“Clean, safe drinking water is not something we take for granted — and we will take every step necessary to ensure this resource is considered and protected for residents throughout the valley.”-Erin Mendenhall, Mayor of Salt Lake City.

The path toward the potential construction of the Little Cottonwood Gondola is going to be full of litigation.

Last week, a lawsuit was filed against the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) by the Friends of Alta and others. They believed that UDOT’s analysis didn’t fully comply with the National Environmental Policy Act, and didn’t factor in the impacts to wildlife, and water quality, among other concerns. This week, another lawsuit joined the party.

KSL reports that another joint lawsuit was filed in federal court yesterday. This time around, UDOT is being sued by Salt Lake City, the City of Sandy, and the Metropolitan Water District of Salt Lake and Sandy.

Their major concern is how the gondola will impact Little Cottonwood Creek, which is a critical water source for Salt Lake Valley. They want further analysis before the gondola can move ahead to construction, as they believe that UDOT’s review didn’t sufficiently cover the guidelines required by the Wilderness Act of 1964, the Transportation Act of 1966, and the Administrative Procedures Act.

Monica Zoltanski, who’s the Mayor of Sandy, said the following in a statement:

“With the addition of a 2,500-stall parking structure at the mouth of the canyon, the influx of additional traffic would have a serious detrimental financial and public safety impact on the most environmentally sensitive area of Sandy…In addition, we have a shared obligation to protect the Little Cottonwood Canyon watershed, which is the primary source of drinking water for Sandy residents.”

The Utah Department of Transportation released the following statement:

I’m not quite sure how something like the enhanced bus service and tolling, which has already been funded by the state government, could be derailed by this situation. Honestly, that response pisses me off, as they’ve had years to prepare for situations like this.

Regardless, it seems like the battle over the Little Cottonwood Gondola isn’t going to end anytime soon.

Image/Video Credits: Gondola Works, Utah Department Of Transportation, KSL

The saga of whether an eight-mile gondola will be put in Little Cottonwood Canyon will have its day in court.

The Salt Lake Tribune reports that the Friends of Alta environmental group and prominent members of the local outdoor community have sued the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) over them choosing a gondola as the preferred alternative for mitigating Little Cottonwood Canyon’s traffic woes.

The ultimate goal of this lawsuit is to throw out the environmental study and record of decision by UDOT, thus stopping the construction of the gondola. The lawsuit alleges that UDOT didn’t properly analyze a variety of factors, including how this gondola would impact animals such as golden eagles and raptors, the area’s watershed, and the roadless areas of the Canyon.

Today, UDOT released the following statement:

Click here to read the lawsuit.

Image Credits: Gondola Works

“With several feet of snow incoming this weekend, we’ll be back to face shots soon—it’s almost like last season never even ended.”

Snowbird got the 2023/2024 season kicked off with a bang yesterday with top to bottom skiing. They ran the Tram, Gadzoom and Chickadee accessing everything from advanced to beginner terrain. The Gadzoom liftline got a bit of show while they queued up with DJ Matty Mo bumping tunes from the Red Bull Snow MXT Sound Vehicle. There’s snow in forecast at the Bird so this weekend might be pretty awesome. Keep an eye on your local forecasts!

RELATED: Snowbird To Replace One Of Its Original Chairlifts

It’s time to pour one out for the Wilbere chairlift at Snowbird. In Snowbird’s press release that detailed their improvements for the 2023-24 season, the Utah ski resort announced that Wilbere will be replaced by a new fixed-grip quad chairlift with a loading conveyor. Opened back in 1971, Wilbere is named after Wilma Johnson, who’s the wife and life partner of the founder and visionary of Snowbird: Ted Johnson.

What’s notable about the new chairlift is that the base terminal will have a completely different location. The current Wilbere chairlift is situated in the middle of the Creek Road trail. Its new location will be next to the Bryce Astle Training Center, making it easier to access from the parking lots. The new chairlift will have a carrying capacity of 1800 people per hour, a notable improvement over the old fixed-grip double chairlift. The replacement process will begin next spring, with an expected opening during the 2024-25 season. These chairs will be sold to the public, with more details coming in the future.

In terms of what’s coming to Snowbird for this coming winter, their new projects are aimed at honing the guest experience.

The Snowbird Center, which is home to the tram, restaurants, and various shops, is seeing a lot of improvements. The big addition is the new Mountain Center, which is located on the plaza deck. This is where guests can make dinner reservations, book a snowcat or helicopter seat with Snowbird Mountain Guides, schedule a lesson, buy lift tickets, and more. Snowbird Sports has been moved to the second floor, giving them more space to offer a wide array rental and demo gear. A new shop, Tram Sundries, will debut next to the tram dock and ticket office. This will have grab-and-go snacks, beverages, and necessities.  

Eight new Wyssen towers will be added to the Bird’s fleet. These are being added to various parts of the mountain, including Mount Baldy, Wilbere Bowl, and the Road to Provo. Snowbird’s first Wyssen tower was installed back in 2021, and they now have 17 of them. These new towers are part of Snowbird’s phasing out of military artillery that’s been used for avalanche mitigation.

The other big news is that Woodward Mountain Parks will return during the spring of the 2023-24 season. Last spring, Snowbird and Woodward, which are both owned by POWDR, set up Woodward Mountain & Peace Parks in the Mineral Basin. They also hosted the Woodward Peace Park Championships.

For adult season passes, they introduced the first-of-its-kind Kids Freeloader Pass program. Aiming to reduce barriers to entry for snowsports while also embracing different kinds of youth support systems, the Kids Freeloader Pass program gives anyone ages 18 or under a free Snowbird Season Pass when linked to an Adult, Military, or Senior Snowbird Summit Pass. This program means that a Snowbird Summit Passholder can give their Kids Freeloader Pass to a dependent, family member, or community member at no cost, with no restrictions.

In addition, a new heli-skiing package will allow guests to experience the backcountry terrain offered by Powderbird. Along with the heli-skiing access to amazing terrain, the two to three-day packages include lodging at The Cliff Lodge, access to The Cliff Spa, breakfast and lunch at the Powderbird Heliport and dinners at The Aerie. On inclement weather days, guests will get premium, guided access to Snowbird’s 2,500 acres of terrain.

Dave Fields, who’s the President and General Manager of Snowbird, summarized these major improvements in the press release:

“With a number of short- and long-term projects in the works, we are taking great strides to make our mountain more accessible, more efficient and more engaging for our passholders and our community. We are committed to growing the next generation of skiers and snowboarders with our Kids Freeloader Pass, are making our mountain simpler to explore with our new Mountain Center and are dedicated to providing the experiences our community wants with collaborations like a springtime Snowbird x Woodward park and multi-day Helicopter Skiing packages with Powderbird.”

Image Credits: Ian Wood, Snowbird Resort, Wyssen Avalanche Control

Arguably the hardest trail at Snowbird Resort in Utah is the Pipeline Couloir. Reached by hiking up from a point on the Road To Provo trail, one little slip can result in catastrophe. In order to ski the rarely open run, you’ll need to sign a waiver with the ski patrol, bring avalanche gear, and ride with a partner.

This past season, Family World Wanderer took on the expert chute and detailed in the video below how challenging the ascent and descent can be. He starts by hiking a steep bootpack route up to the summit of the American Fork Twin Peaks.

After the hike, you put your skis on and get a few turns in. Then comes a climb down the crux, which requires you to watch your step. Someone in the comments did say that the climb down the crux wasn’t required later this past winter due to all the snow, which would make it a bit easier to digest.

Then comes the couloir, which is definitely steep and narrow, but probably the least intimidating part in my opinion. This is admittedly an insane thing to say, as it’s still steep AF. The extra challenge with this chute though is that you’re probably still catching your breath from previous steps, which is enhanced by the high elevation. Obviously, only the most experienced and in-shape skiers and riders should take on the Pipeline Couloir.

Image/Video Credits: Family World Wanderer

Back in July, it was announced that the Utah Department of Transportation’s (UDOT) Record of Decision recommended a gondola to fix Little Cottonwood Canyon’s traffic cluster. Many locals were frustrated with the decision, as they feared that the price tag, which UDOT estimates to be $729 million, would have to be paid fully by the taxpayers. In reality, this will probably not be the case.

The Deseret News reports that during a news conference, Utah Governor Spencer Cox was asked about whether the state would fully pay for the gondola. This was his response:

“I don’t think the state should do it alone. And so those conversations will be ongoing — How much private participation can we get in building the gondola and of course, implementing the record of decision that has come forth from UDOT...

We’ll look at the price tag and make a determination of how much of that will be funded on the public side. And then if there are private partners out there, how much they’re willing to put towards this project.”

Those private partners will likely include Alta & Snowbird, who would benefit the most from the gondola’s development. This option seems like something they’re open to. In a Salt Lake Tribune op-ed, Dave Fields, who is the General Manager of Snowbird, noted that they are working with UDOT “to help pay for and maintain a new system.”

Utah is a very conservative state, so having taxpayers pay for a project like this is a tough sell to get through their legislature. So this (partially) solves one hesitation about the gondola. Does it mean more people will want the gondola? As someone whose been opposed to the gondola for a while now, I’m still against it. Ultimately, I’ll save my full-fledged opinion on the plans for another time.

Image Credits: Gondola Works

“Riding a Little Cottonwood Canyon gondola will be an unforgettable experience that catapults Utah to the forefront of innovative transportation for a growing Utah population.”– Dave Fields, President and General Manager of Snowbird Mountain Resort.

A couple of weeks ago, the Utah Department of Transportation announced that the gondola is officially the preferred alternative to solve Little Cottonwood Canyon’s traffic mess. The response from locals and environmentalists has been significant frustration, with many criticizing UDOT for listening to tourists wants rather than people that actually live in Utah.

Last week, Dave Fields, who is the President and General Manager of Snowbird Mountain Resort, wrote an op-ed in the Salt Lake Tribune to explain why the gondola is the best solution for Little Cottonwood Canyon.

His major reason is that the present-day situation of having only one way in and out of the canyon creates a serious safety issue. When a multitude of cars are placed on a road that features significant hazards. This situation was emphasized this past April when no one could get up or down the canyon for a large portion of an eleven-day stretch due to the risks of wet slides. The gondola would create a second option to get up the Canyon, which will help in situations where the road is closed due to avalanche closures, along with traffic congestion.

Dave added that the gondola is the “safest, cleanest, and most efficient way for Utahns and visitors alike to enjoy this precious resource that sits in our backyard providing world-class, year-round recreation and the water many of us drink.”

A key criticism of the gondola project is that the $729 million price tag will likely fall on the taxpayers. Dave Fields noted in his op-ed that Snowbird is working with UDOT “to help pay for and maintain a new system.”

He also criticized the logic from critics that these issues recently arose from Salt Lake City’s growing population and the introduction of the Ikon Pass. He pointed out that he overheard many conversations over four decades ago in Alta’s ski school locker room, where instructors debated how to fix the traffic issues in Little Cottonwood Canyon.

You can read the letter in full here.

Image Credits: Gondola Works, Ian Wood

“You’re not going to get anything different in the gondola. There will still be crowds. He said people will still have to stand up, and cabins will still be crowded.”-Mike Marker, Board Member for Friends of Little Cottonwood Canyon.

Last week, the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) announced that they had unsurprisingly selected Gondola Alternative B as their preferred alternative to solve Little Cottonwood Canyon’s traffic problems. The response from many has been a significant disappointment.

KSL reported on the viewpoints of Save Our Canyons, Friends of Little Cottonwood Canyon, and the Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment, who are opposed to the project. They would rather see changes like tolling, better traction law enforcement, and increased bus service.

Mike Marker, who is a board member for the Friends of Little Cottonwood Canyon, has a variety of issues with the gondola plan.

One of the reasons is the cost to the taxpayers:

“It’s so inconsistent with the conservative fiscal Utah values to spend that kind of money to benefit two private ski areas and a handful of land developers.”

It should be noted that since this KSL article was released, Dave Fields, who is the President & General Manager of Snowbird, wrote an op-ed about the gondola for the Salt Lake Tribune. In this article, he states that Snowbird (owned by the POWDR Corp.) is “exploring ways to partner with UDOT to help pay for and maintain a new system.”

Now back to Mike’s concerns. He also has an issue with the projected cost, as he believes the price will be much higher:

“Somebody’s playing fast and loose with these numbers, let’s be clear about that … (it’s) kind of like they’re saying ‘well it’s going to cost us X amount of money to buy a car, but they’re leaving out the price of the wheels, maybe the sound system, the air conditioning, and you’re just paying for the motor.’”

The Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment oppose the project due to the blasting and drilling that will need to take place, which will likely contaminate the water. This water flows into the Salt Lake Valley, and eventually into the Great Salt Lake. They believe that “with water becoming an increasingly vital and scarce resource, we need to be more diligent to safeguard the LCC watershed and protect our limited water supply.”

Save Our Canyons also has a variety of concerns with the project. One of them includes the worry that traffic around the base terminal of the gondola will create a frustrating situation. For backcountry skiers and snowshoers, it will make the already frustrating experience more unreliable.

Mike Marker summed up the feelings of many who oppose the project:

“As a group of local residents who have long enjoyed the natural beauty of Little Cottonwood Canyon, (they) believe the canyon should be protected from expansive development and overuse for future generations.”

Image Credits: Gondola Works

We’ve got some breaking news from the Beehive State. The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) has chosen a gondola to help relieve Little Cottonwood Canyon’s traffic woes.

Utah’s Legislature will still need to approve the funding for this project, and lawsuits from environmental groups are likely.

Before then, changes like tolling, increased bus services, and a new mobility hub will be implemented by late 2025. Phase two would add snow sheds above common avalanche routes, and allow for trailhead parking improvements. The third phase would be the construction of the gondola and the new parking structure next to La Caille restaurant. When the gondola is completed, UTA will eliminate its bus services into Little Cottonwood Canyon.

An interesting note from this announcement is the updated price tag. Originally, the price of the gondola was listed at $550 million. Due to various factors, this price tag is now listed as $729 million, which doesn’t include millions in yearly operating costs.

More details from UDOT’s Record of Decision are below.

Image/Video Credits: Gondola Works, UDOT