The 2015-2016 season has come and gone. To help us through shoulder season, Alta athlete, Drew Petersen, has put together his Top 5 moments from the 2015-2016 season at Alta. Check 'em out!
From deep powder days to hot-lapping Collins with friends, the 2015/2016 season at Alta was one I will definitely remember. I hope that it was just as good for all of you. It is impossible to rank my memories and moments from Alta this past season, but here are a handful that stand out.
The First Major Storm Cycle
This year provided some incredible storm cycles where the snow just stacked up for days at a time. Perhaps the most memorable cycle in my eyes was all the way back in December. 45 inches fell in one week, transforming the mountain from early season to mid winter. After that, another wave hit just a few days before Christmas. The day this video was filmed, December 22, Alta reported 18.5 inches in the previous 24 hours, and it skied that deep too. At the time I was crossing my fingers that the rest of the season would provide just as well, and now in May, I can say that it certainly did.
Powder Days Are Here Again from Drew Petersen on Vimeo.
Surprise Eleven Inches
I woke up to my phone ringing at 6:30 AM. ‘I didn’t set an alarm,’ I thought to myself. Nope, it was a call from none other than Lee Cohen. When I answered, he was frantic with excitement on the other end. It had just snowed a surprise eleven inches overnight, and on top of that, the sky was about to pop blue. For those of you that don’t know, Lee is an absolute legend in LCC and in the world of ski photography, so of course I said yes and hopped in my truck to head up to Alta. Great turns were had all day, including this shot is from our first lap on Backside.
Miracle March
It’s no secret that a ridge of high pressure parked itself over most of the American West during the month of February. But March came in with a vengeance, saving the powder dreams of skiers everywhere, especially at Alta. Week after week, another storm positioned itself over the Wasatch. It became routine to ski powder all week and check the forecast to see the next week lining up just as good. This particular video was from the last great powder day of the month. We lapped Wildcat in the morning, scoring one untouched lane after another. Click image for Instagram video.
Main Chute Shred
This year there were a few occasions that Baldy opened wall to wall. I missed out on some of those days when I was out of town, but I did get a couple great laps in Main Chute. On this day roommate Jackson Bodtker, pictured here, my girlfriend, and I center-punched the classic line on super fun, buffed-out snow.
Opening Weekend
Ever since I moved to Utah, opening weekend at Alta is one of my favorite times of the year. The energy and stoke for the season to come are infectious. This year was extra special for me because I spent the majority of the previous two seasons recovering from injuries and surgeries. It was great to be back where I belong, ripping around, laughing, and hitting jumps with friends. It may be a long way off, but I’m already looking forward to doing it all again during opening weekend in November 2016.
I hope some of my Alta memories from this winter reminded you of some of your own. Please feel free to share them with all of us. See you all next winter, and enjoy your summertime dreams of cold snow and deep turns.
Drew Petersen is an Alta Ski Area athlete. To see more of his Alta moments from this past winter, or to follow along on his upcoming adventures, check him out on Drew Petersen Instagram.