Alta Chalets FAQs

Alta is approximately a 45-minute drive from Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC), weather and traffic dependent. If you are driving yourself you must have a four-wheel or all-wheel drive vehicle — the Utah Department of Transportation frequently restricts Little Cottonwood Canyon to 4WD/AWD only, and without it you will not be permitted up the canyon under any circumstance. Alta Chalets can also arrange airport transportation through our concierge services, which removes the vehicle question entirely and can include a grocery stop on the way up.

Yes you do! We get over 500 inches of snow a year and the Department of Transportation often restricts the roads to 4WD or all-wheel drive only. That means that if you do not have a 4WD or all-wheel drive, you are not allowed to drive in Little Cottonwood Canyon under any circumstance.

We are frequently asked if people should rent a car when visiting Snowbird and Alta. Some guests find that they never use their rental cars once they are at Alta while others can’t imagine not having a car. While there is no clear cut answer to this question, there are a number of questions you can ask yourself that will help you to make your decision. Below is a list of questions along with information on area shuttles. Please feel free to contact our office with questions. 1. Do you have small children? We have found that groups with small children are often happier when they rent a vehicle as this makes dropping kids off at ski school, day care etc… a bit easier than taking the shuttle and having to juggle multiple pairs of skis, children and other gear. 2. What time do your flights arrive and depart? Our check in time is at 4PM and check out at 10AM. We can, at times, accommodate an early check in or late check out but this means an hour or so on either side and must be okayed by our reservations office in advance of your visit. If you arrive early or leave late, a rental vehicle will give you a place to store your bags and base out of on your check in/check out day. 3. Will you want to pick up groceries on your way to Alta? We do offer a grocery stocking service however, if you enjoy doing your own grocery/liquor shopping you will want to do this prior to your arrival at Alta/Snowbird. The easiest options for doing your own grocery shopping are: Rent a 4WD/AWD vehicle and stop on your way up the canyon and shop (you can also place an online order in advance.) Book a private shuttle from the airport – the shuttle will charge you $1 per minute wait time but will stop at the grocery store for you (all stops must be arranged in advance). 4. Are you comfortable driving in the snow? We get an average of 500 inches of snow each season and though the roads are well maintained, you may be driving in winter conditions. If you rent a vehicle you will need to rent a 4WD/AWD with a minimum of mud/snow tires. 5. Do you like to go out to dinner a lot and/or visit other areas (other than Alta or Snowbird) while on vacation? If you answered yes, renting a vehicle may be the way to go. The evening shuttle to go to restaurants in the Alta/Snowbird area is free (from 6pm to 10pm - running mid-December through early April) but to get to other resorts outside of Little Cottonwood Canyon can be a little cost prohibitive to go by shuttle. 6. Will you be visiting early/late season? The area shuttles run from mid-December to about the beginning of April. If you will be visiting outside of these times you will want to rent a vehicle.

Yes, Alta Chalets sells Super Pass lift tickets. These are a great option if you can't decide which resort you want to ski or ride at every day. The Super Pass is pre-loaded with a quantity of lift ticket days and allows you to choose each day if you are going to ski at Alta or Snowbird. No more locking in a consecutive day single resort pass! You can always upgrade this pass at the top of the mountain to be the Alta Snowbird dual mountain lift ticket. These passes always have a 14 day window of use once you go through a ticket gate the first day.

Yes! Private chef service and food stocking are both available through our concierge team. Food stocking means we shop at the grocery store, natural foods store, or state liquor store in Salt Lake City before you arrive so your kitchen is stocked when you walk in — which matters more here than elsewhere, since there is only a small general store at Snowbird and interlodge closures can keep you indoors during a storm.

Altitude affects people differently. It is not unusual to get a little headache and have some problems sleeping your first few days at altitude. There are brochures in each of our rental properties with pointers on handling altitude. If you have questions or if you are experiencing more than mild symptoms, you should be seen by a medical professional. We recommend that you avoid excessive alcohol, caffeine and increase your intake of water.

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 Traditional Day Alta Resort Shuttle – (Within Alta along Bypass Road during daytime hours to get you from the homes and condos to the Alta Ski Area) The free Alta Resort Shuttle runs continually during the daytime (8:30am to 5:00pm) from mid-December until to mid-April. This shuttle stops at all of the accommodations and brings guests to and from Alta’s base lifts. This shuttle does NOT go to Snowbird. Please contact (801) 301-0122. Insider tip: You can always use this Shuttle as well to go to Snowbird by hopping off at The View Condominiums stop and skiing down the intermediate ski trail to Snowbird. Shuttle Stops: Superior Point Sugarplum Townhouses Upper & Lower Sugarplum Village Sugarplum Meadows The View Condominiums Powder Ridge Alta Chalets Private Homes PhotoHaus Condominums (by request) NEW Day Alta Resort Shuttle – (This free shuttle connects with the UTA bus route with different stops) The NEW supplemental Alta Resort Shuttle runs from 7am to 6pm daily, picking up from the stops below every 30 minutes. Dates of operation are: 12/11/22 to 4/9/23. Shuttle Stops: Cliff Lodge Bottom of the Blackjack Road Driveway on the Bypass Road Alta Peruvian Lodge Goldminers Daughter Alta Lodge Rustler Lodge Snowpine Lodge Albion Base Alta Resort Night Shuttle The free Alta Night Shuttle is an on-demand service that picks up guests at their rental properties and takes them anywhere in the Alta Snowbird area between the hours of 6-10pm, running from 12/23/22 to 4/9/23. It is suggested to call (801) 301-0122 in the morning to make reservations for your ride in the evening. Shuttle Stops: Superior Point Sugarplum Townhouses Upper & Lower Sugarplum Village Sugarplum Meadows The View Condominiums Powder Ridge Alta Chalets Private Homes PhotoHaus Condominium

There are lots of discount ski rental operations in the Salt Lake Valley, however, if you are staying at Alta or Snowbird, we recommend that you rent your skis there. Though it may cost a little bit more, you will be happy not to have to drive back to Salt Lake should you want to switch skis or if you have a problem during your visit.

Below are the items that we provide for all of our guests in the units. • Coffee Filters • Laundry and Dishwasher Detergent • Dish Soap • Sponge and Scouring Pad • All Purpose Spray Cleaner • Paper Towels and Dish Towels • Starter supply of toilet paper • Starter supply of trash bags

The answer is absolutely yes ... even on Sunday. Like other major cities, Salt Lake has bars, brewpubs, and restaurants that serve alcohol seven days a week. The "membership requirement" to enter bars was removed in 2009. If you're over 21 you can walk into a bar, order a drink, and enjoy. You have to buy wine, full strength beer and hard liquor at a Utah State Liquor Store (see grocery stores for locations).

Due to the unique challenges of Alta's weather and location, no recycling pick up service exists. However, if you have a vehicle and would like to recycle, you can take it to the Alta Recycling Center, which is on the north side of the main road, down canyon from the post office/fire station. It is across the street from the parking lot west of the Rustler Lodge. The recycling center accepts newspaper, plastics (including plastic bags), steel cans, cardboard, cereal boxes, aluminum cans, tin cans, all paper, milk jugs and soap boxes. It does not accept glass.

Sometimes our guests will ask for a different check in/out time other than our standard 4pm check in and 10am check out. We will put the request onto your reservation but it is always on request basis only. It is based on a number of different factors: housekeeping schedules, weather and other Alta Chalets reservations in house at the time. Please contact us directly so we can assess what this may look like for you.

When you call your caretaker at the airport, they will make plans to do your orientation and official check in to the property. They will instruct you on where and how to park for your specific unit. You must display a pink Alta Chalets parking permit for select units on the rearview mirror of your rental car.

Alta Chalets manages luxury vacation rentals throughout Alta, so the best place to stay comes down to your group size and how close you want to be to the lifts. Our portfolio runs from 1-bedroom condos to 6+ bedroom chalets, including ski-in/ski-out units at The View Condominiums, condos at Powder Ridge and Superior Point, the Sugarplum Village, and standalone homes such as Nicholson Chalet, The Black Bear Chalet, The Lone Pine Chalet, and Manley Cabin. Most properties are within walking distance of Alta's base lifts or sit on the free resort shuttle route. A local caretaker meets you on arrival to handle check-in, parking, and orientation to your specific property.

There are eight View units managed by Alta Chalets. View #11 has one bedroom and sleeps up to 4 people. The other seven View units all have two bedrooms and sleep up to 6 people. View #5 also includes an open loft, but its maximum occupancy is still 6 guests. Across the eight View units, the largest occupancy is 6 guests.

Yes. Besides The View, Alta Chalets considers Powder Ridge to be the only true ski-in/ski-out property for Alta, with access from the Powder Ridge driveway across a very short cat track to the Wildcat/Collins base area. The Village at Sugarplum is also ski-in/ski-out to Snowbird, with ski access beginning at the end of Blackjack Road. Superior Point is not true ski-in/ski-out, but it is one of the closest locations to Snowbird. You walk up a short driveway, cross the Bypass Road, and ski down to the Snowbird base area. For Alta access, Powder Ridge, Sugarplum, and Superior Point all use the free Alta Resort Shuttle, which typically takes just a few minutes to reach the Collins or Sunnyside base areas

No. Alta Chalets has a strict no-pet policy, and pets are not allowed in any of our rental properties. Service dogs, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), are permitted. Little Cottonwood Canyon, where Alta is located, does not allow dogs except for ADA-defined service dogs and avalanche rescue dogs working in ski area operations. Bringing a pet to an Alta Chalets property is not permitted and can result in substantial fines and may be grounds for eviction.

No. Alta Chalets does not manage any properties with step-free access, elevator access, or roll-in showers. The homes, chalets, townhomes, and condos we manage in Little Cottonwood Canyon are privately owned vacation rentals and were not built to ADA accessibility standards. If you have specific mobility or accessibility needs, please contact us before booking and we can help you determine whether a particular property may be a workable fit for your situation.

Yes. When you book directly with Alta Chalets, you do not pay the Airbnb or VRBO booking fees that are added when reserving through those platforms. The rental accommodation is the same, but booking direct avoids those third-party service fees. If you are comparing the same Alta Chalets property and dates, booking direct will always be the less expensive option because there are no Airbnb or VRBO guest booking fees. Booking directly with Alta Chalets gives you our full portfolio rather than the subset listed on the platforms, plus a reservations team that knows each individual building and can match you to the right unit. Direct guests also arrange concierge services: lift tickets, airport transportation, grocery stocking, ski delivery, private chef, through the same office handling the reservation, rather than coordinating separately after booking. Either way, the property, the caretaker, and the service are the same; the difference is who you talk to and how much of our inventory you can see.

The Alta Chalets reservation office is staffed during the winter from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, with variable weekend hours. Alta Chalets sends check-in instructions 48 hours before arrival, and those instructions include access to a text message thread that is monitored 24 hours a day for emergencies. If you need urgent assistance during your stay, use that text thread to reach the on-call team.

Alta Chalets, Alta Realty, and Alta Realty Property Management are affiliated companies. Alta Chalets focuses on vacation rentals and short-stay reservations, while Alta Realty and Alta Realty Property Management provide real estate and long-term rental services.

Most Alta Chalets rental units have an in-unit washer and dryer. The one exception is Photohaus, which has two shared washer and dryers for the two-property building. For family-friendly features, The Fort House has a game room with a pool table and a bunk room. Superior Point #2F includes a room with a ping pong table and also has a bunk room. If having laundry, extra space for kids, or a dedicated recreation area is important to your group, these are two properties worth considering.

No. Alta Chalets does not stock cribs, Pack ’n Plays, high chairs, bed rails, baby gates, or other baby equipment. We can refer you to an outside rental company that delivers rental items to Alta and picks them up after your stay for a small fee. We recommend arranging rentals at least two weeks before your arrival, especially during busy winter periods, to help ensure the items you need are available.

No. Alta Chalets' three larger homes, The Lone Pine Chalet, The Fort House, and The Nicholson Chalet, do not have a bedroom on the main floor. If a main-floor bedroom is important for grandparents or other guests who prefer to avoid stairs, these homes are probably not the best fit. We are happy to help you compare other accommodations and find a property with a layout that better matches your group's needs.

The largest group Alta Chalets can host in a single property is 23 people at the Nicholson Chalet. The Nicholson Chalet has eight ensuite bedrooms and is commonly used for large corporate groups, multi-family retreats, and ski clubs. For larger groups, we can help coordinate multiple nearby rentals. We also work with group gatherings such as retreats, reunions, corporate off-sites, and weddings. Please contact Alta Chalets with questions about group minimums, event restrictions, or specific requirements for your gathering.

A 10% deposit is due at the time of booking and final payment is charged through automatically 60 days prior to arrival. For cancellations made 7 days or more prior to arrival, you will receive a 90% refund. No refunds are provided for cancellations made within 7 days of arrival. Alta Chalets always recommends purchasing travel insurance, as it may provide coverage for certain cancellation situations that are not covered under our cancellation policy.

Minimum night stays vary by season, day of the week, and current booking patterns, so there is not one standard minimum that applies to every reservation. Alta Chalets uses minimum stays that can change from day to day, and requirements may be different during holiday periods or other high-demand times. If you are searching for availability and not finding what you need, try adjusting your arrival and departure dates or changing the length of your stay. Often, a different stay pattern will open up additional options.

No. Alta Chalets does not collect a refundable security deposit. Instead, every reservation includes a one-time, non-refundable Accidental Rental Damage Protection fee. This program covers accidental damage that occurs during your stay, such as a broken wine glass or a carpet stain. It does not cover intentional damage.

Christmas Week and Presidents Week usually book up first. At Alta Chalets, those weeks are often fully booked 30 to 45 days before arrival, so it is a good idea to reserve as early as possible if you plan to travel during peak holiday periods. For the upcoming ski season, reservation calendars are generally released in the early spring. Once those dates are available, you can book your stay for the new season.

Your nightly rate covers the property itself, and every rental is stocked on arrival with starter supplies including coffee filters, laundry and dishwasher detergent, dish soap, cleaning spray, paper towels, dish towels, and a starter supply of toilet paper and trash bags. Concierge services are arranged separately and billed in addition — these include discounted lift tickets, airport transportation, food stocking, ski delivery, private chef service, and travel insurance.

No. Alta Chalets does not offer a snow guarantee, refund, or credit if snowfall is poor. Many of the properties we manage are booked by guests who are not visiting to ski, so rental payments are not tied to snowfall conditions. Please also note that no refunds are given for late check-ins or early checkouts for any reason, including weather, road closures, or an inability to reach your property. If weather or road closures require you to stay beyond your scheduled checkout date, additional nightly rental charges will apply. Little Cottonwood Canyon receives significant snowfall, and roads can close due to high avalanche danger.

We generally recommend Alta Shuttle or Alpine Transportation for airport transportation. Alta Chalets can book either service for you at the same price you would pay booking directly, or you can make arrangements with the shuttle provider yourself. Pricing depends on your group size and flight times, so you will need a quote based on your travel details. Next day reservations are often available, but we recommend booking well in advance, especially during the winter months when transportation services are in high demand.

Only The View has fiber Wi-Fi. Alta Chalets manages a range of privately owned condos, townhomes, and chalets, and internet service can vary by property. If fiber Wi-Fi is important for your stay, ask us about the specific property you are considering and we can confirm the type of internet service available there.

Ski delivery is one of our concierge services — equipment can be fitted and delivered to your property so you are not standing in a rental line on your first morning. If you prefer to rent in person, we recommend renting at Alta or Snowbird rather than in the Salt Lake valley: it may cost slightly more, but swapping skis or fixing a problem mid-trip does not then require a drive back down the canyon. Note that Alta does not permit snowboarding — snowboarders in your group can ride Snowbird next door, and our View Condominiums have direct ski-in/ski-out access to Snowbird.

Alta Chalets works with two outside chef service providers: Alta Provisions and Meghan Chopus and her team. Alta Provisions offers chef-prepared meals delivered to your door as well as private chefs who can create personalized, multi-course dining experiences in your vacation rental. Meghan Chopus and her team provide private in-home dining services, including four-course dinners, fondue experiences, and in-home steakhouse dinners. Both single dinners and more extensive meal service options are available, depending on your needs. Pricing varies based on the services requested, group size, and menu selections. We recommend arranging chef services as far in advance as possible, as availability can be limited during busy periods.

Alta Chalets will contact you as soon as we know an Interlodge order is likely to be called. We will send a message through your text thread first, and if we do not hear back, we will continue calling until we reach you. We will also place a sign outside your vacation rental door as an additional notification. Once Interlodge is in effect, you must remain inside your vacation rental until the order is lifted. Under Utah law, leaving your residence during Interlodge is not permitted, and fines may be issued if you are found outside. For more information about what Interlodge is and how it works, please see our Interlodge guide.

Little Cottonwood Canyon has only a handful of local property management companies, and Alta Chalets is among the longest-running — we have managed vacation rentals in Alta and Snowbird for more than 30 years. We manage privately owned condos, townhomes, and chalets across Alta, including The View Condominiums, Powder Ridge, Superior Point, the Sugarplum properties, and a collection of private homes. Because we are based in Alta rather than down in the valley, a caretaker meets every guest in person at check-in and our team is nearby throughout your stay. You can book any of our properties directly at altachalets.com or through our reservations office.

Yes. Alta has a dedicated beginner and intermediate area at the Albion base with its own lifts and ski school, and Alta Chalets rentals tend to suit families better than a hotel room. You get a full kitchen for early breakfasts and picky eaters, separate bedrooms so children can sleep on their own schedule, and laundry for wet gear. Our properties run from 1-bedroom condos up to 6+ bedroom chalets, so single families and multi-family groups can both be accommodated. The free daytime resort shuttle stops at our buildings, which makes ski-school drop-off manageable without hauling gear far.

A ski-in/ski-out condo puts you closest to the snow with the least effort, while a private chalet gives you far more space and privacy in exchange for a short shuttle or drive. Our condos — The View, Powder Ridge, Superior Point, and the Sugarplum properties — generally suit couples and smaller families who want to step out the door and onto the mountain. Our chalets and private homes, including Nicholson Chalet, The Black Bear Chalet, The Fort House, The Lone Pine Chalet, The Cabin, Manley Cabin, and Palace de Pow, tend to suit larger groups who want a full house, more common space, and room to gather in the evening. Both sit on the free resort shuttle route.

Snowbird lodging is mostly resort-operated hotel and condo product at the base area, while Alta lodging is a mix of independent lodges and privately owned condos and homes — which is where Alta Chalets operates. Staying in Alta generally means more space, a full kitchen, and a quieter, more residential feel; staying at Snowbird means a larger base village with more on-site dining and services. The two resorts are neighbors and a combined Alta–Snowbird pass covers both mountains, so the choice is about the kind of stay you want rather than which mountain you can ski. Our View Condominiums are a middle path: an Alta address with true ski-in/ski-out access to Snowbird.

Our properties range from 1-bedroom condos up to 6+ bedroom chalets, so we can host anything from a couple to a large multi-family group. Smaller groups typically stay in our condo inventory at The View, Powder Ridge, or Superior Point, while larger groups take a private home such as The Black Bear Chalet, The Fort House, The Lone Pine Chalet, or Nicholson Chalet. Groups sometimes book two neighboring properties to stay together while keeping separate space. Tell our reservations office your headcount and how you want to be arranged, and we will put together the options.

Alta Chalets is a locally based vacation rental management company that has operated in Alta and Snowbird, Utah for more than 30 years. We manage a portfolio of privately owned condos, townhomes, and chalets in Little Cottonwood Canyon, from 1-bedroom condos to 6+ bedroom homes. Alongside lodging we provide concierge services including discounted lift tickets, airport transportation, food stocking, ski delivery, private chef service, and travel insurance. Our office is in Alta, and a caretaker meets every guest on arrival.

Yes, despite its reputation. Alta is known for steep expert terrain, but the Albion base has a separate beginner and intermediate area with its own lifts, gentle groomed runs, and a ski school, so new skiers and children can learn well away from the difficult terrain. Plenty of our guests are mixed-ability groups where one person skis the steeps and another is on their third day ever. If beginners are in your group, ask our office which properties are most convenient to the Albion side so you are not crossing the mountain every morning.

Alta is one of only three ski areas in the United States that does not allow snowboarding. That does not have to rule out a mixed group, though: Snowbird is directly next door and allows snowboarding, and a combined Alta-Snowbird pass covers both mountains. Several Alta Chalets properties work well for mixed groups — The View Condominiums are true ski-in/ski-out to Snowbird, so a snowboarder can ride Snowbird while the rest of the group skis Alta and everyone meets back at the same condo. Tell our reservations office if your group is mixed and we will steer you to a property that works for everyone.

The View Condominiums are our true ski-in/ski-out property — ski-in/ski-out to Snowbird, with ski-in access from Alta for advanced skiers. Everything else in our portfolio is either a short walk to Alta's base lifts or a stop on the free resort shuttle, which runs continually during the day and picks up at Superior Point, the Sugarplum properties, The View, Powder Ridge, our private homes, and Photohaus. "Ski-in/ski-out" gets used loosely in this canyon, so if it matters to you, ask us directly and we will tell you exactly what the walk looks like in ski boots.

Yes. Alta Chalets is based in Alta, not in the Salt Lake valley, and a local caretaker meets you when you arrive to walk you through check-in, parking, and the specifics of your property. Our team is in the canyon during your stay, which matters more here than in most destinations, as Little Cottonwood gets over 500 inches of snow a year, roads close, and interlodge orders happen.

Every Alta Chalets property is a full residence rather than a hotel room, so families get a kitchen, separate bedrooms, and in most properties a washer and dryer for wet gear. We stock each rental with starter supplies including paper towels, dish and laundry detergent, toilet paper, and trash bags, and our food stocking service can have groceries waiting when you arrive so you are not shopping with tired children after a flight. The free daytime resort shuttle stops at our buildings, which helps with ski-school runs.

For multi-generational groups we usually recommend one of our larger private chalets over separate condos, so everyone shares a kitchen and a common room while still having their own bedrooms. The Black Bear Chalet, The Fort House, The Lone Pine Chalet, and Nicholson Chalet are the kind of properties that work well when grandparents, parents, and children are traveling together. If some of the group skis and some does not, a full house also gives the non-skiers somewhere comfortable to spend the day.

Alta Chalets is primarily a winter ski season business, and our focus and full inventory are built around the ski season. Limited availability does exist outside the winter months, but summer is also when much of our maintenance and renovation work happens and when many owners use their own properties, so options are narrower and vary year to year.

Yes. Airport transportation is one of our concierge services, and our reservations office can arrange it when you book. This is often the simplest option for guests who would otherwise need to rent a four-wheel or all-wheel drive vehicle solely to get up Little Cottonwood Canyon. Private shuttles can also stop at a grocery or liquor store on the way up if arranged in advance.

Interlodge is Alta's avalanche safety protocol: when avalanche danger is high and control work is underway, the Town of Alta issues an interlodge order and everyone must stay indoors — no walking outside, no driving — until it is lifted. Orders are announced by phone, text, and siren, and can last from a short window to several hours, occasionally overnight. It is part of why the skiing here is what it is, and it usually means the next morning is exceptional. Practically, it means being stocked with food before a big storm is wise, which is one reason we offer a food stocking service and why a rental with a full kitchen is more comfortable than waiting it out in a hotel room.