North America
Alta
For 2026-27, Alta is on the Ikon Pass (7 days combined with snowbird) and the Mountain Collective (2 days). Lifts run from 8,530 ft (2,600 m) to 11,068 ft (3,374 m), a vertical drop of 2,538 ft (774 m) across 2,614 acres, with about 546 inches of snow a year.
Alta sits at the top of Utah's Little Cottonwood Canyon and averages 546 inches of the light, dry powder that made the Wasatch famous. Skiing here since 1938 and still skiers-only, it trades high-speed village glitz for steep chutes, wide-open bowls, and a purist mountain culture, with limited Ikon Pass access and a combined Alta-Snowbird ticket for the full canyon experience.
Ski passes at Alta, 2026-27
| Pass | Access | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Ikon Pass | Access: 7 days combined with Snowbird | Full Ikon Pass = 7 days total in Little Cottonwood Canyon shared between Alta and Snowbird, no blackouts; skiing both on the same day uses one day. Ikon Base Pass and Ikon Session Pass do NOT include Alta. Parking reservations are needed Friday-Sunday and holidays 8am-1pm (altaparking.com). |
| Mountain Collective | Access: 2 days | Two free days at Alta with no blackouts (Snowbird is a separate 2-day destination), then 50% off additional Alta day tickets. |
Not on the Epic Pass or Indy Pass this season.
The Alta Season Pass (unlimited, no blackouts; qualifying 2026-27 passes add one Mon-Thu day each at Snowbird, Brighton and Snowbasin) or the Alta-Bird Pass for unlimited Alta + Snowbird (2026-27 adult $3,188, with an optional Ikon Pass add-on for $859 that excludes Alta/Snowbird days). Punch-card options: 10-Day Card $959, Powder Card $1,099, Alta Gold Card $149 + 50% off day tickets.
Lift ticket prices
Peak walk-up adult day ticket, 2025-26: $209; online in advance from around $199. Alta's 2026-27 day-ticket prices are not out yet (due in the fall); last season's peak adult day was $209 and $199 was the listed non-holiday rate. Skiers only.
Terrain Breakdown
Alta elevation, altitude and mountain stats
Peaks and base areas
| Peak | Peak: Mount BaldyTop of Alta's stated vertical; the Baldy Chutes are reached by hiking/traversing, not by a lift to the summit | 11,068 ft (3,374 m) |
| Peak | Peak: Sugarloaf MountainSummit above the Sugarloaf lift (lift top is lower) | 11,051 ft (3,368 m) |
| Base | Base: Wildcat / Collins base (Alta base area) | 8,530 ft (2,600 m) |
Getting to Alta: airports and drive times
The closest airport to Alta is Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC), 34 mi (54 km) away and about 55 min by car.
| Airport | Drive | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake City (SLC) | 55 min | 34 mi (54 km) |
| Jackson (JAC) | 5 hr 40 min | 294 mi (473 km) |
| Steamboat / Hayden (HDN) | 5 hr 55 min | 323 mi (520 km) |
| Montrose (MTJ) | 6 hr | 342 mi (550 km) |
Typical driving time with no traffic and open roads, rounded to five minutes. Chain controls, storms and resort-weekend traffic add to it. Routed over OpenStreetMap road data.
Alta in 3D
Runs and lifts as mapped on OpenStreetMap, over terrain from elevation data (heights exaggerated slightly). Drag to look around; two fingers on a phone.
Highlights
Pros
- ✓Arguably the best and most consistent powder snow in North America
- ✓Cheaper day tickets than the big corporate resorts nearby
- ✓Deep terrain variety from mellow Albion Basin to serious steeps
- ✓Uncrowded feel and a devoted, old-school ski culture
- ✓Quick 45-minute drive from Salt Lake City airport
Cons
- ✗Snowboarding is banned - skiers only
- ✗Powder-day canyon traffic (the 'red snake') and interlodge closures
- ✗Parking reservations now required on weekends and holidays
- ✗Limited nightlife and lodging compared to destination villages
Quick answers
Is Alta on the Epic Pass?
No. Alta is not on the Epic Pass for 2026-27. It is on the Ikon Pass (7 days combined with snowbird) and the Mountain Collective (2 days) instead.
Is Alta on the Ikon Pass?
Yes. For the 2026-27 season the Ikon Pass includes 7 days combined with snowbird at Alta. Full Ikon Pass = 7 days total in Little Cottonwood Canyon shared between Alta and Snowbird, no blackouts; skiing both on the same day uses one day. Ikon Base Pass and Ikon Session Pass do NOT include Alta. Parking reservations are needed Friday-Sunday and holidays 8am-1pm (altaparking.com).
Is Alta on the Mountain Collective?
Yes. For the 2026-27 season the Mountain Collective includes 2 days at Alta. Two free days at Alta with no blackouts (Snowbird is a separate 2-day destination), then 50% off additional Alta day tickets.
What is the elevation of Alta?
Alta sits at an altitude of 8,530 ft (2,600 m) at the base and 11,068 ft (3,374 m) above sea level at the top of the lifts, for 2,538 ft (774 m) of vertical drop. Named peaks and lift tops: Mount Baldy at 11,068 ft (3,374 m) and Sugarloaf Mountain at 11,051 ft (3,368 m).
How big is Alta?
Alta has 2,614 acres, 8 lifts and 116 runs.
How much snow does Alta get?
About 546 inches (1,387 cm) a year on average, as reported by the resort.
How much is a lift ticket at Alta?
A walk-up adult day ticket peaks at $209 for the 2025-26 season. Buying online ahead, adult tickets have started around $199. Alta's 2026-27 day-ticket prices are not out yet (due in the fall); last season's peak adult day was $209 and $199 was the listed non-holiday rate. Skiers only.
When does Alta open for the season?
Typically: opening Late November (opened 21 Nov in 2025; 2026-27 date not yet announced), closing Mid/late April (typical). Dates move with snowfall, so check the resort before booking.
Can you snowboard at Alta?
No. Alta is one of three US ski areas that still ban snowboards (with Deer Valley and Mad River Glen). Snowboarders go next door to Snowbird, which shares the canyon and the Alta-Bird ticket works only for skiers.
Is Alta on the Ikon Base Pass?
No. Alta is only on the full Ikon Pass, which gives 7 days shared with Snowbird. Ikon Base Pass holders can use their days at Snowbird but not at Alta; Mountain Collective adds 2 separate days at Alta.
What is the closest airport to Alta?
The closest airport to Alta is Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC), 34 mi (54 km) away and about 55 min by car.
Skier Insightssummarized from skier trip reports and forum reviews
Alta is less a resort than a stubborn idea: that a ski area can still be about snow, terrain, and nothing else. It gets some of the most and best powder in North America, bans snowboarders, runs eight lifts where a corporate owner would run twenty, and houses guests in lodges where strangers eat dinner together. The skier consensus is nearly reverent — when people argue about the best powder skiing in the US, Alta versus its neighbor Snowbird is usually the final round, with Alta taking the vote on snow quality and culture and Snowbird taking it on sustained steeps and tram efficiency.
The practical experience rewards mountain knowledge more than fitness. Collins and Wildcat serve the marquee steeps, but the magic is in the traverses — High T to High Rustler, the long sidestep into Devil's Castle, Catherine's out the Supreme side — where powder survives days because it takes work to reach. Intermediates get more than the stats suggest (Supreme and Sugarloaf are gorgeous cruising in storm-refresh snow), and the Sunnyside area handles beginners fine. The costs of entry are logistical: canyon traffic, parking reservations on weekends, interlodge mornings, and a powder-day scramble that starts before dawn. Ride the UTA ski bus and half those problems disappear.
Alta suits powder purists, lodge romantics, and anyone who thinks modern mega-resorts optimized the soul out of skiing — and it actively repels riders (banned), nightlife seekers, and park kids (no parks). Value is genuinely good by Wasatch standards: cheaper tickets than Snowbird next door and a fraction of Park City glitz pricing, with SLC lodging 45 minutes away as the budget play. Ikon holders should note the seven-combined-day cap with Snowbird and the Base Pass exclusion — Alta wants committed guests, and every policy says so.
What skiers like
- +The snow is the argument — 500+ inches of the driest powder in America, and the high, shaded terrain keeps it cold for days after a storm
- +High Traverse rewards the sidestep: High Rustler and the Stone Crusher lines stay soft and findable hours after the rope drops
- +Skiers-only lends the whole hill an old-soul rhythm — the community splits on the ban, but nobody disputes the culture it preserves
- +Catherine's Area and Devil's Castle hold untracked powder for days because the entries take work — patience there beats fighting Collins at 9am
- +The Alta-Bird combo ticket opens 4,700+ acres with Snowbird's tram included — the best single-day ticket in Utah when conditions align
- +Season passes and day tickets undercut the corporate neighbors — Alta has quietly stayed the value play in a canyon of $250+ windows
- +The classic lodges (Alta Lodge, Peruvian, Goldminer's Daughter) with communal dinners and hot tubs make a trip feel like skiing in 1975, in the best way
- +The Sunnyside six-pack fixed beginner access, and the ski bus from SLC means you can skip the canyon-driving misery entirely
Common complaints
- −Little Cottonwood Canyon traffic is the tax on all that snow — the powder-day 'red snake' can turn 8 miles into 2 hours, and avalanche control closes the road outright
- −Interlodge lockdowns are real: during control work you are legally confined inside your lodge, sometimes past opening
- −Parking reservations now run Friday-Sunday and holidays (8am-1pm, December to early April), with week-of slots dropping Sundays at 3pm — miss it and you're on the bus
- −The Ikon Base Pass isn't valid at all, and even the full Ikon caps you at seven combined Alta-Snowbird days
- −Snowboarders are banned, full stop — mixed groups have to split up or go to Snowbird
- −Flats and traverses lace the whole mountain; lose momentum coming out of Catherine's or the Ballroom and you're skating
- −Nightlife is essentially your lodge bar — dinner, a drink, bed; town amenities mean driving down the canyon
- −The 'uncrowded' reputation dies on powder mornings — rope-drop culture is intense and locals vaporize the obvious lines within an hour
Common Questions
Why does Alta ban snowboarders, and will it ever change?
Alta or Snowbird — which should I pick?
What's the deal with parking and the canyon traffic?
When is the best time to ski Alta?
Is Alta doable for intermediates, or is it experts-only?
Sources: ikonpass.com, ikonpass.com, headless.skimag.com, alta.com, alta.com, snowbrains.com, onthesnow.com, en.wikipedia.org, saminfo.com, opensnow.com
Photo: Sbvr6 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
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