Alta Ski Area in Alta, Utah

Painted in 1991 (shown here). Repainted in 2015.

If you’ve skied Utah, you’ve definitely at least heard of Alta. And chances are you have stories of some epic powder day at that resort that will last for years. Alta is big, it can be mean, and it’s always guaranteed to be a good time. With 2,600 acres of skiing, and 55% of those acres designated “expert” terrain, Alta is a great place to go to push your skiing to the next level. Part of what makes Alta so unique is the proliferation of side step tracks around the resort. Bootpacking is anathema, but it’s easy to shuffle around the ski area quickly and catch rope drops to fresh snow as ski patrol opens new terrain.