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

[thetrailboss]

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

Neither Canyons nor Solitude are state-owned entities and they are not in the "evil triangle" of resorts.

:lol: :smash:

 

[drjeff]

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.

I'm guessing that reguardless of if the skilink gondi does or doesn't get built, you'll still have the same # of widlife animals doing #1 and #2 in that watershed as always, not to mention a fair number of slackcountry skiers and riders and snowmobilers taking care of business when nature calls in that same watershed area too.

Let's all be honest some pee and poop(of human or wildlife varieties) when diluted with what eventually becomes millions of gallons of water when the snowpack melts is a non issue. Same thing goes with the modern lift lubricants that are used. Most are water soluble these days, and if it's a gondi, its not like the windows will be opening up to some mega degree for some riders of the gondi to suddenly dump an entire days worth of trash from their house out of their packs and into the snow below

 

[AdironRider]

I'm guessing that reguardless of if the skilink gondi does or doesn't get built, you'll still have the same # of widlife animals doing #1 and #2 in that watershed as always, not to mention a fair number of slackcountry skiers and riders and snowmobilers taking care of business when nature calls in that same watershed area too.

Let's all be honest some pee and poop(of human or wildlife varieties) when diluted with what eventually becomes millions of gallons of water when the snowpack melts is a non issue. Same thing goes with the modern lift lubricants that are used. Most are water soluble these days, and if it's a gondi, its not like the windows will be opening up to some mega degree for some riders of the gondi to suddenly dump an entire days worth of trash from their house out of their packs and into the snow below

Ultimately, it comes down to an issue of selfishness. People use the enviro argument in this case, but its just fluffer for their real motivations, which is to keep as much as that area, as least crowded as possible so they can enjoy it by themselves.

In a place like the Cwood canyons, the argument of protecting "wilderness" from a ski lift (there are already 50+ within like a 10 mile area) is bullshit.

 

[thetrailboss]

Ultimately, it comes down to an issue of selfishness. People use the enviro argument in this case, but its just fluffer for their real motivations, which is to keep as much as that area, as least crowded as possible so they can enjoy it by themselves.

In a place like the Cwood canyons, the argument of protecting "wilderness" from a ski lift (there are already 50+ within like a 10 mile area) is bullshit.

One word: yep.

 

[jimmywilson69]

I hope at some point, those in charge at the local, state, and federal level realize the opportunity that they have to create something that is completely unique to the USA.

This is a game changer only eclipsed by hosting the olympics.

 

[DoublePlanker]

I hope at some point, those in charge at the local, state, and federal level realize the opportunity that they have to create something that is completely unique to the USA.

This is a game changer only eclipsed by hosting the olympics.

Just do a real interconnect please. Who cares about a few back country skiers and the entire area is already developed for ski areas. No real harm in adding more terrain and lifts. Just have a terminal at the top so people can at least ski both sides. Incredibly stupid to have just an interconnect lift.

I would rather stay in park city were you can get good food and do something rather than the other canyons. Then I can take 1 lift out of Park City and ski to better terrain.

 

[thetrailboss]

Update: lots of "Stop Ski Link" signs going up here in SLC. The only thing I have heard in opposition to the project, however, are BC folks saying that they don't want some of their terrain crossed over by this lift. The Canyons has said that Ski Link is only an end-end lift and that resort skiers will not be skiing in the area that the lift traverses. They are not proposing any mid-station or allowing folks to ski in the area.

Some of the opponents are mistakenly saying that the area in between the Canyons and Solitude will become new ski terrain.

Basically, the argument that has come out thus far is "stay out of our BC area." Anyone who knows the area knows that this is a far cry from "wilderness." The Guardsman Pass parking lot looks like Wal Mart or Target on a weekend in the summer, with cars everywhere. There are many trails that criss-cross the area. Granted the Guardsman Pass road is mostly closed in winter, the truth is that the general area is already quite accessible to folks.

Again, I think that the Canyons is not winning friends or influencing people, especially after its efforts to evict POWDR from PCMR and how it is going about trying to secure the right of way for the lift by getting the feds to give them the land. But I am not convinced that this lift is going to cause the sky to fall or hell to break loose.....

 

[AdironRider]

Update: lots of "Stop Ski Link" signs going up here in SLC. The only thing I have heard in opposition to the project, however, are BC folks saying that they don't want some of their terrain crossed over by this lift. The Canyons has said that Ski Link is only an end-end lift and that resort skiers will not be skiing in the area that the lift traverses. They are not proposing any mid-station or allowing folks to ski in the area.

Some of the opponents are mistakenly saying that the area in between the Canyons and Solitude will become new ski terrain.

Basically, the argument that has come out thus far is "stay out of our BC area." Anyone who knows the area knows that this is a far cry from "wilderness." The Guardsman Pass parking lot looks like Wal Mart or Target on a weekend in the summer, with cars everywhere. There are many trails that criss-cross the area. Granted the Guardsman Pass road is mostly closed in winter, the truth is that the general area is already quite accessible to folks.

Again, I think that the Canyons is not winning friends or influencing people, especially after its efforts to evict POWDR from PCMR and how it is going about trying to secure the right of way for the lift by getting the feds to give them the land. But I am not convinced that this lift is going to cause the sky to fall or hell to break loose.....

I completely agree with this. In conversations with my UT buddies they all use the same excuse, and really have nothing to back it up. "Wilderness" right...

I also like the erosion argument, like a couple gondi towers are going to wear the place down to nubs and apparently emit sewage or something to destroy all the drinking water in Utah.

 

[jimmywilson69]

That is my sentitment, sure I would be a "tourist" when I visit the area, but that's one of the things that helps stoke their economy. They could literally build the entire gondola without building a road. The big resorts on Federal Land do it all the time. I am pretty sure when A-Basin built the Zuma Lift, they was no grading of roads. Everything was flown in/out. I would guess it doesn't really drive the cost up that much, considering they usually fly the towers and (most of the time) concrete in anyways.

They have a chance to really create something special, very much like the places in the European Alps. I personally hope the NIMBYs lose.

As for the Federal Land Crap I think it's shady, but at the same time if the ultimate goal is to increase skier visists, which inturn boasts the economy, shouldn't the Gov allow or want something like Ski Link to get built? Again it sounds like it's not pristine Wilderness.

I am sure the same arguments were heard in Breckenridge when the resort wanted to and now has approval to put lifts on Peak 6. Everytime I have been to Breck there were BC people skiing peak 6. They did a huge study, alternative anaylsis, public involvement/comment period and the USFS eventually gave approval to build it.

 

[thetrailboss]

That is my sentitment, sure I would be a "tourist" when I visit the area, but that's one of the things that helps stoke their economy. They could literally build the entire gondola without building a road. The big resorts on Federal Land do it all the time. I am pretty sure when A-Basin built the Zuma Lift, they was no grading of roads. Everything was flown in/out. I would guess it doesn't really drive the cost up that much, considering they usually fly the towers and (most of the time) concrete in anyways.

They have a chance to really create something special, very much like the places in the European Alps. I personally hope the NIMBYs lose.

As for the Federal Land Crap I think it's shady, but at the same time if the ultimate goal is to increase skier visists, which inturn boasts the economy, shouldn't the Gov allow or want something like Ski Link to get built? Again it sounds like it's not pristine Wilderness.

I am sure the same arguments were heard in Breckenridge when the resort wanted to and now has approval to put lifts on Peak 6. Everytime I have been to Breck there were BC people skiing peak 6. They did a huge study, alternative anaylsis, public involvement/comment period and the USFS eventually gave approval to build it.

Ted Johnson, who was the co-founder of Snowbird, led an effort to have an alpine railroad/highway tunnel system to connect the Canyons so as to move skiers back and forth. Canyons are arguing that this is what they want to do, only with a gondola. I wonder though if they are in talks to buy Solitude because why else would they want to connect to another resort? It certainly is an interesting idea and one that would make Utah stand out. Hell, many folks still don't equate awesome skiing with Utah.

 

[jimmywilson69]

Hell, many folks still don't equate awesome skiing with Utah.

You think since they hosted a winter Olympics that the word would've gotten out a little bit...

 

[thetrailboss]

You think since they hosted a winter Olympics that the word would've gotten out a little bit...

You'd think so! :lol: Still, I am now next to that "C" state that gets a lot of attention.

And, case in point, like a lot of folks here I am a pretty diehard skier, but up until only a couple years ago my focus was pretty much New England only. If you'd ask me then where Alta was, I could honestly recognize the logo and say it is a legend, but I'd probably say that it was in Colorado or New Mexico. That's how bad I was!

 

[jimmywilson69]

True. I guess If you would've asked me in 1997 if there was skiing in Salt Lake City, I proably would've told you no.

I appreciate the updates on the Ski-Link, I'm much too lazy to follow it on my own! :dunce:

 

[drjeff]

You'd think so! :lol: Still, I am now next to that "C" state that gets a lot of attention.

And, case in point, like a lot of folks here I am a pretty diehard skier, but up until only a couple years ago my focus was pretty much New England only. If you'd ask me then where Alta was, I could honestly recognize the logo and say it is a legend, but I'd probably say that it was in Colorado or New Mexico. That's how bad I was!

True. I guess If you would've asked me in 1997 if there was skiing in Salt Lake City, I proably would've told you no.

I appreciate the updates on the Ski-Link, I'm much too lazy to follow it on my own! :dunce:

These 2 HONEST comments about your past lives before skiing became as significant as it is now for you, is exactly why we end up with the annual Ski Magazine Resort Ranking threads

Far too often we look at things from our own perspective, simply forgetting that our passionate interest in the sport we all love so much, is by far and away the minority view from the perspective fo most snowsliders. It's all good in my book (even if it causes ski area marketing folks to do some things that make us both cringe and question their sanity sometimes! :lol: )

 

[thetrailboss]

These 2 HONEST comments about your past lives before skiing became as significant as it is now for you, is exactly why we end up with the annual Ski Magazine Resort Ranking threads

Far too often we look at things from our own perspective, simply forgetting that our passionate interest in the sport we all love so much, is by far and away the minority view from the perspective fo most snowsliders. It's all good in my book (even if it causes ski area marketing folks to do some things that make us both cringe and question their sanity sometimes! :lol: )

Yeah, for me it was my view of the skiing world was pretty small, with the "west" being all those places west of the Mississippi. But in 2010 when I skied in Tahoe, my (now) wife and I were like, "holy shit, this is amazing!" I started to pay more attention to the subtle differences between, say, Squaw Valley and Jackson Hole. Now I've skied only a handful of western places (Snowbird, Alta, Deer Valley, Squaw, Loveland, and Homewood), but I am much more interested in reading up and trying out other areas I'd never think of skiing.

 

[kickstand]

I wonder though if they are in talks to buy Solitude because why else would they want to connect to another resort?

Gawd, I hope not...........

 

[thetrailboss]

Gawd, I hope not...........

Yeah, add that idea with Canyons taking over PCMR and you have one hell of a big resort.

 

[thetrailboss]

Interest is growing with this project. There are more articles on it in several skiing magazines. And this article just appeared in Outdoors Magazine:

http://www.outsideonline.com/advent...ious-Skiing-Project-in-the-United-States.html

Turns out they are talking about:

* Connecting Alta to Solitude via lifts;

* Connecting PCMR and Canyons via a lift;

* Allowing skiers to access Deer Valley and PCMR with one ticket. Those that have skied Empire Canyon at DV or McConkey's at PCMR know that the two areas are only separated by a ropeline. This could be as soon as next season;

* Connecting Brighton and PCMR with two lifts directly over Guardsman Pass.

As folks know there is already a joint Alta-Snowbird ticket and a Solitude-Brighton ticket.

 

[gregnye]

In my opinion--park city to deer valley is a no brainer. As for Alta to Solitude--huh?? Why would you ever want that? The onlyu benefit would be to offer access to the other canyon when there is an avalanche closure in the Snowbird/alta canyon and you can't drive out to SLC

 

[thetrailboss]

In my opinion--park city to deer valley is a no brainer. As for Alta to Solitude--huh?? Why would you ever want that? The onlyu benefit would be to offer access to the other canyon when there is an avalanche closure in the Snowbird/alta canyon and you can't drive out to SLC

It's part of the plan to allow skiers to get from Park City to Little Cottonwood.