From Utah: Park City Resorts Wish to Connect (UPDATED 2014 for ONE WASATCH Project)

[JohnL]

Thanks for the links; I came across the Epic Ski thread yesterday.

Just looking at the topo from Google Maps, I'd be real surprised if they could connect the bottom of MB with Mary Ellen Gulch. Looks way to flat.

Sorry about all the questions and thanks for the responses!

 

[thetrailboss]

Thanks for the links; I came across the Epic Ski thread yesterday.

Just looking at the topo from Google Maps, I'd be real surprised if they could connect the bottom of MB with Mary Ellen Gulch. Looks way to flat.

Sorry about all the questions and thanks for the responses!

No problem man and welcome to the boards. I don't quite understand the concept either as I have not ventured back there to get a lay of the land. Look me up if you are out here and maybe we can take a few runs.

 

[thetrailboss]

Update:

Both sides are getting entrenched and things are getting hot.

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=960&sid=20117295&title=environmentalists-oppose-ski-connector&s_cid=queue-2

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/53977941-78/skilink-canyons-chamber-president.html.csp

 

[ScottySkis]

Update:

Both sides are getting entrenched and things are getting hot.

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=960&sid=20117295&title=environmentalists-oppose-ski-connector&s_cid=queue-2

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/53977941-78/skilink-canyons-chamber-president.html.csp

I'm unfortunately not surprised, when I rode the ski bus a few years ago seem like alta employees and snowbird employees are like hostel to each other, especially if you asked which mountain was better, i said i think their both great.

 

[thetrailboss]

More comments on the idea:

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/54096872-78/cottonwood-canyons-skilink-canyon.html.csp

 

[thetrailboss]

The latest with a link to a NY Times Article:

http://unofficialnetworks.com/york-times-utah-skilink-gondola-2-bills-congress-100968/

 

[thetrailboss]

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/54688992-78/resort-canyons-goar-gondola.html.csp

Canyons took the press on a tour of the proposed lift line. Still on the fence about this one, especially considering that Talisker is trying to oust PCMR and take that over. If they buy Solitude then we have a monstrosity.

 

[deadheadskier]

The 11K length of the gondola really puts how close the two ski areas are in perspective. That's the same length as the Slide Brook Quad connecting Lincoln Peak and Mt. Ellen at Sugarbush.

 

[jimmywilson69]

The 11K length of the gondola really puts how close the two ski areas are in perspective. That's the same length as the Slide Brook Quad connecting Lincoln Peak and Mt. Ellen at Sugarbush.

Wow I guess I didn't realize they were that close.

Is it just going to be a transfer lift, or are they planning to have skiing between them?

 

[Nick]

As long as it's not the Single chairlift from Hell

 

[drjeff]

Wow I guess I didn't realize they were that close.

Is it just going to be a transfer lift, or are they planning to have skiing between them?

Yup, even though by roadway, it's a bit under an hour to get from the Park City area DOWN and around Parley's Canyon into the outskirts of Salt Lake City and then back UP Big Cottonwood Canyon , as the proverbial bird flys, it's real close. And then it's even a shorter distance as the bird flys to get from Big Cottonwood Canyon(Solitude + Brighton) to Little Cottonwood Canyon(Alta + Snowbird). Factor in the the Southern most extent of the Canyons now is essentially just a ridgeline away from the Northern most extent of Park City Mountain Resort, and all that seperates Park City Mountain Resort from Deer Valley is a rope line and maybe 50 feet, and it's really easy to see how the interconnect of those 7 areas *could* happen and as such give the fine folks at Ski Utah an incredible ski experience to market to the country and the world!

 

[thetrailboss]

Yep, they are that close and as someone else said, DV, PCMR and Canyons essentially share the same ridge.

 

[thetrailboss]

And SkiLink is only a transfer lift with no sanctioned skiing underneath it. Although that area is already slackcountry.

 

[jimmywilson69]

And SkiLink is only a transfer lift with no sanctioned skiing underneath it. Although that area is already slackcountry.

I've read some articles pro & against said interconnect. What is the big deal? The "slack country" would still be there except for a 50-foot wide Right-Of-Way with a Gondi going through it. I know environs get fired up about lots of smaller things, but this really could revolutionize skiing in the SLC area. It's not as if any of these places aren't known about outside of SLC. Sure the Big Cottonwood Canyon resorts are a little " less traveled", but lots of "tourists" still go there and know that you can find powder stashes after the fact.

 

[Puck it]

BTW. Southwest is having airfare sale until 8/24. $194 one way from Boston and $120 one way to Denver.

 

[thetrailboss]

I've read some articles pro & against said interconnect. What is the big deal? The "slack country" would still be there except for a 50-foot wide Right-Of-Way with a Gondi going through it. I know environs get fired up about lots of smaller things, but this really could revolutionize skiing in the SLC area. It's not as if any of these places aren't known about outside of SLC. Sure the Big Cottonwood Canyon resorts are a little " less traveled", but lots of "tourists" still go there and know that you can find powder stashes after the fact.

The terrain is coveted slackcountry. The BC movement out here is very strong, but honestly as you say the area is so well traveled and known that it is hardly wilderness. And I use the legal definition of wilderness (no development at all).

One big concern is that the entire BCC and LCC areas are watersheds/supplies for SLC water. Hence why SLC is involved. This is a legitimate concern in my mind.

 

[deadheadskier]

I fail to see how a Gondola and interconnect would affect the SLC drinking water supply in a negative way. Hell, if anything it might improve the water supply. It could result in less vehicular traffic in the form of people no longer feeling the need to rent a car on their ski vacations to Utah.

Due to how many ski areas are so close to one another in SLC, if I were to go there on a ski vacation there I'd want to rent a car and visit several. If they were interconnected via lifts, I'd simply grab a shuttle from the airport to wherever my lodging was and use the interconnecting lift system to visit all the areas instead of using a car.

The tree hugger and NIMBY crowd really should be viewing Skilink as a public transportation enhancement that reduces air/water pollution and not the opposite.

 

[thetrailboss]

The concern is erosion and trash/debris/pollution/etc from the lift and riders. But as you said you have to compare this to the car issue.

 

[deadheadskier]

As long as they don't employ staff from Cannon Mountain to install the lift, erosion and debris shouldn't be a problem. :smash:

 

[ScottySkis]

I fail to see how a Gondola and interconnect would affect the SLC drinking water supply in a negative way. Hell, if anything it might improve the water supply. It could result in less vehicular traffic in the form of people no longer feeling the need to rent a car on their ski vacations to Utah.

Due to how many ski areas are so close to one another in SLC, if I were to go there on a ski vacation there I'd want to rent a car and visit several. If they were interconnected via lifts, I'd simply grab a shuttle from the airport to wherever my lodging was and use the interconnecting lift system to visit all the areas instead of using a car.

The tree hugger and NIMBY crowd really should be viewing Skilink as a public transportation enhancement that reduces air/water pollution and not the opposite.

I been their like 6 Times and never needed to rent a car.