Resort in Wasatch, UTAlta Ski Area
Tier ASki areaApproved
Live cams
Open live cams Estimated alta.com · opens in a new tab · Last verified Oct 13, 2026
- Owner
- Private shareholders (Laughlin family 51%, Quinney family 25%, Bass family 11%) PublishedLast verified Oct 11, 2026 · Alta Ski Area (Wikipedia)
- Passes
- Ikon Pass: 7 days EstimatedFrom a search result for this page; page not opened. 7 days combined with Snowbird.2026/27 season · No blackout dates · Last verified Oct 13, 2026 · Alta Ski Area (Ikon Pass destination)
- Mountain Collective: 2 days EstimatedFrom a search result for this page; page not opened. Two days and no blackout dates per the 2026/27 on sale page.2026/27 season · No blackout dates · Last verified Oct 13, 2026 · Mountain Collective (multi resort ski pass)
Overview
Alta Ski Area sits in the town of Alta at the head of Little Cottonwood Canyon, Utah. It opened its first lift on January 15, 1939, making it one of the oldest ski areas in the U.S. It averages 543 inches of snow a year and is known for long, steep fall line pitches such as High Rustler and the Baldy Chutes. Alta is one of three U.S. ski areas that prohibit snowboarding. Private shareholders own it, led by the Laughlin family with 51 percent.
Culture
Alta views itself as a locals and family oriented ski area, even with a reputation as one of the most challenging in bounds areas in the world. The town of Alta had 228 residents in 2020, and the ski area draws about 500,000 visitors a year. The base hotels are independently owned. In 1937 Salt Lake City lawyer Joe Quinney and local businessmen formed the Utah Winter Sports Association to develop skiing at Alta. A lift in Snowbird's Mineral Basin links the two areas.
Sources: Alta Ski Area (Wikipedia), Alta, Utah (Wikipedia)
Career
Career data is being collected.
Jobs
Hiring window: Certified instructors commit from December 1 to mid April. Candidates without teaching experience apply in the apprentice window, which opens in late summer; apprentices commit from mid November to mid April. Estimated Last verified Oct 13, 2026 · Alta Ski Area, PSIA Certified Ski Instructor (Alf Engen Ski School)
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