Here are the specifics to the Mountain Accord/Alta update as said by our GM Onno Wieringa
The mountain transportation planning effort - Mountain Accord - that we have worked with for the last couple of years took a step forward Monday with the handing over of a lands bill to Congressman, Jason Chaffetz, who will work to get it introduced and passed in 2016.
From Alta Ski Area’s position of representing all of us as skiers and year round recreators we have worked on several issues through the development of this bill.
- Keeping transportation study and actions front and center. A transportation study has been funded by the Mountain Accord that appears to be taking a very comprehensive look at the full spectrum of alternatives. UDOT, with support of the Utah Legislature, is already taking a strong lead in working on short term remedies on HWY 210 including gasex installations, park and ride planning and work and remedies for flow problems.
- Help SLC and the environmental community, which ultimately includes us all, in getting good language for a National Conservation and Recreation Area overlay that will essentially encompass all of Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons and which should help the Forest Service and SLC Water better manage a healthy watershed. We supported this while at the same time making the overlay not be an additional layer of approval and oversight for our ski area.
- Grizzly Gulch, connecting to Big Cottonwood, One Wasatch, and when there will be a final determination of our ski area borders are issues yet to be determined. The lands bill would help clear the way for a land trade for all or part of our upper mountain private lands for base area lands. Part of the Mountain Accord outcomes in Phase 1 was to define an appropriate scope of development for the mountains. Consequently, along with the Forest Service, we decided it was an appropriate time to start a trade process to let us have more of the base area and the Forest Service to have the upper mountain forest lands.
The elusive dream of a well-balanced land use recreation map, a transportation strategy for Little Cottonwood that is good for all of us, an economically viable Alta Ski Area all coupled with actions to keep Little Cottonwood’s forest healthy and its water clean and drinkable is still alive.
