PM nohajs about the Alpine parks, he's the park manager. He'll tell you all about some stoooopid stuff going on this year... and while there's no college ticket I'm aware of, you'll be fine just buying a pass. Alpine's not as big as Squaw, and it doesn't have as much gnarly terrain, but its got some really good stuff in bounds. Idiot's delight, keyhole, beaver, estelle, scott's chute, etc.
Alpine's boundry policy owns squaw's, basically you can go wherever the fuck you want so long as you don't have to go through closed terrain to get there. This said, be smart about it- the ski patrol doesn't really do any work out of bounds, save over the access road. BUT the sidecountry of Alpine is amazing- you can do a huge amount of great backcountry ripping, using lifts to get most of the way there- check Munchkins, Grouse Rock, Finger Lakes, and what's known to locals as the Condo Run.
The inbounds terrain works in a good way, too- the lifts don't get you everywhere. You have to hike a little (15-20 min. tops) to get to the best stuff, which means fewer people do it. Which means better snow, for longer after a storm.
Plus there are fewer people in general (while everyone's going to squaw next door, only those who already know about alpine/are too cheap for squaw are there. Which is really significant).
Trust me, you'll like it.
