. Like weekday powder turns under Utah’s clear blue skies, all while holding down a big-city job. Or sending your kids to a half-day of ski school in lieu of recess. Because, thanks to...

Our favorite Salt Lake area breweries and distilleries. After a steady daily diet of powder, sunshine, and joy on the slopes of the Wasatch, Alta Chalets guests may not realize how many excellent options they have for washing it all down. Despite a history of pious teetotaling that once gave Utah a dry reputation, the state is now home to dozens of fantastic microbreweries and distilleries, about 30 of which...

Your ski sanctuary: staying pandemic-safe in a private vacation rental. 2020 may have pressed the pause button on many things, but, with a little strategic decision-making, your ski vacation doesn’t have to be one of them. If you find a way to skip the crowded day-lodges, lunch lines, and hotels, you’ve cracked the code. The solution: staying in a peaceful vacation rental with just your family—and a kitchen, complete with...

The Flagstaff and the Baldy Photohaus have a fantastic location, just across the street from the Alta Ski Area. If you are familiar with Alta, these two units are just across the street from the Alta Lodge. So in the morning, you have two options to get to Alta. You can either jump on the Free Alta Resort Shuttle or ski down. The Resort Shuttle stops right by the house...

What is a caretaker? Alta receives over 500 inches of snow per year and there are from time to time road closures due to avalanche danger. Due to this unique environment, caretakers are an integral part of the town of Alta. The jobs of the caretakers are as follows: Shovel snow to allow for access in and out of the house Work with snow removal to insure that driveways are...

Once you are at Alta and Snowbird, there is no need for a vehicle. There are very easy ways to get around the ski areas, during the day or in the evening. Free Day Alta Resort Shuttle (Within Alta along Bypass Road during daytime hours) The Alta Free Resort Shuttle runs continually during the daytime (8:30am to 5:00pm) from mid-December (12/17/21) until to mid-April (4/10/22). This shuttle stops at all...

Many times I will answer a reservation call and a client will tell me they want to stay at Alta and not at Snowbird. Whenever I receive this question, it is an indication to me that the person has probably never visited our area. So, if you are already familiar with Alta and Snowbird, skip this post otherwise read on for my spiel. 1. Yes, the Alta Ski Area and...

I grew up and learned to ski in the Northeast – New Hampshire, Maine, Canada and Vermont. My earliest memories of skiing are at Stowe VT. I was fearless on the slopes but terrified of the T-Bar…at the time my only option for getting up to the top of the beginner area. For every run I took, I had about 5 unsuccessful tries to load the T-Bar with my dad....

There are many misconceptions about being able to get a drink and purchase alcohol in Utah. Many of the more restrictive laws have changed over the past few years making things much easier than they used to be. Below are some of the things to know: 1. All wine, beer (over 3.2%) and hard liquor must be purchased at a Utah State Liquor Store. The prices are surprisingly reasonable (typically...