Resort Boundaries, Parking Lots, and Policy: What’s Happening in BCC?

The Town of Brighton is considering a new ordinance that would shape the future of ski resort development in upper Big Cottonwood Canyon. The proposal defines what qualifies as a “Ski Resort” versus “Ski Resort Support Facilities” and formally maps “Ski Resort Boundaries,” which are key steps toward aligning the town code with its General Plan, which emphasizes sustainable growth, open space, and recreation opportunities.These updates could directly impact Solitude’s proposed parking lot on Old Stage Road and influence any future development on Solitude-owned land in Silver Fork and Guardsman Pass. In this episode, Wasatch Backcountry Alliance sits down with Save Our Canyons and Winter Wildlands Alliance to unpack what Ordinance OAM2025-001431 could mean for the future of the Wasatch, from protecting backcountry access to ensuring responsible planning that honors the unique character of Big Cottonwood Canyon.

Learn about two impactful programs from the Central Wasatch Commission (CWC): the Ski Bus Priority Access Program and the Central Wasatch Symposium. The Ski Bus Priority Access Program allows UTA ski buses and the WBA Backcountry Shuttle to skip to the front of the line to get up Little Cottonwood Canyon when the road closes for avalanche mitigation work. The Central Wasatch Symposium is a new conference spotlighting the four interdependent systems of economy, environment, recreation, and transportation in the Central Wasatch.  This episode features Lindsey Nielsen, the Executive Director of the CWC. Tune in to discover how these programs are impacting the Central Wasatch.

What’s the latest on Cardiff Fork access? Cardiff is a unique mix of public Forest Service lands, Salt Lake Public Utility lands, private properties, and old mining claims. From 2012-2022, a group of landowners had motorized access via a Forest Service Special Use Permit, which also allowed public access across their private parcels on the road up the drainage. Since the permit expired in 2022, both motorized and public access have been limited. This year, WBA has been working with stakeholders to reinstate reciprocal access. However, significant changes are unlikely this season. Get the full scoop in our latest podcast.

In this episode, we share the history of development pressures and advocacy efforts in the Wasatch that helped shape Wasatch Backcountry Alliance into the nonprofit it is today. This is a segment from our first podcast titled, "Intro to Discussions on Transit Solutions in LCC," originally recorded in 2021, but contains relevant context from some of our founding board members on the history of WBA. To listen to the full episode visit: https://open.spotify.com/episode/58uaz9FFqGQWphDBivK2jG?si=6614733187604076

This past summer, UDOT began installing 16 Remote Avalanche Control System (RACS) Wyssen towers on Mount Superior. Tom Diegel and Dani Poirier chat about how this project came to be and why WBA chose not to fight it. More info: https://wasatchbackcountryalliance.org/why-our-wyssen-response/ https://wasatchbackcountryalliance.org/udot-wyssen-towers-on-superior/ https://udotinput.utah.gov/mtsuperioravalanchemitigation

Join us for a hypothetical ski day riding the new LCC Gondola! John Adams explains how details from the proposed gondola would play out in reality. John helps analyze The Utah Department of Transportation's (UDOT) Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Record of Decision (ROD) in a digestible format in his short story, "My Experience Riding the Little Cottonwood Gondola." Be sure to read the full story here: https://johnadams218.substack.com/p/my-experience-riding-the-little-cottonwood   This is part of a podcast mini-series debunking common misconceptions about UDOT’s proposed gondola in Little Cottonwood Canyon. To learn more, visit https://wasatchbackcountryalliance.org/gondola/ and stay tuned for future episodes about the history and lawsuits filed over this project, as well as shortcomings in reliability, demand, equitability, and sustainability.  RESOURCES https://wasatchbackcountryalliance.org/gondola/  https://littlecottonwoodeis.udot.utah.gov/  https://johnadams218.substack.com/p/my-experience-riding-the-little-cottonwood  This podcast was hosted, produced, and edited by our Director, Dani Poirier. Wasatch Backcountry Alliance is the recognized voice for the backcountry community involved in human-powered winter recreation in the Central Wasatch Mountains. We represent a unified voice to media, partners, elected officials, and the general public. We focus on providing advocacy to support our causes and serve as a central information venue for related topics. We are a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Support our efforts by donating or becoming a member today.

Wasatch Backcountry Alliance discusses our Backcountry Shuttle program, public transportation solutions, and how our community can stand up against the gondola in Little Cottonwood Canyon.

The Wasatch Backcountry Alliance discusses transportation solutions for Little Cottonwood Canyon in the series conclusion with board members.

The Wasatch Backcountry Alliance discusses transportation solutions for Little Cottonwood Canyon focusing on the preferred alternatives in the UDOT EIS with guests Joshua Van Jura, Vince Izzon, and Brianna Binnebose from UDOT. Highlights include "people with strollers, dog walkers, strider bikes" and "chasing first chair or racing last light".

The Wasatch Backcountry Alliance discusses transportation solutions for Little Cottonwood Canyon focusing on cog train solutions with guests Mike Allegra and Newel Jensen. Highlights include "so many freakin' cars in the canyon" and "shedding newisms".