Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Alta Utah 2015 - The Greatest Snow on Earth

What can be said about the mountain at the end of the Little Cottonwood Canyon in Utah? The place where snowboarders have never been permitted, and in the old days, short skis were not  as well? The home of long board powder skiers, with steep chutes and lots of treed runs. This mountain is the powder seekers best friend. The base of Alta www.alta.com is 500 feet higher than Snowbird, giving it deeper and lighter snow fall than any place in Utah and perhaps on Earth.

This classic mountain has been improved with many new chairs and a new mid mountain chalet called Alf's Restaurant, named after the famed ski school director. We had the privilege to have a powder mountain guide Alex of  www.superiormountainadventures.com . Originally, from Montreal Quebec, our guide took us into the trees and runs we would never have seen on such a snowy day. A transplant to Utah some 15 years now, Alex is a certified level 4 CSIA instructor and mountain guide. When he gives you powder skiing tips while in the bowls of Alta, what could get any better than that? You can find Alex leading rock climbing adventures in the summer and powder in the winter. He is available for group tours as well, as long he can fit you in around his private clients. How did he figure it out so well ?

Alta does not allow snowboarders, therefore it is estimated that it has 30% less skier traffic than Snowbird. As it is located further up the canyon it gets more snow than Snowbird. Because it has more trees, you can have better visibility when the storms come in. These are some of the special features of the Alta powder experience. Little Cottonwood canyon get the most snow in Utah, and Alta gets the most in Little Cottonwood.

No wonder they are particular about who gets to play on their mountain. Below is Nicolai an Alta local know as an Altoid who I had the pleasure to meet and ski with. Too many deep powder face shots causes permanent facial hair. Beware the pow at Alta!



Enjoy the ride.


The Adventure Guy


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