Ski Lifts in Alta

Alta’s ski lifts, eleven in total including two high speed quads, carry over 11,000 people onto the mountains every hour.

 

Alta Ski Lifts 

Alta has three double chairs, two triple chairs, two high-speed quads and four surface lifts. Lifts are open from 9.15 am to 4.30 pm and they carry about 11,200 people per hour onto the mountain. At peak times there may be lines lasting 10-15 minutes. Come early or ski during the noon hour to avoid them. Some older lifts have been replaced in the past few years with faster ones, and further improvements are planned, pending United States Forest Service approval.

The Sunnyside lift is good for beginners and enables skiers to ride up the mountain and then gives them over a mile (1.6 km) of great learning terrain back to the bottom. In the early 2000’s, the Sugarloaf lift, which leads to access to Snowbird resort, was upgraded to a detachable quad and offers good progression for the beginner who has conquered the Sunnyside terrain.

A transfer tow strung across the side of the access road connects the two base areas at Alta.

Alta Lifts Passes

The cheapest lift pass available is the Ski Salt Lake Super Pass, which gives skiers access to Alta, Brighton, Snowbird and Solitude. There is no restriction on how many days you must ski at any of the resorts, though the lift pass may only be used at one resort per day, so visitors to Alta could not use it on the same day in Snowbird. As the Super Pass does not offer discounts for children, families are better off getting youngsters’ lift passes at each individual resort.

Skiers wishing to ski Alta and Snowbird on the same day will have to buy the AltaSnowbird lift pass. It is the most expensive lift ticket option when skiing at Alta, but you will not be disappointed at the quality and variety of the skiing on offer.

Note: Beginners may ride Alta’s Sunnyside lift for free after 3pm each day.