After two postponements due to snowstorms, yesterday I finally made it to Alta, Utah's famed powderhounds' paradise. And I found Utah's famed dry powder snow falling -- actually blowing sideways -- with such intensity that I actually saw very little of the area.

Fortunately I had a guide, Alta's very personable Tyler Jackson, who led me on a tour that included runs off three chairlifts that reached altitudes of more than 10,000 feet.

Visibility was generally only a couple of hundred feet, but there were occasional glimpses of the spectacular 11,000-foot peaks of the Wasatch Range that so forcefully define the Alta experience.

Note that all photos used in today's entry are courtesy of Alta, and obviously taken on another day.

Skiing thousands of acres of waist-deep powder, with the 11,000-foot Wasatch Range peaks forming the backdrop, is the defining Alta experience.

Alta is Utah's famed powderhounds' paradise.

Alta is located at the head of Little Cottonwood Canyon, but there's nothing little about this magnificent ski area.

Some Alta aspects that Tyler pointed out:

1. Alta is a skiers' mountain. No snowboards allowed.

2. Alta has a modern lift system, including three high-speed detachable quads.

3. Alta has a fine beginners' area, with a cluster of scenic green trails, near the Albion base area.

4. Alta's ski school is named for Alf Engen, the legendary Norwegian immigrant whose influence is still felt throughought the state of Utah.

5. Alta is about 25 miles from Salt Lake City, and served by the region's public transportation system with a regular schedule of buses.

6. Alta tied its season-to-date snowfall record with 404 inches through January 31.

Alta has two base lodges, several hundred yards apart. The Albion base (shown above) serves the beginners' area.

Alf's mid-mountain restaurant is a popular Alta eatery.

Tyler and I had lunch in Alf's, a comfy mid-mountain restaurant that is decorated with historic photos of Alf Engen and a fine collection of antique skis.

This sunset scene reminds me that I want to visit Alta again -- on a sunny day.

I wish I could have been at Alta on a sunny day. But the allotted time for the Utah portion of the Odyski is almost over, and it's time to move on.

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