The Last 30 Days—A Timeline of Proposals

Alta Ski Area has consistently worked towards a solution that preserves its current options and rights as a private landowner and Forest Service special use permit holder. Alta has worked towards maintaining our ability to trade privately owned alpine lands for base area lands within the ski area as the other ski areas in the Cottonwood Canyons are being allowed to do.

The following is a timeline of the facts documenting the various proposals over the last 30 days between Alta Ski Area and Central Wasatch Commission (CWC).

Options 1 through 2 were discussed with the CWC, SLCPU, Save our Canyons, The Town of Alta and Alta Ski Area on 11/09/2018.  Option 3 was developed during that meeting as a compromise which was rejected by Save our Canyons the next day.   Save our Canyons countered with option X on 11/13/2018 and took the position that it was either option X or option 1.  None of Alta Ski Area's proposals were acceptable to Save or Canyons.  Ralph Becker persuaded the CWC to side with Save our Canyons and proceed with option 1.

Option 1 - Alta Ski Area and the Town of Alta are removed from the legislation and NCRA (Current CWC proposal)

All lands within the NCRA and Alta Ski Area's private lands and lands under special use permits are completely removed from the NCRA and the land trade authorization (Concept is to completely hold Alta harmless)

Overview & Issues

• Preserves all rights Alta Ski Area has now and could apply for under current permits with the US Forest Service (attempts to hold Alta harmless)
• Removes Alta's legislative authorization to exchange private lands for base area lands (not in harmony with the Mountain Accord and does not truly hold Alta harmless)
• Lands adjacent to the Alta's private lands in the boundaries of the Town of Alta are not included in the NCRA

• The Patsey Marley Avalanche protection zone is not included in the NCRA
• Preserves Alta's flexibility to accommodate recreational growth and provide a connection to BCC on its private lands
• None of Alta's private alpine lands on the North Side of LCC and in BCC are transferred to public ownership or included in the NCRA

Option 2 - Alta is removed from the NCRA, but not the legislation (Proposed by Alta Ski Area 11/06/2018)

Overview & Issues

• Grizzly Gulch and Alta's private and public lands in its special use permits are excluded from the NCRA, as well as, Forest Service lands bordering HWY 210 in the Town of Alta
• Alta is legislatively authorized to exchange for base area lands, but not lands between HWY 210 and its private lands in Grizzly Gulch or the Forest Service inholdings in Grizzly Gulch
• Lands within Alta's special use permit could only included in the exchange if supported by the Town of Alta, SLCPU and the Forest Service, all other private lands owned by Alta in the proposed NCRA could included in the land exchange
• Includes an option that allows Grizzly Gulch to be included in the land exchange (If Grizzly Gulch is included in the land exchange it would be included in the NCRA)

• Does not resolve the Grizzly Gulch issue, but preserves Alta's flexibility to accommodate recreational growth and a BCC connection, as well as, work out other options for connecting BCC & LCC or trading Grizzly Gulch
• Alta's private lands on the North Side of LCC and in BCC are transferred to public ownership and included in the NCRA (More environmentally friendly than option 1)

Option 3 - Alta is included in the NCRA, trades the North side of Grizzly Gulch, Patsey Marley is added to Alta's regular Ski Area Permit (As discussed 11/9/2018)

Overview & Issues

• The NCRA would include all of Alta Ski Area as proposed in the original 2016 legislation
• Alta is legislatively authorized to exchange for base area lands within its special use permit, as well as, lands adjacent to the North side of HWY 210 in the Town of Alta
• Alta agrees to include it private lands on North side of Grizzly Gulch in the land exchange (all lands North of the service road from twin lakes pass to Michigan City and North of the stream from Michigan City to Hwy 210)
• Alta's Avalanche protection zone permit would be changed to be part of its regular Special Use Permit allowing installation of ski lifts. Alta would be legislatively authorized to install a lift and service road to the top of Patsey Marley Ridge
• Alta agrees to trade for the North facing slopes in Grizzly Gulch within its current Avalanche Protection Zone permit and place a conservation easement on its private lands in Grizzly Gulch (need to determine what is allowed in the conservation easement)

• SLCPU agrees to increase Alta's base snowmaking water contract,  provide  culinary water for a 100 room hotel, retail shops and public transit center and work with Alta Ski Area to increase snowmaking reservoiring capacity 
• Forest Service agrees to allow Alta Ski Area to replace the parking spots in its Grizzly Gulch lot now being used by non-ski area patrons (i.e. backcountry users, summer road users, etc) in its Albion Lot reconfiguration - ASL would continue to maintain and plow the Grizzly lot
• ASL would work with the backcountry community to allow access across its private lands to the public lands in Grizzly Gulch and access across its private lands to the top of Patsey Marley - such access can not interfere with ski area operations or avalanche control work
• Parties agree to continue work on solutions that allow a public connection (tunnel, gondola, lift, etc) between BCC an LCC that do not involve lift connections at ridge lines North of Twin Lakes pass.  Parties agree to authorizations, easements, land exchanges, etc that permit lift service and a service road from the top of the current Summit Lift to approximately the low point of Twin Lakes Pass if other connection options have not been developed and funded within 6 years.  This would allow an over-the-snow  connection between Alta and Solitude.

Option X - Alta is included in the NCRA and can trade for base area lands, the Patsey Marley avalanche control area is permanently restricted (Proposed by Save our Canyons 11/13/2018)

Overview & Issues

• The NCRA would include all of Alta Ski Area as proposed in the original 2016 legislation
• Alta is legislatively authorized to exchange for base area lands within its special use permit, as well as, lands adjacent to the North side of HWY 210 in the Town of Alta and inholdings in Grizzly Gulch

• Alta Ski Area would be allowed to include in the exchange any of its private lands in the NCRA or any lands it acquired in the NCRA
• Alta's Avalanche protection zone permit, Patsey Marley, would be changed to never allow the installation of ski lifts in this area
• Alta Ski Area would agree to provide safe winter uphill access through Grizzly Gulch to Twin Lakes Pass and East Bowl Pass and through the ski area to Catherine's Pass
• Alta would be required to restrict access to Silver Fork from Grizzly Gulch via a permanent boundary
• No buildings would be allowed to be constructed on Alta’s private lands in Grizzly Gulch

Option X does not work for Alta Ski Area because it reduces private landowner rights in Grizzly Gulch and options currently available for the Patsey Marley avalanche control area in its special use permit.