Once again, Utah’s ski resorts are plotting ways to connect with each other in an effort to create a European style ski experience. This time it’s the Canyons, and they’re proposing to build a tram that would fly over the Wasatch crest and down into Big Cottonwood Canyon to Solitude.
According to KSL, who broke the story, the tram would be a “joint project between Talisker Corp, owner of Canyons in Summit County, and Solitude Mountain Resort in Salt Lake County.” Proponents say the new lift “would be a way for recreationists to reach Solitude without driving from the Salt Lake Valley up the often-congested highway in Big Cottonwood Canyon.”
As soon as the story aired, the Internet swarmed with skiers and snowboarders debating the merit or stupidity of such an idea. Twitter feeds and Facebook wall posts show resort skiers generally think it would be great idea as it could open more terrain between the two resorts and even create a single pass to be used at both Canyons and Solitude. But backcountry skiers are howling in protest as the proposed tram would cut through pristine backountry ski terrain.
While the plan is in its infancy, the early idea is to have skiers and snowboarders get on the tram at the top of the Canyons resort. The lift would then descend into Big Cottonwood Canyon and drop them off at the base village at Solitude. Then at the end of the day, skiers could ride the tram back to Canyons and ski down to their car.
This tram-as-transportation-device is the leading factor for the idea, according to Talisker Corp, which owns the Canyons. Easing traffic congestion in Big Cottonwood Canyon is the motivation here, they say. But before anything moves forward, approval must be given by the Forest Service, and that means environmental studies and lots of red tape to get through.
So what do you think about the idea to link a tram between Canyons and Solitude? Good or bad?
For more, you can read the article and watch the news story on the KSL website.
So instead of dealing with the “snake” in BCC, someone is going to drive to The Canyons expanded parking lot, ride the cabriolet, walk to the gondola, get on the gondola, ride two more chair lifts and then get on the tram in order ski solitude? As well as paying for a $92 Canyons lift ticket instead of a $68 Solitude ticket? And that is going to reduce pollution?
Andrew McLean broke the story on his blog, straightchuter.com last week. KSL picked the story up yesterday.
I don’t think KSL broke that story. Andrew McLean has been talking about it for over a week on straightchuter.com.
Either way, it’s a stupid idea. I’m not even a big backcountry skier and I’ll fight that one with my dying breath. If Solitude were really so dedicated to lowering traffic in the canyon, they could offer discount tickets to people who take the bus but I’ll believe that when I see it.
I stand corrected as I didn’t realize that McLean did a write up about it before. But I’d still say KSL is the first major media outlet that “broke” the story, because it was their broadcast that made it known to the general public and the rest of the media. Hell, even the Salt Lake Tribune didn’t know until KSL posted it.
Now if KSL caught wind of it because of McLean, then maybe they should have attributed it to him.