#HUMANSOFALTA
You may have noticed ACE is highlighting people who live, work, and/or play in the Little Cottonwood Canyon on our social media platforms. Our goal with #humansofalta is to recognize those community members who help make our town tick, unsung heroes, and those who make us smile.
People flock to Alta in the winter to work and ski, live the dream, and experience the Alta Magic. Lucky for us, Alta attracts a particular type of person, lovers of the outdoors, each person with a unique personality. We know that everyone one of our employees is essential and our locals are rather quirky. Thank you to every one of our community members who make Alta what it is! It takes a community to make a community.
This program is the brainchild of ACE employee, Ginny Cunningham, we are ecstatic to share with you stories of our community members. You can follow ACE on facebook here and on Instagram here. If you would like to submit to be highlighted please click here. If you know someone that should be highlighted, please send them that same link.
Shannon Corey
Shannon Corey has worked in Little Cottonwood Canyon for 15 years and hasn’t had to leave for long as she sees the raw natural beauty of this place as incredible and something special to witness year-round.
“Being a part of this community means being a part of a vibrant collection of characters who love to work hard and play hard.” The people are one of the many things that make Alta special to Shannon, especially with her mindset that no matter what is going on in your life, you can find joy in the splendor of nature or the company of a good friend.
Currently, you can find Shannon supervising lift operations in the winter and working lift maintenance in the summer. Thanks for being such a magical part of the LCC community and always making our day with your lovely smile! (even under a mask)
Kelsey Ewing
Kelsey Ewing comes from New Hampshire and has been working at Alta for five seasons now. She previously worked at Alf’s and now is a part of Alta Ski Patrol as of this season! Kelsey keeps coming back to Alta each season because of both the snow and the people, something she says can’t be beat. Being a part of the Little Cottonwood Canyon community to Kelsey means being surrounded by others who are so adventurous and caring. The people are also what makes Alta so magical for Kelsey, she looks forward to running into friends (and her brother Riley who works at DPH) and skiing laps with them spontaneously.
When asked about her most memorable pow day Kelsey responded, “Too many to count. My favorites are the mid week sleeper pow days that are free refills all day long and shredding with the homies!” Thanks Kelsey for coming back all these seasons, Little Cottonwood is so lucky to have you around!
Frado Jefferies
Frado Jefferies has been working in LCC since 2000 and playing in the canyon since the early 90s. He loves sharing in our small community that knows and believes in the #altamagic like he does.
Frado works for cat crew with Alta Ski Lifts. Although he’s done plenty of different jobs with cat crew over the years, right now he helps with snow making and grooming operations. When asked what keeps him coming back Frado’s response was, “A strong eddy brings me back to Alta every season.”
His most memorable snow day was on 6/26/10 when he hiked up Baldy and skied all the way down to the Alta Lodge with his closest friends and then walked in, changed his clothes and got married.
Frado’s go-to ski snack for a long time was, “a quick stop in the trees” but now it’s sharing skittles with his kids. Thanks for being such a vibrant part of the Little Cottonwood Community!
Brent Leyerle
You may have seen Brent Leyerle’s smiling face around at the GMD! He’s actually been working, living, and playing in LCC since spring of 2007. He says he came for the blower but stayed for the graupel. Every season he keeps coming back to continue living/skiing with his extended family of fun and beautiful people.
When asked what being a part of the LCC community means to him, Brent’s response was, “Knowing too many people to get away with lighting off fireworks from the chairlift.” With that being said, the experience that has made his experience at Alta the most magical is Frank and taking the unserious seriously.
Brent’s go to snack on a powder day is a leftover pancake and a bag of peanuts he can share with the birds. His most memorable powder day was, “4/4/2009. 160 inches in 2 weeks. 18 inches overnight at 2% moisture content. It was the skiing equivalent of scoring the winning touchdown in the Super Bowl.... all day long.”
We’re so glad to have Brent’s positive energy in our little community, thanks for always putting on the best rounds of trivia!
Maren Askins
“This town and community have given me a life and career, where I can do the things I love—skiing and playing my cello—with the people I love.“ -Maren Askins #humansofalta
Maren moved to Alta during the ’12-13 season where she started as a deskie at the Alta Lodge. After a deep season and endless pow days Maren went home to Bangor, Maine for the summer where she quickly realized Alta is where she belongs. Ever since then she’s been working year-round at the Alta Lodge as a deskie, wedding coordinator, and since 2018 the General Manager. “I’m honored to have the Levitt family’s trust, and it’s something I take to heart each day.”
Someone who has made Maren’s Alta experience even more magical is her brother/favorite ski buddy Sam, who is the Dining Room Manager of the Alta Lodge. Her go-to snack on a powder day is a biscuit from Alta Java, with Susie’s delicious pepper jelly and cream cheese. When she’s not at the Lodge or out skiing you can usually find her in her rocking chair on the Big House porch. You may have heard Maren playing her cello at the Alta Gala or ACE’s Annual Christmas Singalong with violinist Stella Day.
We’re stoked the #altamagic convinced Maren to come back for more and stay. Thanks for being a rad human in the LCC community, we appreciate you!
Ann Berumen
Meet one of the two ladies of the Alta Post Office!
Ann has been working at the post office for around 4 years now. Her favorite thing about working in Alta is the people and the community. In her opinion, the most magical part about Alta is Albion Basin, “It’s very peaceful and I love the wildflowers and moose. It’s just a peaceful place to be.” We’re so lucky to have Ann and Rachel’s smiling faces at the post office year-round and as part of the Little Cottonwood Community!
Rachel Liston
Meet one of the two ladies of the Alta Post Office!
Rachel has worked at Alf’s, Watson’s, and Albion, and now she works at the post office year-round. This is Rachel’s 15th season at Alta, she’s been working here since 2005. She’s skied Alta her entire life but ended up working here because one year she couldn’t get the silver pass (previous pass Alta offered) and she had her husband and two kids and they couldn’t afford to ski without that pass so Rachel got a job at Alf’s Restaurant for the pass, and she’s been working all over the mountain since. When asked the most magical part about Alta, Rachel responded, “The top of Supreme. I always say God lives at the top of Supreme.”
Connie Knab
Connie Knab is a full-time ski instructor at Alta! She’s been an instructor for 33 years, and at Alta for the past 22 years. When asked her thoughts on Alta she responded, “I truly feel fortunate to be working at Alta with all its beauty and soul. As part of the LCC community I want to contribute to the positive vibe by genuinely caring for others and their day to day experience. It’s sometimes easy to get all caught up in the self gratification of skiing great lines and great snow everyday. It’s important to check in and listen to people and consider how they are really doing.” Connie stays motivated throughout those stellar Alta days with courage, commitment, and CHOCOLATE! A moment that makes Alta magical for her is, “When I am skiing well, skiing can be like moving meditation so I prefer to ski with the natural sound of the “mountains”.
Someone who always brings a smile to Connie’s face in LCC is Dr. Ken Libre, her role model at Alta. Connie says that Dr, Ken will ask, “how are you” at the top of the Collins chair and he is engaged from the heart. “When you put out that positive vibe from the heart it comes back to you in wonderful ways!” We’re so grateful to have Connie as a part of the Little Cottonwood Canyon community! If you see her on the slopes say a socially distanced hello!