Alta, UT Report: My 2 Favorite Runs = Main Chute + High Rustler

Miles Clark | | Post Tag for Conditions ReportConditions Report

Brought to you by Alta Ski Area

Report from March 3, 2021

Today was a gorgeous day at Alta Ski Area, UT.

I arrived at the crack of noon and saw straight away that Main Chute off 11,000′ Mt. Baldy was open.

Well, that’s not true.

I assumed it wasn’t open because I couldn’t see anyone in the chute or on the summit at all when I was cruising up the Collins chair.

At the top of the chair, I asked a ski patroller if it was closed and he said:

“No, it’s open, it’s just that Devil’s Castle just opened and everyone is headed over there.”

“Sweet,” said I.

I zipped down to the Sugarloaf chair, traversed over to the start of the hike and took my time rumbling up the 25-minute bootpack up to the top of Main Chute.

I had the top to myself and I took a moment to drink it in.

Vistas of Mt. Superior, Snowbird, the Salt Lake Valley, and east Alta danced in my eyes.

Mount Baldy and Main Chute. image: snowbrains

Eventually, I got it together, took 3 deep breaths and dropped in.

Main Chute was chalky, fast, wide, and a bit bumped up.

I scratched from turn to turn trying to stay in the sun and trying not to blind myself with spray.

Salt Lake Valley. image: snowbrains

The chute skied well and by the bottom, I was breathing hard.

Main Chute always makes me feel great.

It’s such an aesthetic chute.

Open! image: snowbrains

From there it was back onto the Collins chair and straight over to High Rustler.

The same thing happened there.

I was on top alone.

Mt. Superior. image: snowbrains

I drank it in, took my 3 deep breaths, and skied it top to bottom.

This one really had my gasping for breath at the bottom.

Especially since I’m terrible at skiing moguls.

Snowbird. image: snowbrains

I looked up, thanked the run, did one more cruisy groomer off Collins and called it a day.

Thanks for the great day, Alta.

 

Snow Numbers:

image: alta, 3/4/21

Forecast:

image: noaa, 3/4/21

Photos:

Devil’s Castle side step open today. image: snowbrains
Main Chute. image: snowbrains
Miles about to drop into Main Chute. image: snowbrains

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