So why don’t a dog’s paws seem to get cold in the snow? They’ve got built in paw warmers. A dogs paws don’t freeze in the snow thanks to special veins in their paw pads that circulate warm blood more effectively. Now you know.

Check out some photos and this short video of a simulated rescue.

VIDEO – Simulated avalanche burial rescue in the Alta backcountry

Following up a day of skiing Alta with a few beers and friends is always fun. Skiing and beer go together like bacon and eggs. The bond is unbreakable… Skiing and beer sittin’ in a tree… K I S S I N G. Yeah, it’s that serious (Did you use your school girl voice while reading that last little bit?… ok good). Well, as anyone who has experienced Alta knows, the good times have been happening in these parts for quite some time now. So which came first, beer or skiing?

It’s hard to say when the first beer was swilled down here at the top of Little Cottonwood Canyon. But if you know anything about the history of Alta, you’ll know it was once a thriving silver mining town. It all started back in the mid 1800′s with the discovery of silver in the area. It didn’t take long for the word to spread and soon a town with a population of well over 1000 sprung up. It is said that at one time there were well over 20 saloons lining Alta’s main street. Word is the hippest joints of the time were called the Bucket of Blood and The Gold Miners Daughter. So I think it’s safe to say beer beat skiing to the canyon by 75 years, give or take.

Skiers didn’t show up until the earlier 1900′s. Once that happened it was only a matter of days, probably hours, until some fortunate soul slid up to their stash of powder chilled home-brew, stabbed their 20ft long wooden skis into the snow and popped open a cold one. Perhaps something magical happened that day. For the first time a skier, ridiculously light and deep Alta powder snow, sunshine, and a bottle of beer met at the top of LCC. I’d like to think that was the first bluebird day here in the canyon. And it’s been happening regularly every since. Something’s just go hand in hand, and for most, beer and après skiing is definitely one of them.

As it so happens Alta is celebrating its 75th season as a ski area and to commemorate the occasion Alta has crafted their own brew. The authentic Alta 75th Anniversary Pale Ale is “a thirst quenching, steep and deep dry hopped Pale Ale” deep in color with piney, floral and citrus aroma without the extra bitterness you’ll find in most other Pale Ale’s. It’s a good one… well done Alta!

The Alta 75th Anniversary Pale Ale is available at our own Alta Peruvian Bar. Come join us in these good times up here at the top of the world as another bluebird day is just around the corner. Cheers to friends and family, skiing, beer, and good times!

Alta is a wonderful holiday destination because there are a variety of activities available during each season of the year. Although we may be famous for our world class snow conditions, there is also great rock climbing facilities in the area, which are suitable for all ages and skill levels. Utah Mountain Adventures are highly recommended for their climbing activities and they are known for their safe, professional and fun service. Read below for some more information on Alta mountain climbing.

What Alta mountain climbing activities are available during your Alta vacation?

Utah Mountain Adventures offer exciting Alta mountain climbing along the Wasatch range, where you can access Little Cottonwood, Big Cottonwood, Mt Olympus, Bell’s Canyon and more. Their professional guides know the routes extremely well and have years of experience with rock climbing. Safety is their number one concern and they won’t take you anywhere that you don’t feel comfortable. The team can teach you the latest techniques as well as showing you points of interest along the way and there are some amazing views that you don’t want to miss. Classes include clinics for teens, corporate events and a variety of other courses. There is a rock climbing course available for beginners that teaches many of the basics including how to recognize hazards, how to move on rocks and how to use the technical gear safely. For more experienced climbers, you can take on the MT Superior Classic Alpine Climb. This trip takes you 3000 feat in the air and offers outstanding views.

Many classes are also available in winter too! You can try using your crampons and ice tools to cover dazzling frozen waterfalls and learn effective methods of scaling snow covered mountains.

Looking for the perfect Alta vacation? Book your stay with our Alta resort, the Alta Peruvian Lodge

For many locals and visitors, we are their chosen Alta ski lodge and our excellent accommodation has earned us an outstanding reputation. We have a variety of beautifully designed rooms as well as delicious in-house dining which includes a bountiful morning buffet. Our beautiful mountain backdrops and professional catering facilities also make us a favorite for couples looking for the perfect Alta wedding. Check out our Alta blog for more interesting articles with Alta activities, Alta events, Alta history and more. Contact Alta Peruvian when you are ready to book a wonderful Alta vacation.

No matter which season you decide to visit Alta, there are always plenty of great activities for both tourists and visitors alike! Come enjoy our vibrant local culture and see why so many people choose Alta as their favourite vacation destination. On Saturday September 8, the Alta Peruvian Lodge is hosting the exciting downhill dash at 4pm. Read below for more information on why you should attend this event!

Our Utah vacation accommodation suggests the 8-K Downhill Dash and Barbecue Bash

This event starts at the Alta Peruvian Lodge at 4pm and is a benefit for the Utah Museum of Natural History. Racers will compete to sprint as fast as they can down the nearby Alta hills. Prizes include up to $200.00 in cash, a dynamite T-shirt, a fantastic BBQ and after race relaxation in our hot tub. The top finishers in each age division over 18 will receive from the Fabulous Alta Peruvian Lodge the following: First Place – overnight lodging and $200, Second Place – Dinner certificate and $100, Third Place – breakfast certificate and $50. The top three winners in each age division 18 and under will receive dinner and breakfast certificates. Additionally, there will be random prizes for each runner.

Fees are as follows – $28 (postmarked before August 4, 2012), $30.00 – (postmarked before September 1, 2012); $35.00 – Thereafter. Fees for non-runners partaking in the BBQ are $12.00 each. Please send all registrations by September 6, 5pm. You may register with a credit card online on the Alta Peruvian Website. You may also register for the race by mail by simply filling out the information below, include your entry fee, and mail it to ALTA PERUVIAN LODGE 8K RACE,  P.O. Box 8017, Alta, UT 84092.  Please make checks payable to “Alta Peruvian Lodge Downhill Dash”. Contact Todd at the Alta Peruvian Lodge on 801-328-8589 (Monday – Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m) or by email at dash@altaperuvian.com for more information.

Looking for Utah vacation accommodation? Stay in beautiful Alta with the Alta Peruvian Lodge

The Alta Peruvian Lodge has hundreds of satisfied customers, many of whom are repeat visitors. We are actively involved in our community and our staff can recommend many other exciting events like the 8-K Downhill Dash and Barbecue Bash. Choose us as your Utah vacation accommodation and you won’t regret it. Visit our website for more information on our beautiful lodge and room rates.

Alta is a quaint resort town which is surrounded by beautiful scenery and world quality skiing conditions. This is a perfect vacation spot for lovers of the outdoors with wild life spotting, hiking, mountain biking and many more activities on offer. Our friendly Alta Peruvian Lodge staff can help you discover some excellent locations that only the locals know about and also help you find transport, but in the meantime here are five stunning reasons to visit Alta.  

Five stunning reasons to visit Alta recommended by our Alta Hotel

Alta Ski Resort: Hundreds of thousands of skiers visit Alta every winter to sample some of the excellent local skiing conditions. Our annual snow fall is over 500 inches and Alta is one of the premier skiing destinations in the world. The United States Ski Team has its headquarters nearby and many talented skiers have honed their talents on the surrounding mountains.

Snowbird: Alta Ski Resort doesn’t allow snowboarding, but luckily Snowbird does and is just minutes away. It is of equal quality and there are also several package deals available for both mountains.

The Sundance Film Festival: This is the largest independent film festival in America and brings many celebrities to the area, some of whom purchase properties and return annually.  Directors including Quentin Tarantino, Steven Soderbergh and Kevin Smith have received their big breaks from the festival. The event is held in January annually and is the perfect time to visit for any movie fan or celebrity spotter.

Albion Basin: Some of the most beautiful scenery Utah has to offer is located on the Albion Basin Trail. This is a great camping spot and there is always plenty of wildlife to be seen in the area. A range of mountain biking and hiking trails are also available for a variety of skill levels.

Alta Memorial Grove: About 1.5km up the Albion Basin Road is this lovely minimalistic monument with a vast view of the surrounding valley. It is the perfect spot for some reflection and tranquility while enjoying your stay in Alta, Utah.

Visiting Alta? Why not stay with our Alta hotel

We have all the amenities and services to make your stay as relaxing as possible. The Alta Peruvian Lodge was built in 1948 and offers ski rental, transport and ski lift tickets. Check our website for more information on lessons, trail maps and more. The Alta Peruvian Lodge also has delicious dining options and a hot tub for some much-needed relaxation after a day of hectic outdoor exploration.

Things to keep in Mind When Choosing an Alta Utah Wedding Venue

Depending on the time of year that you’re planning on getting married and how many guests you’re planning on having, it’s important to choose a venue that can accommodate groups from large too small. It’s also important to take into account the convenience of whether or not you want your reception and ceremony in the same location, how many of your guests will need a hotel (if they’re coming from out of town) and how convenient it will be for you to organize your banquet and decorations. When analyzing your venue options we suggest thinking about:

• How many guests you will have
• How many guest are coming in from out of town and will need accommodations
• If you’d like the venue itself to provide food or if you will be using a separate caterer
• Whether you’d like your ceremony and reception to be inside or outside
• Whether you’d like your ceremony and reception in the same location

Once you’ve narrowed your Alta Utah wedding venue options down to a few finalists, it’s important to check their availability and then book appointments to go and visit the locations to make sure that it is exactly what you’re looking for. The last thing that you want is to be unpleasantly surprised the day of your wedding. When visiting locations make sure to bring all of your questions and concerns with you so you can get an accurate picture of how each venue will handle your wedding.

Why Choose the Alta Peruvian Lodge as your Alta Utah Wedding Venue

Whether you decide on an intimate elopement or an extravagant ceremony and reception, Alta, Utah has some great options, including the Alta Peruvian Lodge, where you can take advantage of the picturesque locales that Utah’s mountainous regions are known for. Our beautiful hot summers offer the perfect choice for a sunny, stunning outdoor ceremony in July and August, and this year is no exception. We’re booking up fast, so if you’re interested in our Alta Utah wedding venue, try reading our recent blog post on our Alta wedding services, and contacting our General Manager, Todd Collins at 801-742-3000.

Weddings in Alta Utah – Services 

Since our hotel is officially closed for the season starting in April, we’re unable to offer lodging for you or your weddings guests. However, there are rooms available at the nearby Cliff Lodge allowing for you to spend a few days enjoying all that Alta, Utah has to offer in the summer.

As part of our Alta, Utah wedding package that includes a ceremony and reception at the lodge (available for a fee of $2,500.00) we can provide you with:

• Use of our dining room, the Alf Engen Meeting Room and our outdoor grounds
• Chairs and banquet tables as needed for both the ceremony and reception
• Full use of our public restrooms near the reception area
• Changing rooms for you and your guests
• Access to the lodge a few days prior to the event for you to set up decorations and furniture, as well as access to the lodge for a few days after the wedding for decoration and furniture take-down
• Access to the reception area and lodge for without a time-limit the evening of your reception. You can celebrate with your guests as late into the evening as you see fit! 

Weddings in Alta Utah – Suggestions for the best Alta Wedding at Alta Peruvian Lodge

Without our regular hotel staff available, we cannot provide food or catering services, however, we can make our kitchens and spaces available to a catering company of your choice for food preparation and staging. To have the best wedding in Alta Utah possible, we suggest hiring a caterer who can provide the appropriate serving and bartending staff as well as their own dishes, silverware, linens, serving utensils, alcohol and can operate independently of a functioning kitchen. If that is an option for you, then our large kitchen-space offers the ideal staging location for your wedding banquet.

If you’re interested in finding out how the Alta Peruvian Lodge can help you have the wedding of your dreams, call our hotel’s General Manager, Todd Collins, at 801-742-3000. Todd can answer all of your questions about staging, what Alta, Utah wedding services we can provide as well as available dates for 2012.

Alta Events in April

April 6^th- The Alta Gala is an annual event put on by Alta Community Enrichment, Friends of Alta and Alta Historical Society to raise money for these non-profit organizations as well as awareness of the arts, environment and history of Alta. The event goes from 6:30 to 11:00pm and costs $115 per person prior to March 23^rd. After that it is $125 per person.

April 8^th – Anyone coming to Alta for some spring skiing needs to take advantage of some of the great Alta events we having during the spring season. One of the best is the Annual Easter Egg hunt that Alta Community Enrichment puts on at the beginning of April. The event takes place at the Alta Java Area of the Albion Grill and starts at 11:00am. The event is open to kids under 12, but eggs go quickly, so make sure to get there on time!

April 6^th – April 18^th –This year, Alta will celebrate spring with “Alta in April” a week of Alta events for the whole family. These events include the Alta Gala and the Easter Egg hunt (mentioned above) and the many events listed below, and is sure to be a week full of fun for everyone doing some spring skiing in Alta this year. The April in Alta events include:

• Saturday, April 7:  Powder House Ski Shop’s Spring Demo Day which will include live music and snacks on the GMD deck (weather permitting)
• Monday, April 9:  Apres Ski Pool Party at our very own Alta Peruvian Lodge (Pool Deck, 4-6 pm)
• Tuesday, April 10:  Apres Ski at Alta’s Rustler Lodge complete with wine and appetizers (Eagle’s Nest Lounge, 4-6pm)
• Wednesday, April 11:  Apres Ski at the Shallow Shaft Restaurant featuring Epic Brewing (4-6 pm)
• Thursday, April 12:  Apres Ski at The Snowpine Lodge with ski races in the afternoon on Sunnyside as well as  beer and hotdogs at Alf’s Mid-Mountain Restaurant
• Friday, April 13:  Freaky Friday Stretchpants and Sunglasses Costumed Ski Day (there are prizes for the “best dressed” which will be drawn on the GMD deck at 3:30 pm)
• Sunday, April 15:  First Closing Day of the 2011-2012 ski season

Stay at the Alta Peruvian Lodge: A Great Headquarters for all of your Alta events!

The Alta Peruvian Lodge has been an Alta lodging staple for years, and this spring is no exception. We love spring skiing and we know you will too, so why not call our Alta Lodge staff today and book yourself a room?

Alta Events You Can’t miss in March

March 13^th – 17^th – The Subaru World Freeskiing Championships are coming to Snowbird Ski Area and spectators are encouraged (a valid lift ticket and ski equipment is necessary to access the spectator area). This is sure to be one of the many Alta events put on that are not to be missed by ski enthusiasts. Stop by and check out the great skills of some of the world’s best skiers and show your support.

March 17^th – Join Steve Young, the former San Francisco 49er as well as a group of NFL athletes and Olympians for the Steve Young Celebrity Ski Classic on March 17^th at Snowbird Ski Area, where they will be raising money for Wasatch Adaptive Sports programs. Presented by the Forever Young Foundation, Snowbird Ski Resort and American Airlines, this fundraiser is a great Alta event that combines the love of skiing with a good cause.

March 22^nd  – 23^rd – If you’re coming to Alta with your kids for some spring skiing, we highly recommend stopping by The Living Planet Aquarium for OffSpring Fling from March 22^nd to 23^rd an Alta event that’s all about baby animals! With interactive activities, hands-on games, crafts and prizes, this is certain to be a fun day for your whole family and the event is free with public aquarium admission.

March 22^nd – 25^th – The 26^th Annual ACE SnowFlake Festival & Chili Cookoff is being held from the 22^nd to 25^th of March this year, and will be four days of celebration all about the Town of Alta. One of our top Alta events, the festivities include:

• A kickoff dance party
• Mustache competition
• Snowshoe tours
• Games including: a gnome hunt, tug of war, fly casting contest, potato sack race and more
• Bingo night
• Annual chilli cookoff with prizes in both vegetarian and on-vegetarian categories

Where to stay for Alta Events – The Alta Peruvian Lodge

There are a lot of Alta events going on in March, and when you combine them with the great spring skiing we’re expecting, how can you not book a trip to an Alta lodge today? If you’re looking for a classic ski lodge with great amenities, why not try out the Alta Peruvian Lodge? We’ve been in Alta for over 60 years and we know exactly how to help you get the most out of your spring skiing trip.

Why Stay at our Alta Lodge?

1. 1.       History and Charm. Our Alta lodge has been around for a long time, over 60 years in fact, and because of that, the Alta Peruvian Lodge has developed a unique character that’s hard to find anywhere else. With a classic ski lodge vibe, combined with great “new-world” amenities, our lodge has everything you need to experience a ski vacation, the way it’s meant to be.
2. 2.       We have everything you need for a fun vacation. From a games room and nightly movie to comfy common room and a great bar (for adult guests) we provide you with the means to create a fun, relaxing ski vacation for your entire group, regardless of age.  
3. 3.       Perfect for relaxing.  Looking to kick back after a long day on the slopes? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. With our amazing outdoor pools and hot tubs (which overlook the mountain), sauna and cozy common rooms, we guarantee that you have everything you need to relax after a great day of skiing.
4. 4.       We feed you! Having your breakfast, lunch and dinner included in your stay (as well as après ski treats) isn’t a common occurrence in the world of traditional ski lodges anymore, but luckily, the Alta Peruvian lodge as well as the other lodges in Alta have clung to the tradition of keeping our guests full and satisfied!
5. 5.       Great Staff (if we do say so ourselves).  Our staff is made up of people who love to ski. That means that we have the passion, expertise and skills to help you get the most out of your trip to Alta. We’ve experienced it all when it comes to Alta, which makes us some of the best resources you can find and we want to share our knowledge with you.
6. 6.       In-house ski shop.  Alta is known for its powder snow and having the right equipment is necessary to get the most out of your ski trip. Our in-house Alta Peruvian Lodge ski shop, is staffed with experienced skiers who know their gear and can help outfit effectively for our ski conditions.

Basically, we love skiing, we love Alta, and we think that if you like either or both of those things then you’ll love staying at the Alta Peruvian Lodge. If you agree why not try our Alta Lodge for your next ski vacation?