Alta, Utah
Encyclopedia
Alta is a town in Salt Lake County
, Utah
, United States
. It is part of the Salt Lake City
, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area
. The population was 370 at the 2000 census, a slight decrease from the 1990 figure of 397.
Alta
is also a ski resort
that has 500,000 visitors a year. It is known for its powder ski
ing and its refusal to allow snowboarding
.
in Little Cottonwood Canyon
. Sensationally rich silver ore in the Emma mine enabled its owners to sell the mine at an inflated price to British investors in 1871. The subsequent exhaustion of the Emma ore body led to the recall of the American ambassador to Great Britain, who was a director of the company, and Congressional hearings in Washington.
An 1878 fire and a 1885 avalanche destroyed most of the original mining town, though some mining activity persisted into the 20th century. By the 1930s, only one resident, George Watson, remained in the town. Facing back taxes on mining claims he owned, Watson donated much of the land in Alta to the U.S. Forest Service. Watson stipulated that the Forest Service use the land to construct a ski area. In 1935, Norwegian skiing legend Alf Engen was hired to help develop the area, and Alta opened its first ski lift in 1938.
Today, Alta is a small town, centered around the Alta Ski Area.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 4.1 square miles (10.5 km2), of which, 4.1 square miles (10.5 km2) of it is land and 0.25% is water.
At 8560 feet (2,609.1 m), Alta is the highest city in Utah, and one of the highest in America.
of 2000, there were 370 people, 67 households, and 36 families residing in the town. The population density
was 91.4 people per square mile (35.3/km2). There were 242 housing units at an average density of 59.8 per square mile (23.1/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 94.86% White, 1.08% African American, 0.81% Native American, 0.54% Asian, 1.35% from other races
, and 1.35% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.32% of the population.
There were 67 households out of which 22.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.2% were married couples
living together, and 44.8% were non-families. 28.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 1.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.12 and the average family size was 2.62.
In the town the population was spread out with 6.2% under the age of 18, 30.5% from 18 to 24, 44.6% from 25 to 44, 15.4% from 45 to 64, and 3.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 252.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 285.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $81,250, and the median income for a family was $94,654. Males had a median income of $32,639 versus $18,889 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $66,566, the wealthiest of any incorporated city in Utah. None of the families and 19.1% of the population were living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and none of those over 64.
Salt Lake County, Utah
Salt Lake County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. It had a population of 1,029,655 at the 2010 census. Its county seat and largest city is Salt Lake City, the state capital. It occupies Salt Lake Valley, as well as parts of the surrounding mountains, the Oquirrh Mountains to the west...
, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is part of the Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area
Salt Lake City metropolitan area
The Salt Lake City Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of three counties in north central Utah, anchored by Salt Lake City. As of the 2000 census, the MSA had a population of 968,858. As of July 1, 2009 the U.S...
. The population was 370 at the 2000 census, a slight decrease from the 1990 figure of 397.
Alta
Alta Ski Area
Alta is a ski area located in the Wasatch Mountains, just east of Salt Lake City, Utah. With a skiable area of 2200 acres , beginning at a base elevation of 8530 ft and rising to 10,550 ft for a vertical gain of 2020 ft . Alta is one of the oldest ski resorts in the country,...
is also a ski resort
Ski resort
A ski resort is a resort developed for skiing and other winter sports. In Europe a ski resort is a town or village in a ski area - a mountainous area, where there are ski trails and supporting services such as hotels and other accommodation, restaurants, equipment rental and a ski lift system...
that has 500,000 visitors a year. It is known for its powder ski
Ski
A ski is a long, flat device worn on the foot, usually attached through a boot, designed to help the wearer slide smoothly over snow. Originally intended as an aid to travel in snowy regions, they are now mainly used for recreational and sporting purposes...
ing and its refusal to allow snowboarding
Snowboarding
Snowboarding is a sport that involves descending a slope that is covered with snow on a snowboard attached to a rider's feet using a special boot set onto mounted binding. The development of snowboarding was inspired by skateboarding, sledding, surfing and skiing. It was developed in the U.S.A...
.
History
Alta was founded about 1865 to house miners from the Emma mine, the Flagstaff mine, and other silver minesSilver mining
Silver mining refers to the resource extraction of the precious metal element silver by mining.-History:Silver has been known since ancient times. It is mentioned in the Book of Genesis, and slag heaps found in Asia Minor and on the islands of the Aegean Sea indicate that silver was being separated...
in Little Cottonwood Canyon
Little Cottonwood Canyon
Little Cottonwood Canyon lies within the Wasatch-Cache National Forest along the eastern side of the Salt Lake Valley, roughly 15 miles from Salt Lake City, Utah. The canyon is part of Granite, a CDP and “Community Council” designated by Salt Lake County. The canyon is a glacial trough , carved by...
. Sensationally rich silver ore in the Emma mine enabled its owners to sell the mine at an inflated price to British investors in 1871. The subsequent exhaustion of the Emma ore body led to the recall of the American ambassador to Great Britain, who was a director of the company, and Congressional hearings in Washington.
An 1878 fire and a 1885 avalanche destroyed most of the original mining town, though some mining activity persisted into the 20th century. By the 1930s, only one resident, George Watson, remained in the town. Facing back taxes on mining claims he owned, Watson donated much of the land in Alta to the U.S. Forest Service. Watson stipulated that the Forest Service use the land to construct a ski area. In 1935, Norwegian skiing legend Alf Engen was hired to help develop the area, and Alta opened its first ski lift in 1938.
Today, Alta is a small town, centered around the Alta Ski Area.
Geography
Alta is located at 40.580916°N 111.637164°W (40.580916, -111.637164).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 4.1 square miles (10.5 km2), of which, 4.1 square miles (10.5 km2) of it is land and 0.25% is water.
At 8560 feet (2,609.1 m), Alta is the highest city in Utah, and one of the highest in America.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 370 people, 67 households, and 36 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 91.4 people per square mile (35.3/km2). There were 242 housing units at an average density of 59.8 per square mile (23.1/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 94.86% White, 1.08% African American, 0.81% Native American, 0.54% Asian, 1.35% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.35% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.32% of the population.
There were 67 households out of which 22.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.2% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, and 44.8% were non-families. 28.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 1.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.12 and the average family size was 2.62.
In the town the population was spread out with 6.2% under the age of 18, 30.5% from 18 to 24, 44.6% from 25 to 44, 15.4% from 45 to 64, and 3.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 252.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 285.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $81,250, and the median income for a family was $94,654. Males had a median income of $32,639 versus $18,889 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $66,566, the wealthiest of any incorporated city in Utah. None of the families and 19.1% of the population were living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and none of those over 64.