It’s been a wild week here in Texas with a winter storm that left millions of Texans without power and water. I flew in on Sunday night right around the time people started losing power and the roads became filled with snow and ice. It’s crazy to think that last week I was in the snow and below freezing temps in Utah and HAVING FUN…and a week later I was miserable in Texas sitting in a house with no heat or power! Thankfully, we are all finally seeing the light and things have gotten better. This is my third trip to Alta, Utah (Keeyan’s 4th) and this was probably the best year of skiing yet! We were also able to check out the Utah Ice Castles this trip, read more about that and if it was worth it here. Below you will find out how we got there, where we stayed and why we keep going back!
Alta Ski Area is a Ski Only resort and has terrain suitable for beginner skiers like us! Let me tell you, learning something new, especially a sport, in your late 20s/early 30s is HARD! Falling is much easier as a kid because you aren’t thinking about how breaking your bones affects your ability to go to work or how much an injury will cost LOL. With that being said, I’ve seen progress each year I have gone. Skiing is definitely hard to learn than snowboarding (I’ve learnt both) but can see how Skiing will be easier to master.
Where We Stay
Every year we have stayed at the Goldminers Daughters Lodge. It is conveniently located by the Collins Ski Lift and right by the rope tow that will take you to Sunnyside and Sugar Loaf. The service at the Goldminers Daughters Lodge is 5 star and with the current COVID situations they took it very seriously meaning closed entrances to non hotel guests and masks were required.
The parking lot gets incredibly packed with skiiers who are non-guests. If you aren’t used to driving in snow, it’s safer to just uber from the airport. Right infront of the Goldminers Lodge, you will be able to buy tickets to the lifts.
With your reservation, breakfast and dinner will be included. The staff is great at reminding you to make reservations for the next day. With COVID, tables have been spread out and the number of reservations are fewer this year than it has been in the past. Breakfast can now be ordered as opposed to buffet style which is great for social distancing and staying safe!
Ski School
The Ski School is located by the Sunnyside Lift. I have had a few instructors from the ski school and all of them have been great! Since I am very beginner, I like to ski with an instructor on my first day just to remind myself of what I’m doing since it doesn’t come naturally to me!
Runs For Beginners
The Sunnyside lift will take you to some green and blue runs for beginners and intermediate skiiers. . To be honest, I believe that the colors are subjective because each location is different. Last year when I tried out blues, I fell on my face and started bleeding so this year I decided to stay on the greens so that I could continue to work on my form and confidence!
Food
The Albion Grill is a great spot to eat near Sunnyside. With COVID, they are limiting the number of people and requiring guests to order online as opposed to a la carte service in previous years. It’s also a great spot to eat if you packed your own lunch!
Why Alta?
People come to Alta for the snow, and until this past trip I truly didn’t understand what that meant. This year we were lucky to ski during a snow storm which means fresh pow and tracks therefore skiing becomes more enjoyable and so much easier to slide on! It may not be a common choice like Colorado but skiing in Alta, Utah is not only for pros but for people who want to learn!
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Hopefully this post was helpful for all my beginner skiers or first time Alta visitors! Skiing in Alta, Utah has become a yearly tradition and each year I hope to continue to get better and better! Let me know if you have any questions in the comments below!
Leave a Reply