Interconnect, trains and automobiles

Networking our mountain resorts should be an opportunity to reduce automobile traffic in and out of our canyons.

Without getting too deep into details, an open mind, logical thinking and a natural evolution would suggest that a good portion of our visitors' parking lots could be moved farther away from our resorts, leaving a larger role for mass-transit.

Ideally, and depending upon the choice of mass-transit, parking facilities could be located at the mouth of each canyon (Big and Little Cottonwood as well as Parley's.)

From there, it would be easy to imagine a chairlift, a high capacity gondola, a funicular or even - why not think big? - a train whisking visitors up to the slopes.

Down the road, a train from the Salt Lake City airport to Park City might offer destination visitors a seamless, car-free and rapid transfer. Such a train could offer stops in Salt Lake City, the Park and Ride at the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon and from there go underground and stop in Snowbird, then Solitude before reaching Park City. An expensive proposition? Probably, but with some creativity, something we should be able to find the funds for and worth the effort.

Click on map to enlarge

The result: Less traffic in the canyons, all-weather visitation guaranteed regardless of snow, wind or avalanche-control operations. I-80 and the roadways to Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons are suddenly substantially relieved, the air is cleaner, our mountains are again the way they were intended to be.

As the crow flies, some distances to ponder:

• From the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon to Solitude: 9 miles, 3,000 feet vertical gain.
  

• From the mouth of Parley Canyon to The Canyons: 13 miles, 2,000 feet vertical gain.

• Between Snowbird and Park City: 10 miles.

• From the Salt Lake City Airport to Park City: 25 miles...

Other ideas? Share them with us!