Wondering what the best skis for Alta are? This guide is what you’ve been looking for.
Choosing the wrong skis for the conditions can make skiing an unenjoyable experience that will have you questioning your abilities.
But the right pair of skis can turn an alright day into the best day of the season.
Alta Ski Area is renowned for its aggressive terrain and its world-class champagne snow. Having the right skis for your trip or your season here will make all the difference.
There are four categories in this list, so there is a recommendation for you whether you love the groomers or the cliffs.
Then Best Skis for Alta
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All-Mountain Skis
If you like to ski groomers and occasionally venture off-piste into the fresh snow, I recommend a pair of all-mountain skis.
These skis will hold an edge well on the groomers underneath the Sugarloaf lift but will also help you float in fresh snow if you decide to head out to Devil’s Castle.
I recommend something that is 95-100 mm wide underfoot. This waist width will let you carve turns and pivot in the moguls. Yet it is still wide enough to give you nice flotation in fresh snow.
Skis in the category I recommend are:
This ski pulls inspiration from Rosi’s famed Soul 7 line. The escaper is a highly versatile ski that performs well on hard pack snow and variable conditions.
New for this year, the Salomon QST 98 is their all-mountain ski. It’s super lightweight and has large tips that make it easy to float in fresh snow. It also features a nice sidecut that makes it super responsive from edge to edge.
Big Mountain Skis
If you’re coming to Alta to ski the steeps, push your abilities, and hit some cliffs, you want a big mountain ski.
You’re going to spend a good chunk of your time skiing the High Traverse off of Collins and the Supreme chair. The terrain you’ll be skiing is steep and ungroomed. You need a stiff ski that’s moderately wide underfoot (100-110mm) and has rocker in the tip to carry you through the fresh and over the crud.
If you’re an intermediate to advanced skier, get something that is around 100-104 underfoot.
If you are an advanced skier who is strong, I recommend something with titanal to keep you stable as you charge the runout of High Rustler (locals call it highboy). You could also get away with running something 5 cm longer than you usually do.
Skis in the category I recommend are:
The Line Sick Day 104 is meant for cruising around the whole mountain. It features a nice camber underfoot to give you edge grip and features a healthy amount of tip rocker to blast through anything in its path. If you’re looking for a versatile one-ski-quiver, this is your ski.
If you’re an advanced skier, who wants to go fast and straight, this is the ski for you. This ski has two layers of titanal underfoot for high-speed stability paired with a 106mm waist width that will help you float in fresh snow.
Freeride Skis
Did you come to Alta exclusively to ski the Wildcat chair and trick every side hit? If so, bring your freeride skis.
Editor’s note: This mixed with a little bit of big mountain is how I like to ski.
For a freeride ski, get a twin tip that’s 100 – 114mm underfoot. A lot of people here ski their powder skis every day. It gives you a solid platform to land on, but you’ll sacrifice some carving performance. I think the sweet spot is 106-108. I ski a Faction Prodigy 3.0 in the 190cm length (I’m 6’3.5 180lbs).
Mount your freeride skis in between a traditional and center mount. This evens out the swing weight but will still give you some nose for skiing fast on the runout.
I Recommend The: Volkl Revolt 104
This ski is the little brother of the Volkl Revolt 121. It’s playful but can also hold its own when the skiing gets fast and rough. I’ve personally seen Freeride World Tour athlete Ross Tester sending these skis all over Alta.
Powder Skis
Every year Alta averages 550 inches of snow. So if you’re lucky enough to be here when mother nature decides to turn it on, you better bring out the powder boards.
Powder skis are dual purpose.
Yes, they help your float in the fresh snow. But arguably just as important, they will help you deal with the chopped-up snow later in the afternoon when the fresh tracks are gone.
If you like to stick to the groomers, I recommend something around 104 -110mm wide for your powder ski. If you want to charge the whole mountain, get something from 110 – 120mm wide. I personally ski the old Salomon QST 118 in 193cm length.
I Recommend The: Atomic Bent Chetler
There’s a reason most of the best skiers in the world ride it.
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