Skiing at Alta and My First Women's Ski Camp (Rippin Chix!)

Skiing Alta

I love to ski but as my friends and I all get older, it gets harder to organize everyone together for ski trips – especially as often as I want to ski, ha.

We’ve taken so many incredible group ski trips over the last few years – Vermont, Switzerland, Tahoe, but later in the season it gets hard to squeeze in a spontaneous mid-week ski trip.

So when I had a free week in March, I decided to book myself a quick solo ski getaway to Alta.

Specifically, to join Rippin Chix at women’s ski camps aimed at intermedia skiers.

I spent a week skiing all over Alta Ski Area, guided by some expert skiers and had such an incredible time.

Here’s everything you should know about skiing in Alta, nicknamed the ‘skiers only’ mountain!

Quickly jump to:

Overview
Getting In
Where to Stay
Skiing at Alta
Ikon Pass
Rentals
Parking
Women’s Ski Camp

Alta, Utah

Alta is famous for 2 things: being one of the only ski resorts in the US for just skiers.

And for having some of the best powder in America.

Nestled in the Wasatch Mountains of Utah, in Salt Lake County, Alta gets more snow than most Utah resorts (a whopping annual average of 545 inches of snow!), which helps it regularly dominate the rankings for ‘best snow’ in the country.

Watson Cafe, mid mountain at Alta

A Brief History of Alta

Alta was originally established as a mining town in 1870s. Silver mining dominated the area for several years, until fire, avalanches and a mining bust led to its decline.

For decades, Alta was a quiet ghost town.

Then, in 1935 the US Forest Service had the idea to develop parts of the West for recreational skiing. They hired Alfa Engen, a famous Norwegian-American skier, to survey land out west.

He identified Alta as an excellent site for skiing and several Salt Lake City businessmen joined together to add additional land and funding for the development of what would today be Alta.

In 1935, Alta opened to skiers for the first time, with the second chair lift ever to open in the United States. (A single ride back then cost just 25 cents!)

Today, Alta has advanced quite a bit and the area’s vibrant ski community and passion for skiing powder has grown exponentially since its founding!

Alta’s reputation for world class terrain, light dry powder and historic charm is exactly what drew me to it.

It’s not as big-name buzzy as Vail, Aspen or Park City – Alta has a more local-oriented, casual vibe.

But within the ski community, it’s well known as the place to go for people who just love to ski – without all the fancy fuss.

In particular, people rave about Alta for its snow quality.

The snow here is unlike anywhere else, light and powdery and lots of it!

Due to its advantageous position at the top of Little Cottonwood Canyon, Alta benefits from a unique microclimate that boosts snowfall, receiving more on average than its Utah counterparts.

Alta’s also famous for steep, challenging terrain.

While there’s certainly a beginner area and some expansive intermediate runs, Alta’s beloved for its backcountry style terrain.

Basically, if you can see it, you can ski it!

There’s lots of challenging steep sections and off-piste areas that diehard skiers will never get bored of.

But I was a little hesitant to attempt skiing all of this on my own, so visiting and joining a ski camp for a couple days was the perfect plan.

Getting In

The closest airpot to Alta is Salt Lake City Airport (SLC).

I flew out of Newark on United. There’s a couple direct flights from NYC to Salt Lake City each day, and the trip takes about ~5.5 hours.

When I landed, I was impressed by how new and modern Salt Lake City’s airport was.

You can check prices and set a flight alert for your travel dates here.

My flight landed pretty late, so I spent the first night at this airport hotel, then took the shuttle over to Alta the next morning.

Private Shuttle

If you’re lodging on site at Alta or Snowbird (the connected ski resort next door), I recommend booking the local private shuttle.

They’re affordable, and go directly back and forth between SLC airport and Alta / Snowbird.

It took about 45 minutes door to door.

Driving

If you’re staying at an airbnb or hotel elsewhere in Salt Lake City, or traveling with a group, then you can rent a car.

The drive from SLC Airport to Alta takes about 45 minutes.

I recommend checking car rental rates on Discover Cars – it’s a price aggregator so it lets you compare all the major car rental companies in one easy search.

Public Bus

There’s also the option of public transportation.

Public city buses are free with an Ikon or Alta pass, but a bit inconvenient, especially with luggage and ski gear.

The trip takes about 2 hours, as you’ll need to head into downtown Salt Lake City and transfer.

To use public transport from SLC Airpot to Alta, take the Green Line TRAX to Arena station, transfer to the Blue line to Historic Sandy Station, then take the 994 Ski Bus.

a snowy day at Alta in early March

Where to Stay in Alta

Alta is split into roughly 2 bases: Albion and Wildcat.

I stayed at Goldminer’s Daughter Lodge on the Wildcat side, just steps from Collins lift.

The hotel takes its name from the saloon that once stood here, and retains that same relaxed, hangout atmosphere.

Every morning and afternoon, groups of skiers would congregate at the coffee shop for a quick caffeine fix.

I found the rooms cozy and comfortable, with literally everything you need thoughtfully accounted for – plenty of storage, hooks for gear and heated ski lockers in the lobby.

There’s also a second floor lounge, with beautiful floor to ceiling views of the mountain and small bites every afternoon.

Downstairs, there’s a spa to relax in with a hot tub and sauna to unwind after a full day on the slopes.

The best part is the location – you’re literally feet away from the lift!

alta-ski-resort-goldminers-daughter-lodge

Goldminer’s Daughter Lodge is right on the slopes. Comfy rooms, beautiful views and delicious all-inclusive meals

To the left of the hotel entrance is the transfer tow that takes you over to the Albion base area.

And directly ahead are the Collins and Wildcat lifts, along with the Wildcat ticket office, ski shop and demo center.

It was incredibly convenient to wake up and ski just feet from the lobby, and the hotel is all inclusive, with meals included during your stay.

The Goldminer’s motto is that skiing comes first, and they do everything they can to support skiing without distraction.

The on-site meals were all delicious – breakfast, après ski, and dinner are all handled, so all you have to do is get out the door in time to catch first chair.

If you’re flying into Alta and want to focus on skiing, I’d recommend staying here!

Everything you need is on site so there’s no need to rent a car, deal with the hassle of clearing snow, figuring out parking or dealing with road closures.

Basically, you can eat, ski, sleep and repeat!

the lounge has a cozy fireplace, snacks for apres-ski and a pool table / board games for relaxing

Skiing at Alta

At a Glance

Base Elevation: 8,525 feet
Summit Elevation: 11,068 feet
Vertical Drop: 2,538 feet
Lifts: 8
Runs: 118
Skiable Acres: 2,614 km
Terrain:
- 15% beginner
- 30% intermediate
- 55% advanced

I spent just under a week exploring Alta’s 2,614 skiable acres.

Alta has tons of steep, rugged terrain – the best part of the resort is what’s off the maps and guided groomers.

There’s dramatic views of the mountains everywhere you look, and fun, challenging terrain that will keep you wanting to extend your stay more than the quick 7-day teaser allowed under the Ikon Pass.

As an intermediate skier still slightly uncomfortable with moguls, I found Alta fun but challenging.

The terrain here really pushed me to my limits and I only felt comfortable going off piste with my ski camp group.

Best Runs at Alta

Expert

Experts will want to try High Rustler, Alta’s most famous run right on the resort frontside.

The iconic run drops nearly 1,000 vertical feet and is a challenging adrenaline rush for Alta’s regulars.

The Baldy Chutes are also quite popular with locals and thrill seekers.

But honestly, most advanced skiers will want to skip the groomed runs entirely and head off piste to Alta’s natural terrain, unmarked on any map.

Intermediate

Of the resort runs, I liked the blacks off High Traverse, for a steep introduction to what Alta has to offer.

I also liked the section off Supreme lift. The views here were incredible and hardly anyone else seemed to be here, with pretty untouched fluffy snow.

For long meandering blues, try Rock ‘n Roll and Mambo.

Devil’s Elbow is also intermediate friendly, with a gentle winding descent to get your legs moving.

Beginner

There’s not much beginner terrain at Alta, but the few there are are clustered on the Albion side around Sunnyside lift.

Try Crooked Mile and Home Run – both are wide, forgiving green runs perfect for families and beginners.

And lastly, try out the rope tow between Albion and Wildcat! I left this for my last day and it was an old-school but fun way to get between the two base areas.

Ikon Pass

Alta is on the Ikon Pass. You get 7 days of skiing between Alta and Snowbird.

Note: Only the Ikon Pass is valid at Alta (not the Ikon Base Pass). And while Snowbird accepts snowboarders, Alta does not and is a skiing-only mountain.

If you want to combine a trip to Alta with Snowbird, the two resorts are connected via high alpine ridge gates below Mount Baldy.

The two main connection points are at the top of Snowbird’s Mineral Basin/Baldy Express chairlift and Alta’s Sugarloaf chairlift.

Ski Rentals

I rented my skies from the Wildcat ski shop.

It’s conveniently located right near the ticket office and Wildcat / Collins lifts.

They have packages around $30-50/ day, with a wide selection of skis.

They also offer demo ski and boot packages, if you’re looking to test out various brands on the mountain before buying.

Parking

Parking reservations are required Friday–Sunday & holidays from 8am–1pm.

If you’re staying on site at one of the lodges, there’s no need to rent a car or deal with parking. There’s various shuttles around the ski resort that will get you around.

Note: Little Cottonwood Canyon often faces road closures and parking restrictions due to weather.

Make sure to double check Alta’s website for the most up-to-date parking and road information before driving in.

tons of fresh snow during my visit to Alta

Rippin Chix Ski Camp

Ripping Chix is a popular women-led ski coaching community.

They have a variety of camps all season long, focused on various skills – touring, steeps, resort skiing – at resorts all over North America.

I took their 2 day Alta Ski Camp in early March.

Beforehand, we all filled out a long questionnaire about our ski background, fitness and goals for the camp.

They used that to divide us into small groups based on our abilities.

Day 1

On our first day, we were sorted into our groups and started with a warm up run on an easy groomer, to get our legs going.

Then we did a second, observed groomer run where the coaches gave us all corrections.

We quickly progressed into un-groomed runs and moguls. Each time, our coach would point out corrections and offer tips for improvement.

We took a break for lunch, and anyone could switch groups at that point if they wanted to.

I could immediately tell I was a more timid skier than the rest of my group , so I opted to switch groups.

Alta’s steep terrain makes it a fun challenge

The rest of the first day we skied challenging terrain, but at a slightly slower pace.

It was lots of super steep runs, with moguls all the way down. I took a couple nosedives that bruised my ego more than my knees.

The group was just myself and two others, so we got lots of individual correction and advice.

The coach also videoed us one by one, as we attempted a section of moguls or a particularly steep area, so we could see what we were doing wrong.

I always find it super helpful to see myself on video. Sometimes the feedback doesn’t totally click until you can see for yourself what you’re doing wrong!

Or sometimes I thought I was putting their tips into practice, but seeing it on video made me realize I had to make the movements bigger.

Overall, day 1 was incredibly challenging. Rippin Chix says they often start pretty spicy on the first day and I definitely felt that!

Day 2

Day 2 was smoother.

I had a better understanding of Alta’s terrain, and also more confidence in skiing with a group of strangers.

Our instructor was able to dedicate so much time and energy to giving us all incredibly helpful, individual feedback.

I left learning SO much!

For me, one of my main issues was not using the edges of my skies enough.

Most of the coaches are athletes, and I liked that we had the same coach for both days of the camp so they got to really know our abilities (and flaws).

My instructor was great at providing actionable feedback in a really positive way. I was hands down the worst one in the camp, ha, but the camp staff are positive and encouraging.

I especially love that they’re happy to take video footage as you ski, and really show you where you’re displaying bad habits or where you can try new techniques.

Rippin Chix Review

Rippin Chix was a fantastic ski camp.

They help you really hone in on areas you can improve and spend the weekend drilling the changes in so they really stick!

I also loved skiing at Alta.

The terrain was definitely challenging for me, but I think it’s helpful to put yourself in situations that are out of your comfort zone so you can push your abilities a little farther.

Highly recommend booking a clinic!

You can find the full list of Rippin Chix tour stops on their website here.

Next year’s schedule typically drops in late summer, between July and August, but I also recommend signing up for their mailing list to get notified.