Alta and Snowbird share a canyon road, a ridgeline and a reputation for deep Wasatch snow. They feel very different once you get on the lifts, though. Both are in Little Cottonwood Canyon, about 25 miles from downtown Salt Lake City on Highway 210, and Snowbird is roughly one mile down the road from Alta. They are close in size. Alta has 2,614 skiable acres and Snowbird has about 2,500. The real differences are in how each mountain is laid out, how you move around it, and who is allowed on it. This guide compares the two on the same points so you can match the mountain to your group.
Alta
Size and layout. Alta runs from a base of 8,530 feet to the 11,068-foot summit of Mt. Baldy, a vertical drop of 2,538 feet. The ski area covers two main drainages: Albion Basin on the east side and Collins Gulch on the west. Each has its own base area, Albion and Wildcat. The Sugarloaf and Supreme chairs both start partway up the mountain, so you reach them from the Albion, Sunnyside or Collins lifts. Alta reports an average of 543 inches of snow a year, among the highest totals in the country.
How hard it is to navigate. Alta is easy to learn at the bottom and harder to learn up top. The tricky part is crossing between the two drainages. To get from Albion Basin to Collins Gulch, you take Albion or Sunnyside and then Sugarloaf, which drops you into the top of Collins Gulch. To go the other way, you ride Collins and traverse skier's left over the pass. Much of the best expert terrain also isn't right off a lift. You reach it from the High Traverse, or "High-T," at the top of the Collins chair, and some routes include sidestepping. Alta Ski Patrol's tip is to keep your skis on during sidesteps; bootpacking is allowed only to reach the Baldy Chutes. Before your first lap, read our Alta trail map navigation guide. It walks through the traverses and lift links in order.
Terrain by skill level. Alta's terrain is about 15 percent beginner, 30 percent intermediate and 55 percent expert. Almost all of the beginner terrain is in Albion Basin. The gentle green runs there, including Crooked Mile, Home Run and Patsey Marley, are served by the Sunnyside and Albion lifts. The upper mountain has no green runs, and there are no green trails off the Collins or Wildcat lifts. Intermediates usually settle on Sugarloaf and Supreme. Ballroom, reached by exiting Collins to the right and following the traverse, is Alta's best intermediate powder bowl. Experts head for the Collins side: the Greeley/Rustler ridgeline, High Rustler, Gunsight and the Baldy Chutes. Supreme also has hike-to terrain in the Devil's Castle, East Castle and Catherine's areas.
Base areas and access. Your base area matters more at Alta than at most resorts. Albion is set up for beginners and families. It has two covered conveyors (Big Griz for first-timers, Little Griz for ski school students), the Sunnyside six-person lift, the Alf Engen Ski School and the quickest route to Sugarloaf and Supreme. Wildcat, home to the Goldminer's Daughter Lodge, is where most intermediate and expert skiers start, because Collins and Wildcat serve steeper groomers, trees and advanced terrain. The two bases are connected by the Transfer Tow and the Town of Alta Shuttle. The resort's official guide to Alta's two base areas explains what each one offers.
Crowds and logistics. Alta is a skiers-only mountain and does not allow snowboarding. It is one of only three ski areas in North America with that rule. You need a parking reservation Friday through Sunday and during holiday periods, and overnight parking isn't allowed. Everyone comes up the same canyon road, which can close for avalanche mitigation, so check Utah Department of Transportation road conditions before you drive.
Best for. Alta suits skiers who want powder, steeps and a ski-only mountain, and families who will spend their time in Albion Basin. To find your way around the High-T and Albion Basin, use the Alta Mountain Map app to check your location against the trail map.
Snowbird
Size and layout. Snowbird has about 2,500 skiable acres and 3,240 feet of vertical. Its lowest chairlift starts at 7,760 feet, the main base is at 8,100 feet, and the top of Hidden Peak is at 11,000 feet. The resort lists 14 lifts: the Aerial Tram, 10 chairlifts and 3 conveyors. The tram has run since 1971. It climbs 2,900 vertical feet to Hidden Peak in about 10 minutes, and from the top you can drop into Peruvian Gulch, Gad Valley or Mineral Basin. The longest run is Chip's Run at 2.5 miles. Snowbird also averages more than 500 inches of snow a year.
How hard it is to navigate. Snowbird is organized around the tram, which makes it easy to understand from the base. The hard part is the terrain itself. Snowbird is steep, and the trail map doesn't always show how steep. Mineral Basin, on the back side, is a different area altogether. You can reach it over Hidden Peak or through the Peruvian Tunnel, a one-way, 600-foot moving carpet that runs through the mountain from Peruvian Gulch. It opened in 2005 and is North America's only ski tunnel. Before you plan a route off the top, read our Snowbird trail map guide to steep terrain.
Terrain by skill level. Snowbird's official breakdown is 8 percent beginner, 26 percent intermediate and 66 percent advanced or expert, across more than 140 trails. There are no easy routes down from the top of the tram. Riders who aren't ready for the terrain up there can ride the tram back down instead of skiing. The Chickadee learning slope is right next to the Snowbird Center. The Baby Thunder lift, added in 1995, opened more beginner and intermediate terrain on the west side of the resort toward the canyon mouth. Strong intermediates and experts get the most out of the tram and Mineral Basin.
Base areas and access. Snowbird's base village is built around the Snowbird Center, which you reach on a pedestrian bridge that crosses over the Chickadee learning slope. It's about 29 miles from Salt Lake City International Airport, roughly a 45-minute drive. It uses the same Highway 210 as Alta and sits farther down the canyon, so you get there first.
Crowds and logistics. Snowbird allows both skiers and snowboarders, which makes it the easy pick if anyone in your group rides. Its lift system can move about 17,400 people per hour. Snowbird also uses parking reservations, and some season passes include one. Since it shares the canyon road with Alta, the same avalanche closures and road conditions affect your day.
Best for. Snowbird is the better choice for groups with snowboarders, for experts who want the most continuous vertical in the canyon, and for anyone who likes riding a tram up to big terrain. Use the Snowbird Mountain Map app to keep track of where you are between Peruvian Gulch, Gad Valley and Mineral Basin. For the official lift and trail list, see Snowbird's lifts and trails page.
Which One to Choose
- Your group includes a snowboarder: Pick Snowbird. Alta doesn't allow snowboarding.
- A family with a true beginner: Pick Alta and start at the Albion base. The conveyors, the Sunnyside lift and the ski school are all in one sheltered basin.
- First trip to Little Cottonwood as an intermediate: Both work. Alta's Sugarloaf and Supreme have more terrain at your level. At Snowbird you'll need a plan before you ride the tram.
- An expert looking for steeps: Snowbird has more vertical and the tram. Alta has hike-to terrain off the High Traverse. If you're a skier, try to ski both.
- A multi-day trip: You don't have to choose. The Alta-Bird Pass and Alta-Snowbird combo tickets cover both resorts, and gates on the shared ridge, including the Sugarloaf Pass gate, let you ski from one to the other on the same day.
