Alta Adding Paid Parking Reservations on Weekends and Holidays for 2021-22
This week, Alta made a few major announcements about the 2021-22 season. Season pass prices have been announced, with sales commencing May 3. The Ikon Base Pass will be available as a season-pass add-on for just $269.
To address parking challenges last season and improve the guest experience, Alta has made the decision to implement a paid parking reservation system next season. The final details of this system, which will take effect on weekends and holidays, have not been worked out; however, passholders will not need to pay to reserve parking.
Our Take
It’s telling to see Alta, which didn’t even require reservations for the COVID-impacted 2020-21 season, implementing such a policy now. This new policy will likely reduce Little Cottonwood Canyon congestion, with those unable to get on the mountain now being notified via a reservation system rather than driving up and being turned away. While there’s no indication these changes will result in reduced resort capacity, we’ll keep an eye out to see if this ends up being the case.
This change will likely result in a number of unhappy guests, although such a capacity restriction is not entirely unprecedented in the area. In recent seasons, nearby Solitude has been charging up to $20 for all resort parking, even on non peak days. However, season passholders, who will not need to pay for parking, will likely welcome the change; for them, a free reservation with guaranteed resort access presumably beats getting up at the crack of dawn and waiting in Little Cottonwood Canyon traffic.
Notably, this announcement makes Alta the second resort to implement an “add-on” pricing strategy for Ikon passholders next season. Alta’s premium weekend and holiday parking charge follows Big Sky’s recently-announced tram access premium. It will be interesting to see if nearby Snowbird continues with a parking reservation policy next season; with trail connections existing between Alta and Snowbird, it wouldn’t be inconceivable to picture guests parking at an unrestricted Snowbird lot and then utilizing the slopes to make their way over to Alta.
Considering a trip to Alta next season? Check out our comprehensive mountain review. Keep in mind that Alta is a skiers-only resort and that snowboarding is prohibited.
