UDOT (Utah Department of Transportation) determines to move forward with the Little Cottonwood Canyon expansion plan, which is a gondola serving Snowbird and Alta skiers using Utah's taxpayers' dollars. A series of up to 40 poles, each with a concrete base of up to 15 feet in diameter, all serviced by new roads big enough to allow for huge trucks will be installed in some of … [Read more...]
Gondola up Little Cottonwood Canyon Proposal: Short-sighted, waste-of-money, elitist visions of grandeur should remain in the clouds
It appears that the $1-$2 billion dollar gondola-up-the-canyon proposal is currying favor with more elites. Snowbird has purchased the land where the base station and parking lot of the proposed gondola would be located. Snowbird currently charges $130 for a day pass and for an extra $60 elites can get a special exemption from waiting in lines. Snowbird is probably the best … [Read more...]
Ticket to Ride: “Political Pressure” Comes to Bear on Little Cottonwood Canyon Transportation Plans
By Eric S. Peterson and Jennifer Greenlee In December 2020, Central Wasatch Commission executive director, and former Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker, was fixated on one of several transportation alternatives that were discussed regarding how to get skiers, hikers and bikers up Little Cottonwood Canyon while keeping cars out. “With a train, it’s possible we could … [Read more...]
Letter from the Editor – December
We find ourselves in the best of times and the worst of times in Utah. Droves of people are moving here and want to experience the same quality of life we have enjoyed here for decades: mountain access, diverse ecosystems still intact, and peace and tranquility with many access points to direct connections with nature. Unfortunately, this isn’t possible. For every measure … [Read more...]
Little Cottonwood Canyon is under threat by Utah’s population boom
We need to make the change we want, not allow the change to happen to us.—Carl Fisher Little Cottonwood Canyon in Utah is synonymous with wilderness, natural beauty, remote uncultivated regions still in natural conditions—and recreating. It's been forecasted that by the year 2060, Utah will have an estimated population of 6.84 million. Compare that to today's estimated 3.22 … [Read more...]
Tour of Utah Becoming a Top Bicycling Tour in the U.S.
by Richard Markosian photos by Adam Vicinus Now recognized as one of the top three bicycling tours in the U.S. the Tour of Utah continues to grow. The Tour of Utah has quickly grown from a mostly second-tier event to attracting some of the most elite pro cycling talent in the world. This year American Levi Leipheimer won the tour besting riders from Colombia, Argentina and … [Read more...]