Backcountry skiing at Rocky Point should really be called “slackcountry skiing” due to its proximity to Alta. A short traverse north from the top of the Supreme Lift takes you to Catherine’s Area and Rocky Point, where in-bounds skiing can be had when ski patrol drops the rope, and backcountry lines spread out in all directions if you’re willing to work for it. But if you enjoy the skin up as much as the ski down, you can turn Rocky Point into an enjoyable ski tour despite the small chance of finding any fresh lines.
Rocky Point is one of the high points in the Catherine Pass area, along with Sunset Peak, Mount Tuscarora, and Mount Wolverine. So to get to Rocky Point, all you have to do is drive to the top of Little Cottonwood Canyon, park at the winter gate at Alta where the plowed road ends, skin to Catherine Pass and turn right. Easy.
After parking the car at Alta, apply skins to skis and check beacons, then follow the machine-groomed surface that leads up to the summer cabins above Alta. The road winds in and out of the resort boundaries as it skirts the edge between in-bounds and backcountry. Grizzly Gulch soon comes into view on the right as Devil’s Castle looms in the distance on the left.
A few hours of walking uphill leads to the top of the pass itself. From here you can see Brighton in Big Cottonwood Canyon with Catherine Lake frozen in the valley below. The snow cover is usually good all the way to the north side of Sunset Peak, which can be accessed from the pass by following the ridgeline. But Rocky Point is much closer – just a short climb to the top. Along the way, there are a few different chutes that spill down from the ridge that you can choose to ski.
About that skiing – there’s couloirs that lead to the flats below, ranging from tight chutes to navigable, steep cruisers that hold good snow, even when it hasn’t precipitated in a while. Further below Sunset Saddle, the chutes give way to nice bowls and faces where sweet powder turns can be found before the Alta hordes get there. After taking a run, simply skin back up to Catherine Pass and go for another lap.
You can also ski off the other (south) side of Rocky Point, where open runs flirt with the Alta Ski Area boundary. The terrain is mellow here, with gladed shots that funnel into drainages which spill back into Alta. If the gate at the top of Supreme is open, this terrain gets tracked out super quick, but if you get there first on a powder day, you’ll have fresh pickings in an area that isn’t as dangerous as the cliffed-out north side.
After making runs off Rocky Point, anyone can see why it is so popular with backcountry and slackcountry skiers. The place has very easy access with a low-angle approach leading to steep, fun chutes on the backside above Lake Catherine. The fact that the approach to Catherine Pass isn’t very steep also makes it a good place to snowshoe or go Nordic skiing.
To get to Catherine Pass and Rocky Point from Salt Lake City, drive up Little Cottonwood Canyon Road until it ends in Alta at the gate. Park on the side of the road, gear up, and ascend the groomed trail leading up the side of Alta Ski Resort. Continue up past Grizzly Gulch and the south face of Patsy Marley until you reach the pass. From here you can climb Rocky Point to access the goods. Getting back to your vehicle is easy by skiing down the valley you came up, or by simply descending through Alta and stopping for a beer at Alf’s Restaurant on the mountain.
Of course, before heading out into the backcountry, always wear a beacon and bring a probe pole and shovel. Also, always check the avalanche report at: www.utahavalanchecenter.org.
Please stop using the term “slackcountry”. If it’s not in-bounds and controlled, it’s potentially avalanche terrain with dangerous consequences. Additionally, that term implies that the terrain is not “as” dangerous as terrain more distant from a resort.
It’s backcountry skiing, whether the time to access the terrain is a two minute hike or a half day approach skin.