The transit battle in Little Cottonwood Canyon

Little Cottonwood Canyon gives access to a pair of prestigious Utah ski resorts, Alta and Snowbird. The problem is that with increased visitations comes traffic gridlock, especially in the middle of winter when road conditions can be terrible, not to mention the ever-present avalanche danger. 

Little Cottonwood Canyon’s narrow road sees 2 million visitors each year and that number keeps on growing. That means 7,000 vehicles going up and down the canyon, producing 70 tons of carbon on the most avalanche-prone highway in North America, with 64 active avalanche paths. 

I’ve already visited that issue a year ago when a fierce debate began between an improved roadway or a 3S-type gondola that would bring skiers from the Salt Lake City valley, up to their favorite resort, making car access to the ski areas a mute point. 

The 3S technology seems to be the most efficient answer to a vexing automobile problem as it would collect cars down-valley in a place where snow is rarely a big problem. The 3S gondolas use a tri-cable system, including two fixed-support cables and one circulating haul cable connected to the cabins.

The main benefits are faster speeds, the potential to increase the tower spacing up to about 9,000 feet, up to 35 passengers per cabin, high capacity to about 5,000 people per hour per direction, and much greater wind stability. Covering a distance of 8 miles, this would be the longest 3S in the world. At 17 mph, the total travel time for the 8-mile trip from the mouth of the canyon to Snowbird would be about 27 minutes. 

As an alternative to the larger 3S gondola traveling to Alta, a second gondola, possibly mono-cable or twin-cable design, could connect Snowbird to Alta. Again, I hope that cool and smart minds will prevail and that the 3S solution will be adopted. 

Whatever project is accepted, UDOT would be in charge of overseeing the project. Either way the more than half-billion dollar cost would be born by the citizens of Utah (the 11 million annual operating cost for the 3S would be user-financed), so don’t expect to have it ready next fall, as on top of a long and acerbic decision-making process; once approved, it will take 3 years for the project to be built…