Because you can’t have a powder day until you’ve weathered the storm that preceded it.
2020 was a rough year for all of us. As skiers, we are always looking for silver linings, we choose to look at the opportunities that arose from the challenges. To reflect on what we learned and the changes that may take place going forward. Because you can’t have a powder day until you’ve weathered the storm that preceded it.
As we start the first week of 2021, what better time to look back at the previous year and try to take inventory of the lessons we learned?
The abrupt end to last season reminds us not to take skiing for granted. Even as we lean into the “Come for the Skiing. Stay for the Skiing.” ethos here at Alta, we have grown accustomed to a lot of the luxuries that come with our favorite winter pastime. Without further ado, here’s an incomplete list of those things we may have taken for granted prior to 2020.
Chairlifts
Missing out on a quarter of the 2019-20 season, highlighted how much we love chairlifts. The lifts turned off on March 14th and sat motionless for the next nine months during the longest offseason in Alta’s history since WWII. Of course, the snow didn’t stop falling just because the lifts weren’t spinning.
As the stay-at-home orders were lifted, Alta Ski Area opened to uphill traffic, providing bathrooms and a groomed corridor for those willing to hike or skin up the mountain. While a lot of skiers took advantage of unprecedented midseason uphill travel, the motionless chairlifts were a constant reminder of just how good we had it before the pandemic ended the season.
Now, seven weeks into the 2020-21 season, we have witnessed a few days with longer lift lines than we are used to at Alta. Physical-distancing guidelines during the pandemic have reduced our uphill capacity, but not our love of riding chairlifts. We are very encouraged by the patience and politeness that we have seen from our skiers in the lift lines. Let’s keep it up.
And remember to #MaskUpAlta.
Shared Moments with our Alta Family
The global pandemic has not been a fun thing and we still can’t hug or high-five each other at the bottom of a deep powder run. Heck, we can’t even see those ear-to-ear grins behind our masks, but the stoke and love of skiing are still present. There’s still a buzz in the liftline on a powder day, or really any day on skis for that matter.
As we adapt to the holiday family gatherings on Zoom and get-togethers via FaceTime, these shared moments with actual people should be cherished. Until life returns to normal, our air high-fives and pole taps will have to suffice. It doesn't make our love of skiing and the community any less real.
Follow along with these shared moments through the lens of our Photo of the Day team >
The Alta Community
While most of us get to enjoy skiing as an escape from daily life, a lot of the Alta community is hard at work to make this ski season happen. Lodges and restaurants are operating at a reduced capacity. Every job on the mountain, at the base lodges, and throughout town now requires additional training and safety protocols.
Let’s continue to show our appreciation for the employees and local businesses that keep us skiing.
We have all learned to be more appreciative than ever of those in the Alta community doing their jobs so that we can enjoy a little mountain therapy. If you’re able, support the local food trucks, dining establishments and our on-mountain coffee shops with new take-out windows.
Remember to keep those tips up and get involved with Alta Community Enrichment this winter >
Carpooling, Ride-Sharing and Public Transportation
Over the years, Alta Ski Area has put a lot of resources into encouraging carpooling, ride-sharing and public transportation usage. We all want to move more efficiently into, and out of, the mountains. While these modes of transportation took a backseat this season due to the global pandemic, we know it’s only a matter of time until we can safely ride to the mountains with friends and strangers again soon.
The Utah Transit Authority has been working hard to safely operate the Ski Bus to Alta during this pandemic. Capacity has been reduced, but the Ski Bus is still a great way to reach Alta, particularly at times and on days when parking spaces are limited.
How to Ride the UTA Ski Bus to Alta >
The resourcefulness of Alta Skiers
The 2020-21 season has welcomed a lot of changes to the way we plan for a day in the mountains. Gone are the days when we could wake up on a Saturday morning and casually make our way to the mountain, grab a burger and fries for lunch, followed by a beer or two for apres.
Much like you would check the weather conditions before heading out for a ski day, we are asking our skiers to check Alta.com, bookmark our Parking and Road page, or follow @AltaAlerts on Twitter before they leave the house. Plan ahead on powder days and weekends. Make sure to arrive early or ski later in the afternoon. Nearly every day this winter, powder days and weekends alike, parking has been available by 1:30pm. That still gives you three hours on the mountain.
In order to accommodate our skiers during this unusual season, we have relaxed the rules on tailgating a little. So far this season, we’ve seen some impressive early-morning tailgating setups: hash browns, bacon, breakfast burritos, coffee. We’ve asked skiers to use their cars as a makeshift locker room to warm up on a storm day or grab a bite to eat at lunch. The parking lot vibe has been one of the silver linings of the season, reminding us of the golden era of skiing.
If you plan to tailgate or eat a brown bag lunch at your vehicle, please remember to clean up after yourselves, restrict your social circle to the crew you came with and continue to tailgate responsibly.
We’re All in This Together
Alta is for ALL skiers. In these polarized times, it’s important that we focus on our similarities rather than our differences. Everyone on the slopes of Alta is there because of a shared love of skiing and the great outdoors. On a powder day, some skiers get in the Collins’ lift line, some lap Wildcat or cruise the beginner terrain on Sunnyside, while others race to snag first chair on Supreme. There are many ways to enjoy our mountain home, but we hope we continue to see each other as fellow skiers in nature. Be patient with one another. If someone looks lost, help them find their way around.
After all, whether it was earlier this season, last season, or forty years ago, we were all first-time Alta skiers at some point in our lives. An Alta season pass does not make you the gatekeeper to the Alta kingdom.
Be kind and respect your fellow skiers.
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
Alta has been providing an authentic skiing experience in a natural mountain environment since 1938. While we may be a little old school, 2020 has forced us to adapt and we are embracing the necessary changes:
- Mandatory mask-wearing indoors, in lift lines, and in high-traffic areas
- On-mountain capacity restrictions via a daily parking forecast
- First-come, first-serve parking lots - no reservations required
- Additional mountain hosts to answer questions and direct traffic
- Greeters and hosts at the restaurants
- Remote ordering via QR codes at our dining facilities
- Increased grab-and-go dining options
- Physically-distanced restrooms, ticket windows and retail operations
- Food trucks in the Wildcat and Albion parking lots
- Learn more about Alta's COVID-19 response >
We will continue to learn from you, the Alta skier. Feel free to leave a comment and tell us what we are doing right and where we can improve? What’s working and what isn’t?
2021 Vision
As we start 2021 and say goodbye to 2020 forever, it’s important to count our blessings. We currently have all of our major lifts running, providing skiing on 110 out of our 119 named runs. With some ski areas in Utah operating only 20-25% of their terrain, it’s important to appreciate just how lucky we are to call Alta home.
La Nina winters can be hit-or-miss in Utah. As storm after storm seems intent on falling apart as it crosses the western border of Utah, we have relied more than ever on northwest flows and lake-effect snowfall to keep our mountains blanketed in the Greatest Snow on Earth. Thus far, Alta has received 143” of snow, resulting in a respectable 42” base. At this point last season, Alta had seen the Most Snowfall in North America with 134” of snow and a 50” base.
Season-to-date snow totals on January 13th, 2020 | via JacksonHole.com
Season-to-date snow totals on January 7th, 2021 | via JacksonHole.com
All things considered, the skiing has been great this season. Heck, we’re lucky to be skiing at all. Keep wearing that mask, pulled up over your nose, and we’ll keep the lifts spinning.
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