ONE Wasatch Proposal Would Interconnect 7 Ski Resorts

SkiUtah.com and the seven Park City/Salt Lake City ski resorts have unveiled a proposal that would interconnect the resorts, expanding skiable terrain and providing virtually unlimited adventure for the price of one lift pass.

ONEWasatch.com has comprehensive info about the plan. DeseretNews.com has this article presenting an objective summary. Below are excerpts from the News article.

A new proposal to connect skiers and snowboarders to several of the state’s top winter resorts is garnering support from some factions while drawing concern from other winter enthusiasts who worry the plan could harm the delicate balance between developed and undeveloped recreation areas.

The Wasatch Backcountry Alliance — a grass-roots group advocating for winter, human-powered recreation in the central Wasatch — believes the current balance between opportunities for resort and backcountry skiing is a crucial component of Utah’s attraction as a winter recreation mecca that must be protected, said Jamie Kent, the alliance's board president.

Given the significant growth in backcountry skiing and snowshoeing in the face of declining or flat resort skiing numbers, it is evident that human-powered winter recreation is an increasingly important contributor to Utah’s economy and quality of life, Kent said.

Meanwhile, managers of the state’s top resorts claim that because of the proximity of the Wasatch Front ski areas, it would be possible to link the seven resorts by connecting Big and Little Cottonwood canyons, Big Cottonwood Canyon to Park City, Park City Mountain Resort to Canyons Resort and dropping the boundary rope between Deer Valley and Park City Mountain Resort.

Read the entire article.