Alta loses its ‘queen’ and protector with death of Alta Lodge owner Mimi Levitt

When guest reviews describe the Alta Lodge as “warm” and “cozy” — as hundreds of them have over the past 40 years — they’re rarely referencing the heat emanating from its tall brick fireplace after a day in the snow.

Instead, it’s a nod to owner Mimi Levitt.

“She embodied the lodge. She knew every guest by name, knew their families, knew who were good friends with them,” said Levitt’s stepdaughter, Cassie Levitt Dippo. “If you asked any guests who’d been there for the last 40 years, they would say: ‘Mimi. The lodge is Mimi.’”

Not just the lodge. Levitt’s presence can be felt throughout the Town of Alta and, verily, the entire Little Cottonwood Canyon.

Salt Lake Tribune, August 22, 2025