Spring Backcountry Ski Alta Ski Area

Alta, Utah

Save

View all 4 photos

All 4 photos

Save Review Directions Add Photo

Details

Distance

5 miles

Elevation Gain

1800 ft

Route Type

Out-and-Back

Description

Added by Jackson Smith

Best time of the year to ski the resort... after it's closed and you get the whole mountain to yourself!

Still have the skiing itch but it's late in the spring and the resorts have closed and the other backcountry skiing areas have melted? No problem, just head up to Alta Ski Area and get some amazing backcountry corn skiing laps in.

Drive up Little Cottonwood Canyon all the way to the top and park either in the Collin's or Albion parking lot at Alta. Throw the skins on the skis and head up the mountain. The mountain is your playground and you can go wherever you want. Make your way up to Catherine's Pass, Devil's Castle, or up to the top of Collin's Lift. No lift ticket necessary and no waiting in lines to get on the lift, it's all human powered.

Download the Outbound mobile app

Find adventures and camping on the go, share photos, use GPX tracks, and download maps for offline use.

Get the app

Features

Fitness

Snowboarding

Photography

Skiing

Snowshoeing

Bathrooms

Easy Parking

Family Friendly

Food Nearby

Forest

Groups

Lake

Romantic

Scenic

Wildlife

Spring Backcountry Ski Alta Ski Area Reviews

Have you done this adventure? Be the first to leave a review!

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

Nearby

Cecret Lake from Albion Basin

The out-and-back trail from Albion Basin to Cecret Lake climbs a gentle slope and along the way there are interpretive signs with information about the basin, its plants, animals and geology. From the lake you can return the same way you came, or explore the area more. If you head there during the right season, it's a great opportunity to catch the wildflowers in bloom. I'd also suggest headin...

Backcountry Ski Grizzly Gulch

To get to the Grizzly Gulch trailhead, drive up Little Cottonwood until you reach Alta Ski Resort. Keep left along the road and park in the upper Alta parking lot. Head up the cat track with all the cats and snowmobiles parked to the side. About 100 yards up, you'll take a left and head up the steep cat track. Follow this until you reach the part that wraps left around the mountain. You can fol...

Mountain Bike Catherine's Pass

This ride isn't for the faint of heart. It's seriously tough. It's one of the most scenic and rewarding rides you'll ever do, though. The climbing is steep and the descents are rocky.Try to ride it early in the morning. Hikers frequent these trails. An early morning rip is the best way to keep from having to constantly pull over and let uphill traffic go by. Don't forget the right of way on mul...

Albion Meadows Trail

At Albion Basin, wildflowers you will see include lupine, Indian paintbrush, American bistort, sunflowers, fireweed, and many more! Drive to the very top of Little Cottonwood Canyon and park at the Albion Grill. There is a trail just behind the Grill that takes you through a variety of wildflowers and offers great mountain views. As you hike up the trail, keep right to get a view of Devils Cas...

Milky Way Astrophotography At Alta

Early spring is a unique time to photograph the Milky Way due to its low angle and the distinctive perspective of its galactic core. The low angle position of the Milky Way arc during the early morning hours, prior to dawn, allows for some striking panoramas, with the still snow-covered Wasatch Mountains providing a dramatic foreground.To photograph the Milky Way arc during the springtime, you ...

Snowshoeing Twin Lakes Pass

Starting at the parking lot near the Albion Basin gate, travel up the summer road until the second switchback. Just past the second switchback and cabins, leave the summer road heading east. The Trail heads northeast into Grizzly Gulch. It should be easy to follow—it gets a lot of traffic. From here, continue heading east following the gulch. Continue east until you reach the pass. You'll know...