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ALTA SKI RESORT — Well, we asked and the people have spoken. KSL.com readers voted Alta Ski Area as the best ski resort in Utah in our poll Thursday.
We asked readers to judge Utah’s 14 ski resorts and select their favorite based on a few things like best amenities, tastiest food, most exciting summer activities and best trails. It was a close finish, but when the poll closed (we specified in Thursday's poll that votes would only be counted until 10 a.m. Friday) and the dust settled, Alta Ski Area rose to the top as the clear winner.
Alta received 19 percent of the votes with 1,939 total. Snowbasin Resort was a close second with 1,853 votes, and coming in third was Snowbird with 1,458.
Alta Ski Area opened in January 1939, and while Brighton Ski Resort boasts being the first ski resort in Utah, opening in 1936 and operating with a rope tow, Alta was the first resort to operate with a chairlift. The resort offers 2,200 skiable acres and 11 chairlifts including surface tows.
Alta is known as a mountain for "purists," and is one of three resorts in the United States that only allows skiers to tread its terrain, a fact that has led to some controversy over the years, including a lawsuit in 2014 that was ultimately dismissed.
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With the recent snowstorms, there is plenty of fresh powder at many of Utah’s ski resorts, prompting a lot of Utahns to hit the slopes.“The tradition has really been passed from generations of Utahns growing up as Alta skiers, and we are just continuing that tradition,” Alta Ski Area marketing director Brandon Ott said. “We are fortunate to have a lot of high-elevation, north-facing snow so we have a very consistent product, consistent awesome skiing from year to year. And that’s a really good thing for a passionate tribe of skiers.”
Ott said that another reason Alta stands out and is unique from other resorts is the fact that it’s an independent ski area, rather than a resort with ownership from outside of Utah.
Alta is located at State Highway 210, Alta.
What is your favorite thing about Alta? Let us know in the comments.
