Maps and FAQ

Maps and FAQ Alta, UT What is the nightlife like in Alta?

Alta offers something that you can rarely find anywhere- a true feeling of lodge life. It is special and slow, often quiet and relaxing, but if you are looking to celebrate with a few cold beers, you can find that in Alta too! Every lodge has a lounge or bar that serves alcohol. Hours vary between each establishment, but you have to remember- Alta is for Skiers! A late night in Alta will average around 11pm. We all have to be fresh to ski fresh powder the next day, right? 

Alta Community Enrichment (ACE) is a non-profit organization that offers events for the community and visitors year round. We list ACE events on our events calendar and they are open to everyone. Ski movie premiers and festivals, gala fundraisers, disco dances and craft nights are just a few of the ACE standards.

Open Mic Night at the Goldminer's Saloon is a weekly event from mid-December to mid-March. It is a show that never lets you down!

Keep up with our website and our events calendar to know what is coming up next in Alta.

 
Maps and FAQ Alta, UT Where is Alta, UT?

Alta, UT is 25 miles from the Salt Lake International Airport on SR 210.  Follow Ski Area signage leading to Little Cottonwood Canyon and Alta Ski Area.
Maps and FAQ Alta, UT Should I rent a car? 4x4?

To get to Alta ski resort there are a few common options: Book ground transportation with a local shuttle company; rent a 4x4 vehicle and drive up; ride the UTA ski bus from the park and ride bus stop at the mouth of the canyon.

It is mandatory that all vehicles entering Little Cottonwood Canyon, November through April, have snowtires and/or chains in possession. There are times in the season when the road is restricted to allow only vehicles with 4x4 or chains on tires to drive up or down the canyon road.

The beauty of vacationing in Alta is the fact that you do not really need a car.- just take the shuttle! All lodges are ski in, ski out. If you are staying in a private home or condominium, there is a free resort shuttle to take you back and forth from the ski area to your condo/vacay home throughout the day. No car, no worries!

The shuttle companies are in contact with the Town of Alta and the UDOT during storm days so often they know in advance if the road is going to close or if the road has been restricted to 4x4 or chains only, but with nature there are always surprises! See Area Info & Services for a list of ground transportation companies in Alta, UT.

The Town of Alta requires that snow be shoveled  from your vehicle 12 hours after each storm. This ordinance is in place so that snow plows removing snow, in Alta and on the road, can see your vehicle and avoid hitting it with the plow. 
Maps and FAQ Alta, UT Should I buy groceries before heading up the canyon?

If you have booked a vacation stay with one of the five lodges in Alta, breakfast and dinner are provided with your nightly rate. You will not have kitchen access if you booked with a lodge so the answer is no, you do not need to shop before arriving in Alta.

If you are staying in a condo or private home in Alta yes, you should shop before coming up to Alta. There is not a store in Alta to buy groceries, but you can find a list of grocery stores near the mouth of the canyon listed here. There is a small convenience store in the Snowbird Center where you can restock on milk, juice and small snacks like energy bars.

If it would make your life easier, there is a service to stock your condo or vacation home with grocery items prior to your arrival in Alta. It just takes an e-mail to get your list to the shopper.
Maps and FAQ Alta, UT Should I rent skis in Alta?

The answer to this question is all about your prefence for skis, your style as a skier and how big of a hassel it is to haul them around (through the airport, and up and down the mountain).

It is certainly easy to exchange your skis as the ski day progresses if you rent or demo from a shop in Alta. Powder skis in the morning, all-mountain skis in the afternoon, carving skis for those perfect corduroy bluebird mornings a couple of days after the storm, etc. If in the unlikely event that your skis should become damaged or misplaced, insurance from the shops can help ease these headaches. The shops in Alta also provide for convenient, overnight storage of your skis if you rent with them.

If you rent skis in the valley, you must go back down the canyon to exchange skis to fit the conditions, fix problems (the dreaded broken binding), and on your last day you have to find time to get to the rental store and return them.

The ski and demo shops in Alta have rental ski selections that fit the conditions of our mountain. As technology changes, the shops keep up with the skis that make it easier to be a hero on powder mornings, and the skis that are willing to turn without draining your legs of all energy. Ski all day! Ask your rental/demo tech which ski is right for you to make it bell-to-bell, any condition.