Alta, UT Adventure Thread

So, unless plans change I’m flying into SLC and staying in Alta at the Goldminer’s Daughter in February.  A Friday night in, red eye out, two day skiing trip, the kind I’ve taken to the past couple seasons.  Been excited at the idea of LCC for a while, time to get a taste.  Hope the snow is good when I go, as I’m forgoing storm chasing for low cost advance booking.  I’m sure it will be a blast either way.  

As I have done in the past, I’ll do a resort day and a backcountry day.  While it adds a few bucks to the resort day, I’ll likely do the combined Alta-Snowbird day ticket, allowing me to travel between the two resorts and hit the best spots each has to offer.  May even pay for a one hour private at Alta before the lifts open, giving me access to the goods before the masses and some local advice on what to hit during the day.  One of the things I’m hoping for in this thread is some Alta/Snowbird stoke, stories of inbounds adventure, and recommendations on good runs/lines to ski.

As for the backcountry, I know it will be a mad house, as backcountry goes.  I have some ideas on where it is I think I’d like to check out.  Of course it’s all dependent on snow conditions and avalanche risk, but there are sooo many options.  The other thing I’m looking for in this thread is Alta/Snowbird backcountry adventure stories, and thoughts on best/less travelled areas in the Alta environs.

If avy risk is low I could use the backcountry experience I have already gained to do the more tourist-y Grizzly Gulch and Patsey Marley kind of day.  However, if I find the right opportunity I would love to venture out with a guide to hit up more serious Wolverine Cirque (think Granny, THC and Bombay chutes more so than Roman’s or Tips and Tails kind of stuff).  Options in between could include Sunset/Rocky Point, or maybe Dry Fork, or just drop over the back from the Supreme chair and play around in the Gargoyles.......As you can see, I need someone to focus me!

Some flakes have flown just about everywhere, so I’m ready to get some snow stoke going.  Thanks!

one of my favorite photos that i took last season during a storm cycle.



one of me via Tbatt from the most insane day I've ever skied. also from last season.

One more from 2 seasons ago....its pretty terrible out here

You're making me question my life choices, Condor

Guess which month?  Those are my Black Pearls.

1997

It sounds like you have a grip on the Alta side country. Rocky Point was a great quick hit spot with fun airs but I hear it gets tracked really fast these days. Wolverine is the real deal, the lines aren't very long but it's really steep, you would probably have more fun and flowy pow skiing on Patsies or across the street on Flagstaff. Little Superior is a great run without the same intimidation factor of Superior.

I always liked skiing into Daves Fork (I think that's what it's called) and out to BCC where we would hitch hike or take a bus back around. I would just skin back over now though I imagine.

I love Alta.  Been there many, many times over the years, but not in about 5 now.  I'll be out there in December for a few days again and I can't wait.  Here's one of me skiing the High Notch after hiking up there early in the morning after 18" fell overnight.



 

I have about 15 days at Alta..Only one powder day..ya never know..

So much for the best snow on Earth, huh?  So, you are of course going to tell me that, even sans powder, you still had a blast?

Great shots guys, I hope I can add to the gallery!

Adding Alta/Snowbird as new Resorts this season will be great, even if I don’t require a snorkel, so I’m excited.  

Beyond that I’ll take what Ullr gives me.  Lots of new snow maybe keeps me on Patsey Marley, whereas a lack of deep snow, with good stability, maybe makes some steep, chalky chutes in Wolverine more viable.  I’m sure it will all be good.

Just found out I need to fly west for business in January, so time to think about where to add a few days skiing to that trip!

RA, thanks, taking the PoleLine up to and around Cardiff to hit the north facing stuff off the Superior ridge looks like it offers a lot of options, but I read that sees a lot of traffic.  All about which areas (Twin Lakes Pass to Patsey Marley and beyond or out toward Cardiff and Superior) get less traffic....

Toledo Bowl/Holy Toledo looks like it might be a little less travelled....or used to be?

i had a great time..great mountain
all the traversing kind of freaks me out...the local are hard core

JTG4eva! wrote

So, unless plans change I’m flying into SLC and staying in Alta at the Goldminer’s Daughter in February.  A Friday night in, red eye out, two day skiing trip, the kind I’ve taken to the past couple seasons.  Been excited at the idea of LCC for a while, time to get a taste.  Hope the snow is good when I go, as I’m forgoing storm chasing for low cost advance booking.  I’m sure it will be a blast either way.  

As I have done in the past, I’ll do a resort day and a backcountry day.  While it adds a few bucks to the resort day, I’ll likely do the combined Alta-Snowbird day ticket, allowing me to travel between the two resorts and hit the best spots each has to offer.  May even pay for a one hour private at Alta before the lifts open, giving me access to the goods before the masses and some local advice on what to hit during the day.  One of the things I’m hoping for in this thread is some Alta/Snowbird stoke, stories of inbounds adventure, and recommendations on good runs/lines to ski.

If you are only going to do one lift-served day, not sure paying for the combo pass would be worth it.  Of course, depends on conditions and what's open.  If the High T, the Backside, Ballroom, Mt. Baldy, Devil's Castle, and Catherine's are all open at Alta, you won't have time to do much more than get a taste.  There's also Wildcat and Eagle's Nest.  If only a couple of the main expert areas are open, and Mineral Basin is open with decent visibility, then the combo pass would be worthwhile.  Snowbird has mountain hosts.  They are usually pretty knowledgeable.  Can find one outside the Summit lodge or on the Tram Deck.

Have you ever looked at the trip reports for LCC on First Tracks?

Hey jtg,

If haven't been already Snowbird is one of the best ski areas in the country for hot lapping lifts. If you can chase a good local around I highly suggest it. If the BC is manky stick the inbounds at the Bird.

https://vimeo.com/236436605

Pretty good piece that fits the subject matter of this thread pretty well, I guess!

I don’t know much about Gleich, other than you definitely come across her name when researching the Wasatch BC.  Maybe she’s annoying AF on social media, I don’t know.  However, who the f’ would say she “doesn’t belong” with what she’s accomplished?  Looks like she kicks ass to me.  Always gotta be haters.

JTG4eva! wrote

Toledo Bowl/Holy Toledo looks like it might be a little less traveled....or used to be?

everything gets hammered, and fast!

The cool thing about climbing up on the Flagstaff/Toledo/Sup side is that it gets quite a bit of skier compaction and it's south facing so it often has more stable snow conditions (lots of variables of course). There are quite a few terrain traps to look out for though. LCC gets heavy enough snows that the sf crust is often buried enough that it's not much of an issue. There are some great runs off the back of that ridge line as well so it's easy to get a couple of different runs on different aspects.

Wolverine and the Gargoyles aren't something I'd suggest for your first time there unless you have a guide. Wolverine is a legit 50+ degree pitch with lots of rocks. The Wasatch has toothy lime stone rock that's easy to get hung up on.

just one more thing..Since you are there over the weekend ,you do realize that if it snows , all of SLC will be there....

Yes, Jason.....just the price I have to pay for the kind of trips I’m able to take.  I’ve been spoiled by the PNW, no doubt!

RA...I definitely wouldn’t hit Wolverine alone if I did that.  I haven’t looked that closely at Gargoyles.  Thanks for the info!