Jake Kunst

Bill Levitt Fellow

I have had the pleasure of being a part of the Alta community for the past five years, and couldn’t be happier to be able to give back with Friends of Alta. Growing up in a remote Colorado town, I fell in love with the outdoors and everything they have to offer.

In my first year of college at the University of Utah I realized that I am most fulfilled working in and with the outdoors, and conservation work scratches both those itches. I am incredibly excited that I have the opportunity to work with Friends of Alta. It sounds redundant, but the town of Alta holds a very special place in my heart. When I
first moved to Utah in 2021, I fully planned on spending the majority of my ski days at Alta’s neighbor. My sister however convinced me to purchase the Alta pass, to which I now owe her a great deal of gratitude. What most impressed me about the resort was
not the timeless terrain or unmatched powder, but instead the hearty, welcoming community that extends far beyond the boundaries of the resort. Even the “tourists”
seem gravely intertwined to the community, a scene seldom observed at any ski area or town I’ve ever been to.

It was by chance that I found my way into the community of Alta, but I am proud to say that I have the choice to give back to the town and surrounding natural areas in which the community relies upon. One of the qualities that separates Alta from many other mountain towns is its preservation. Alta has not yet become “Aspenized,” and still feels like a true mountain community, one hardened by the elements and steeped in tradition. In order to ensure it continues this path however, much work is to be done. I look forward to learning and implementing elements of conservation to provide for Alta’s future generations.