Soul of Alta

Alta Ski Area and Sweetgrass Productions bring you a short film that explores the intersection of people and powder skiing throughout Alta’s 86-year history.

The Soul of Alta is a film that sets out to answer the question "What is Alta?"

The beauty of that question is that there is no singular answer—Alta is a place that represents something unique to each of us. The snow, the Alta community and the spirit of the mountain hold onto each of us in different ways.

Alta Ski Area and Sweetgrass Productions bring you a short film that explores the intersection of people and powder skiing throughout Alta’s 86-year history. This film serves as a refresh from the short-form attention-seeking reels that are commonplace in our media landscape. The Soul of Alta is meant to be a coffee table piece—an ode to Alta—revisiting the past 86 years of skiing. Cozy up by the fireplace, warm up your favorite mug and immerse yourself in the history of Alta, deep powder skiing sequences from last winter's record-setting 903-inch winter, connect with Alta's natural mountain environment and reconnect with the mountain and the sport that we all love.

Directed
Michael J Brown

Executive Producers
Brandon Ott
Adam Fehr

Edit
Michael J Brown
Margaret King

Cinematography
Michael J Brown
Alex Mager
Iz La Motte
Kyle Toohey
Luke Bredar
Bobby Jahrig
Tim Jones
Nate Cahoon

Sound
Avery Sandack

Coordinator
Lexi Dowdall

Interviews
Collins Babbet
Titus Case
Roberta Cherchio
Lee Cohen
Shannon Corey
Caroline Dillon
Lexi Dowdall
Sara Gibbs
Hailey Griffin
Sam Howard
Connie Marshall
Michael Maughan
Nic Nichol
Bob Pratt
Dobber Price
Kristen Randack
Mel Tatton
Onno Wieringa

Athletes
Brad Allenick
Jacki Baker
Blaine Bossung
Claire Brown
Rachael Burks
Sam Cohen
Rhea Cone
Nicole Cordingley
Megan Dingman
Lexi Dowdall
Tim Durtschi
Alf Engen
Sverre Engen
Adam Fehr
Hannah Follender
Connor Gorman
Kalen Griffin
Chloe Jimenez
Georgiana Knox
Iz La Motte
Davis Lentz
Kami Mager
Anna Marno
Adrian Martino
Christal Mccrary
Willie Nelson
Mali Noyes
McKenna Peterson
Jaqueline Pollard
Aaron Rae
Sydney Ricketts
Madison Rose Ostergren
Erin Schiano
Berkley Stone
Kyle Toohey
David Van Dame
Scotty VerMerris
Sam Watson
Re Wikstrom
Taavi Zoller

Archival Footage
Margie of the Wasatch
Alta is for Skiers
Marriott Library Collection

Music
Johnny Gold - Acoustic Jams
Easy Giant - The Tube
Gregory Alan Isakov - Where You Gonna Go
Yehezkel Raz - Continuance
Ben Reneer - Off My Mind
David Benedict - Rockfall Ridge
Adrián Berenguer - Premiere
Hans Johnson - One Planet
Amulets - IV
Spearfisher - Hope and Heisenberg
Maya Belsitzman & Matan Ephrat - Birds Eye View
Ben Wagner - After The War

[King_Cole]

For no other reason than for the love of people, skiing and the outdoors. ❤️
There’s just something magic about Alta. Some of my best memories.

Incredible Storytelling 🎥🥹

[lifesadventures]

51 consecutive seasons and as always, guaranteed to satisfy! Just got back from a 22" weekend! Thanks for all you do Alta!

[stringstroker]

I’m a Texas Flatlander, from Richardson. I had a tech job in the 90’s that took me all over NA. And I’ve skied from Killington, to Big Bear, from Crested Butte to Vail to the Summit to Steamboat. And no resort will ever be as good as Alta!

One of my best friends growing up lived off of 9400 S. and he and his wife would let me stay there the 2-4 times I was up the in late Winter, through Spring. I learned to bump & tree (powder) ski off the runs from Supreme.

East Devil’s, Devil’s Castle & all the runs off of Sugarloaf! Just wow! My son learned on that mountain and we would spend the day, chasing the sun! People that have never experienced Alta’s powder, I describe it like this, ‘It’s like skiing down the side of a fluffy cumulus cloud!’ There is literally nothing on planet Earth like it.

I’m getting up there and my son has passed, but I will ALWAYS hold those memories of the mountain, especially watching skiers hike to the top of Sugarloaf Peak and carve the fresh powder. Memories of Frontier Pies for breakfast, all day on the mountain, a 90 min massage at the top of Snowbird Lodge, then back to my home away from home, to do it all over again the next day.

When you’re in the trees, with powder splashing your face, and happiness in your heart, I think that is a tiny piece of Heaven that I have experienced.

God bless you all, there and stay safe. LL Alta!

[dennisdrayna]

This captures what makes Alta truly different - a mountain for skiers based on fabulous snow. I skied there more than 100 days in the 1980's and I can attest that the footage of waist deep powder isn't staged. I knew I'd found something unusual when I saw local high school hot shots showing up with snorkels on the big powder days. No one goes there for the scene, just for the skiing and yes, the place does have a unique soul. I've skied all over the U.S., Canada, and Europe. Alta is the best.

[jimtarantine]

One of the best ski movies I have ever seen. Spoke to my heart. GREAT JOB

[ChrisAlbrecht-ul]

Alta is like heaven. You’ll know when you get there.

[jvphelan]

Learned to ski powder there in 1978. Paul Bergantz. Always remember. Have been back with my family. Unique experience.

[gregtownsend]

Best short ski movie I’ve ever seen. My soul’s never been screaming louder for day 1 of the season❄️

[spaddriver]

Started skiing there in the 60's. My father was ski patrol there for ten years. Got to go skiing with Stein, Alf, Dick Bass, Mel Dalebot, Warren Miller, and Suzy Chaffic, to name some of the legendary skiers of the day.
My dad's ashes are scattered on Sugarloaf.
It's still my favorite resort.

[TheSlandis]

My second year skiing, I was 16 and got a seasons pass at Alta. I vividly recall the run that my friend and I figured out how to ski powder. It had been taught to me, but it was on that run, down Greeley Bowl that we both figured it out. That unlocked a whole new world.

[davidpfishman]

I was lucky enough to ski with Alf back in the 70s. Single weekday ski lift tix $7

[pcnick]

For the first 20 years of my life, I had no clue how lucky I was growin up on the bench. Now I’m writing this while sitting in lil Hollywood traffic. I hear Texas has better skiing than Utah. So you should go there

[cyclingbutterbean]

People come from all over the world to SKI Alta. Not a snowboarder in sight. That's just fine with me. Skied a waist deep day there. The comment about not being connected to the earth is spot on. Closest thing to flying like a bird. A truly spiritual experience.

[charliesmith]

I ❤ALTA SKI PATROL!! Thanks for all your hard work.

[ceraroberts]

This made me so homesick. I moved away a couple of years ago and I miss this place. I loved going to Alta year round. Growing up in Salt Lake I spent lots of time up there. The memories this brought back are wonderful.
Now if the Canyon Inn would do a flashback video I could revisit some of the best times of my life when needed 😊

[sparksWhodat-wghk]

My husband worked snow removal 22/23 season, the power and beauty of the mountain is something you fall in love with immediately

[ray]

Last time I skied at Alta, I was in powder chest high...very memorable. Alta, Taos, Telluride, Jackson Hole, Snowbird...5 best ski areas.

[olivershull]

Please keep making these fantastic short films!

[peoplewatchingotherpeople]

Amazing. So well done! I would watch an 8 hour documentary-series on Alta.

[FaithandActiondotnet]

I'm from Alaska & when I was a kid my Dad took us on a ski trip to Utah, I remember Alta was our favorite. The whole no snowboards thing is weird though.