Editor’s note: This story is available to Tribune subscribers only. Thank you for supporting important local journalism.
The idea for a cog railway serving a busy Utah recreation destination came into sharper focus this week when proponents unveiled possible alignments and cost estimates that suggest rail could help solve the growing transportation quagmire in Little Cottonwood Canyon.
A nine-mile rail line to Alta is the latest high-capacity transit option under consideration for the canyon that sees up to 3 million visitors a year coming to enjoy two world-renowned ski areas and year-round recreation in an alpine setting just outside Salt Lake City.
Hereâs what we know about the young Utah skiers killed in Saturdayâs avalanche
All were in their 20s and loved exploring.
(Photo courtesy of the Hopkins family) Stephanie Hopkins skiing in an undated photograph. Hopkins was one of four people who died in an avalanche in Mill Creek Canyon, Saturday, Feb. 6, 2021. | Updated: Feb. 10, 2021, 1:09 a.m.
The four skiers killed in Saturdayâs Mill Creek avalanche were young Utahns who reveled in the stateâs beauty, pursuing adventures from its ski slopes to its redrock country.
Stephanie Hopkins, known as âStephâ to her friends, was a nurse at University of Utah Health who âcould often be found climbing in the desert or skiing the tallest mountains,â said her friend Lismore Nebeker. âShe became best friends with strangers and found beauty in everything.â
Carl Fisher: Cottonwood Canyon gondola would be an expensive boondoggle
There are other things that Utah should spend its money on.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) The ski slopes draws a steady stream to Big Cottonwood canyon during a recent weekend morning.
By Carl Fisher | Special to The Tribune
| Feb. 4, 2021, 9:30 p.m.
It doesn’t have to be either/or. Utahns could enjoy tax cuts, fund education and solve many other problems too.
Problem is, Utah’s governor and Legislature want to spend $500 million to $1 billion on a transportation system to benefit two private businesses: Snowbird and Alta. The governor has already proposed a $50 million down payment on a gondola, a gondola that will still have underneath it a road that is failing and jammed with cars because there is no valley transit increase to help our varying communities (only tourists) to these amazing canyons without paving them to park more cars.
KSL TV
SALT LAKE CITY More snow is expected across mostly central Utah Wednesday night into early Thursday morning as a result of a storm that moved into Utah Wednesday morning.
In addition, more snow is now forecast for the Wasatch Front and northern Utah Friday.
Wednesday s storm brought a mixture of snow and rain to northern Utah and Wasatch Front valleys Wednesday morning, which made for a messy commute for some Utahns. Most valley locations topped out at about an inch of snow, according to a data update by the National Weather Sevices shortly after 4:30 p.m.
Of the mountain areas that have reported back so far, Snowbasin Resort near Ogden received the most snow with 6 inches. Canyons Village and Snowbird reported 5 inches at that time.