Alta, UT Report: Little Chute Chargin’

Report from February 14, 2020

I got into the Baldy Chutes at Alta Ski Area for the first time this season today.

Little Chute was firing.

It was wind-buffed and much, much softer than I expected it to be. 

So good I skied it twice. 

A quick twenty-minute hike and I found myself on top of Mt. Baldy overwhelmed with beautiful Wasatch vistas on this splendid bluebird day. 

The first time I skied Little Chute today I took it easy, getting a feel for the snow. 

The snow was soft in there and made for fun, hard-slashing turns down the steep couloir.

The choke point was pretty narrow — narrower than I remembered. 

On round one, I slid through most of the choke point sideways. 

“It could definitely be straight-lined,” I thought. 

So I hiked back up for the real lap and did just that. 

I dropped in and did my best to keep my flow through the entire chute. 

I almost made it the whole length without stopping with only a split-second where I lost my balance and tipped over at the top of the choke point.

Then I pointed ’em straight through the crux and was greeted with soft, happy turns on the other end.

It was smooth sailing from there.

At the bottom of Little Chute I found myself a nice little treat: a fun, mid-sized cliff that was just begging for me to send it.

So I did.

There’s nothing more satisfying that looking up at the entirety of Little Chute from below right after slaying it top to bottom. 

Alta, you have my heart. 

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