A Snowboarder on Alta

01 snowboarder on Alta

No Snowboarders Allowed

When I first moved to Utah I was appalled to learn that there are two ski resorts here that don’t allow snowboarders: Alta and Deer Valley.

I was also intrigued.

Alta, one of the oldest hills in North America, is regularly featured on lists of the best ski resorts in in the United States. It’s referred to by many skiers as the mecca of the sport. It’s also a source of tension among local skiers and snowboarders, as can be clearly seen in the video Sh*t Alta Skiers Say About Snowboarding.

When I found out about Alta’s policy, I knew I had to find out what it was about this hill that created such devotion among pass holders and why the management felt it necessary to prevent snowboarders from sharing the hill. 

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Four Epic US Ski Resorts Offer Awesome (But Not Historic) Pass

There are four ski hills in the USA I haven’t visited whose names make my stomach drop: Alta (Utah), Aspen/Snowmass (Colo.), Jackson Hole (Wyo.), and Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows (Calif.).

Judging from the scenes I’ve seen in ski and snowboard movies, these are four mountains that every serious skier and snowboarder should try to visit at least once in their life — like an snowrider’s pilgrimage to Mecca.

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