WASATCH STOKE, CONDITIONS, OBSERVATIONS and ASSORTED DRIVAL 20-21

**jtran10** · 04-21-2021, 10:21 AM

Originally Posted by Dshack89

It sure would be nice if Ikon has to pay for parking now...maybe this is Alta's first step to giving Ikon the middle finger?!?

weekend non-passholder pay for parking
weekend passholder free parking

all via reservation

That seems better than alternatives they are proposing (for passholders), but not sure that is actually what is being proposed based on their FAQs

**Shaaarrrp** · 04-21-2021, 10:22 AM

Any idea how long the Alta and AltaBird prices stay the same? Could've sworn I saw 2K for an AltaBird pass so maybe it also goes up later in the year?

Also noticed they're offering full refunds until Dec 1....maybe new? Again, I know the Alta site has explicitly said no refunds but that might just be for late season.

**MultiVerse** · 04-21-2021, 10:25 AM

Q. Why are parking reservations required on weekends and holidays?

There is limited parking available at Alta. We gathered your feedback and agree that turning Alta skiers around should not be part of a day of skiing. As a solution, we are launching a weekend & holiday parking reservation system.

https://www.alta.com/tickets-and-pas...ason-pass-faqs

^ Reads like doublespeak because the feedback I read mostly said don't do paid parking. In particular WRT backcountry access so the question is whether paid/reservations applies to the main lots only or all the parking including along the road at Alta.

**Phall** · 04-21-2021, 10:28 AM

Anyone know what their lease with the FS says regarding what they can/where they can require reservations for parking, since technically every lot is on USFS land per my OnX? Where is “Alta” parking and trailhead parking?

Edited

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**jtran10** · 04-21-2021, 10:30 AM

I still don't think it says anywhere that they are charging for parking - just that they are doing reservations on weekends and holidays

The FAQs are definitely not clear though. I'm sure Mike Maughn did that by design.

**MultiVerse** · 04-21-2021, 10:38 AM

Yeah, it's ambiguous but this sounds like paid parking is planned for non-passholders:

Q. As an Alta Season Passholder will I need to pay for weekend & holiday parking reservations?

No, as a valued Alta season passholder you will weekend & holiday parking reservation benefits. *MidWeek, 80+, Ages 7-12 and 6 & Under will not receive parking benefits.

**wasatch_carpetbagger** · 04-21-2021, 11:10 AM

This is terrible. Do we remember how quickly the bird parking reservations got snapped up this year?? I had an altabird, but the whole parking system is the reason I skied 90% of my days at alta this year...

At least for me, a huge part of the value of having a season pass is the flexibility to head up on days that work for you. With reservations it means that you either have to 1) be very responsible and carefully reserve parking for most weekend days / play the refresh game when they release slots or 2) leave even earlier than we already do for the very limited weekend parking spots that will be FCFS.

Also re vagueness, it sounds like its still under development. "Parking Details Coming Soon..."

**jmills** · 04-21-2021, 11:58 AM

Originally Posted by wasatch_carpetbagger

This is terrible. Do we remember how quickly the bird parking reservations got snapped up this year?? I had an altabird, but the whole parking system is the reason I skied 90% of my days at alta this year...

At least for me, a huge part of the value of having a season pass is the flexibility to head up on days that work for you. With reservations it means that you either have to 1) be very responsible and carefully reserve parking for most weekend days / play the refresh game when they release slots or 2) leave even earlier than we already do for the very limited weekend parking spots that will be FCFS.

Also re vagueness, it sounds like its still under development. "Parking Details Coming Soon..."

I had the opposite experience and skied most days at the Bird other than the first couple weeks of the reservation system. It may have been checking and getting lucky with someone dropping and a spot being available, or they released more later as the day go closer? Being able to ski weekdays regularly I guess I may have missed a few weekend days as well.
Vagueness in the Snowbird parking plan with this;
“Advance daily self-parking will cost up to $25 per day. Additional information will be released closer to the 2021-22 winter season”
Yesterday I purchased a preferred pass at the Bird. It might mean that I only go with a Snowbird pass and not an Altabird.

**wasatch_carpetbagger** · 04-21-2021, 12:16 PM

Originally Posted by jmills

I had the opposite experience and skied most days at the Bird other than the first couple weeks of the reservation system. It may have been checking and getting lucky with someone dropping and a spot being available, or they released more later as the day go closer? Being able to ski weekdays regularly I guess I may have missed a few weekend days as well.

Def could have been incompetence on my part / unwillingness to continually check. Also skied 70%+ of my days on weekends so that certainly didnt help

**Skidog** · 04-21-2021, 12:19 PM

Originally Posted by jmills

I had the opposite experience and skied most days at the Bird other than the first couple weeks of the reservation system. It may have been checking and getting lucky with someone dropping and a spot being available, or they released more later as the day go closer? Being able to ski weekdays regularly I guess I may have missed a few weekend days as well.
Vagueness in the Snowbird parking plan with this;
“Advance daily self-parking will cost up to $25 per day. Additional information will be released closer to the 2021-22 winter season”
Yesterday I purchased a preferred pass at the Bird. It might mean that I only go with a Snowbird pass and not an Altabird.

Wow $25 additional a day and your pass? I'd imagine that will cut down a lot of parking and increase at least some carpooling/bus use. Tourons? Well....add another couple hundred to that weekly trip out west. Interesting way to handle the parking sitch up there. in my 12ish years there I never had an issue pulling up to alta before chairs and finding a spot.

**jtran10** · 04-21-2021, 12:31 PM

the worst thing about little cottonwood canyon is that there are no good delis

**Shaaarrrp** · 04-21-2021, 12:35 PM

Other than being out a decent chunk of $ for a period, I can't complain too much about the parking situation not being fully determined. If you believe them, they say they'll refund the full pass if it's a deal breaker. That said, I guess you're taking a risk in not getting another lowest pass price if there's an alternative.

**jmills** · 04-21-2021, 12:35 PM

Originally Posted by Skidog

Wow $25 additional a day and your pass? I'd imagine that will cut down a lot of parking and increase at least some carpooling/bus use. Tourons? Well....add another couple hundred to that weekly trip out west. Interesting way to handle the parking sitch up there. in my 12ish years there I never had an issue pulling up to alta before chairs and finding a spot.

How much worse was it this season with so many people driving up alone being afraid of their ski buddy? Traffic up and parking isn’t going to get better so hopefully this season was as bad as it was with people not having many options other than skiing.
The parking pass I bought ($700) will be $7 a day if I am able to get the 100 days I plan at the start. With a wife that skis weekends with me, and step kids that ski occasionally, having parking or better parking means a shorter distance for me to pack their gear.
I have put a number on what I would pay for yearly access to LCC when the 210 becomes a toll road.
It is above the $700 for parking.

**snowaddict91** · 04-21-2021, 12:38 PM

Originally Posted by Skidog

in my 12ish years there I never had an issue pulling up to alta before chairs and finding a spot.

Yeah back when I skied LCC 4 days a week before Ikon I always had front row parking, even when the signs said the road was closed. Pro tip, that's just to keep the gapers out. Storm the gates like you own the place so they know you're a local.

**jtran10** · 04-21-2021, 12:41 PM

Alta instagram story confirms it. "weekend and holiday paid parking system"

**jtran10** · 04-21-2021, 12:42 PM

Story here

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**Lone Star** · 04-21-2021, 01:20 PM

Originally Posted by wasatch_carpetbagger

At least for me, a huge part of the value of having a season pass is the flexibility to head up on days that work for you. With reservations it means that you either have to 1) be very responsible and carefully reserve parking for most weekend days / play the refresh game when they release slots or 2) leave even earlier than we already do for the very limited weekend parking spots that will be FCFS.

3) UTA Bus

**Benneke10** · 04-21-2021, 02:19 PM

Originally Posted by Phall

Anyone know what their lease with the FS says regarding what they can/where they can require reservations for parking, since technically every lot is on USFS land per my OnX? Where is “Alta” parking and trailhead parking?

The majority of the parking in Alta, including Wildcat, Albion and Grizzly Gulch lots are included in Alta's lease from the USFS. Alta can require reservations and/or fees and it is completely allowed in their lease. Solitude and Snowbird also have parking on USFS land that require fees/reservations and the USFS allowed it.

**CirqueScaler** · 04-21-2021, 02:22 PM

I read the announcement as charging for a parking reservation on weekends and holidays, right? Not charging for all parking.

Originally Posted by jtran10

I still don't think it says anywhere that they are charging for parking - just that they are doing reservations on weekends and holidays

Edit: I read this, too. So pay for a guaranteed spot.

**Phall** · 04-21-2021, 02:30 PM

Originally Posted by Benneke10

The majority of the parking in Alta, including Wildcat, Albion and Grizzly Gulch lots are included in Alta's lease from the USFS. Alta can require reservations and/or fees and it is completely allowed in their lease. Solitude and Snowbird also have parking on USFS land that require fees/reservations and the USFS allowed it.

Thanks,
That's what I figured I just wasn't sure what constitutes the boundaries, etc.

**EWG** · 04-21-2021, 09:42 PM

Devil is in the details here. We will have to wait and see what they are.

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**TheK12** · 04-23-2021, 09:09 AM

so much for a sunny closing weekend at Alta.... looking like some snow and cold temps through weekend and a bigger storm Sunday through Tuesday. Will Alta extend season one more bonus weekend?

**snowaddict91** · 04-23-2021, 09:21 AM

Originally Posted by TheK12

so much for a sunny closing weekend at Alta.... looking like some snow and cold temps through weekend and a bigger storm Sunday through Tuesday. Will Alta extend season one more bonus weekend?

As the saying goes, "the best Alta is a closed Alta."

**brutah** · 04-23-2021, 10:08 AM

Originally Posted by TheK12

so much for a sunny closing weekend at Alta.... looking like some snow and cold temps through weekend and a bigger storm Sunday through Tuesday. Will Alta extend season one more bonus weekend?

Fuck ya! Stoked for more snow and no Alta will close down regardless. Go mountain biking, that moisture is going to make some of the best brown pow of the year!

Originally Posted by snowaddict91

As the saying goes, "the best Alta is a closed Alta."

Never truer than this year

**brutah** · 04-23-2021, 10:21 AM

While everyone is bitching about paid parking for the 1000th time. Something that was slowly coming since solitude rolled it out (I bet Brighton follows suit this year too) and everyone got real vocal about traffic and the local government just sat on their hands.... there's a real ski tradegy happening on the backside.

Let's not forgot about the Wasatch skiers on the Wasatch back that have to deal with Vail who the only time they choose to "close" their mountain is in the spring when there is still skiable snow to ski. And then to make matters worse they pay their cat drivers to clear out the snow around the base and track it up to make it undesirable to skiers 1500 vertical feet up their ski resort. It's a damn shame in my opinion and a waste of resources. Pretty fun skiing with the pooch and there is still smooth snow to be found tho.