Alta’s opening day is a mix of great and bad news. The great news is the extensive amount of trails and lifts that are open for November 18th, thanks to receiving over one hundred inches of snow so far. Today, Alta is running the Collins, Wildcat, Sugarloaf, Snowpine, and rope tow lifts. The Supreme lift could also open up on Saturday, which is a remarkable feat for November. For terrain, 86 runs are open.
Here’s the bad news: their biggest lift replacement since the Supreme Express in 2016 has become a logistical nightmare. Alta is currently replacing their old Sunnyside Triple with a high-speed six-pack chairlift. Supply chain issues have made for continuous delays to the lift, and it is now projected to open in mid to late December. The Albion chairlift, which is still standing, cannot be used for at least a couple of weeks due to it being right next to an active Sunnyside six-pack construction zone.
This likely means longer lines over at the Collins base area to start the season out, and it creates a challenge for those who have to park over at the Albion base area. The main purpose of the new Sunnyside chairlift is to improve capacity in their main beginner zone and serve as a lift that easily reaches the Sugarloaf and Supreme lifts. It’ll be interesting to see how Alta manages this challenging situation, and when the new Sunnyside chairlift is able to open.
Image/Video Credits: Alta Ski Area
