Snowbird, UT – The Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest Service recently announced that it has accepted Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort’s updated Master Development Plan (MDP) proposal. The Utah ski and snowboard resort’s MDP is a detailed document that outlines short- and long-term resort development plans, including the potential to modify Snowbird’s skiing boundaries in Utah County, outside Salt Lake City’s watershed area.n“The acceptance of our proposal is an exciting step as we plan for the future of providing world-class skiing and snowboarding as well as year-round recreation,” said Snowbird President Bob Bonar. “We look forward to working with the Forest Service and other stakeholders in creating sustainable outdoor recreational opportunities for our community that provide jobs for Utahns, attract tourists to our state and maintain Snowbird’s viability in a competitive marketplace.”
Acceptance of Snowbird’s MDP proposal is the first step in a process involving environmental study and analysis by governmental agencies, engineers, scientists and stakeholders of all aspects and impacts of the proposed projects.
“Whether it was part of the MDP process or Congressman Jim Matheson’s wilderness bill, we have taken input from city, county, state and federal leaders as well as local environmental organizations on many of the proposed improvements,” said Bonar. “We are very encouraged that there is widespread support for watershed-friendly proposals that continue to provide sustainable recreation opportunities in our community.”
The updated MDP Proposal describes potential terrain expansion options to the south of Snowbird’s existing resort area, a majority of which would be on Snowbird’s private property in American Fork Canyon in Utah County and outside of the Little Cottonwood Canyon portion of Salt Lake City Municipal Watershed area. Proposed resort expansion projects include a lower capacity Tram to the top of the American Fork Twin Peaks, a chairlift from Mary Ellen Gulch that would return skiers to the Mineral Basin area of the resort, and an extension of the existing Mineral Basin Express chairlift, improvements that would offer new ski and snowboard terrain to the 2,500-acre resort. Snowbird is also considering adding beginner skiing terrain adjacent to the Baby Thunder area, upgrading some existing chairlifts, providing night skiing from the Gadzoom chairlift, an expansion of the Adaptive Sports facilities and a handful of other resort improvements.
Snowbird is not proposing to put ski lifts in the White Pine area, an area of contentious earlier discussions with local backcountry skiers that’s located directly west of the current resort boundary. Snowbird resort officials say that they support maintaining the White Pine area’s backcountry characteristics, and that they’re proposing to work with stakeholders to limit summer and winter access to the area from the resort’s proposed Twin Peaks installation. Snowbird is also considering donating its significant private property within the White Pine/Red Pine areas into a conservation easement to help ensure this area maintains its pristine watershed.
“We understand and are sensitive to the concerns of backcountry user groups and local environmental organizations. The top terminal of the proposed tramway to the American Fork Twin Peaks would be positioned in such a manner that it would not be visible from the Salt Lake Valley,” said Bonar. “The expansion area would be accessed from the existing resort footprint.”
Snowbird has worked to improve the environmental quality of American Fork Canyon including mine clean-up projects to improve water conditions, a process that Bonar promises will continue should these new proposed developments come to fruition.
“In tandem with this updated MDP, Snowbird pledges to continue to be an active, engaged ally in efforts to protect Little Cottonwood Canyon’s diverse values, support wilderness areas, and protect Salt Lake County’s watershed areas while offering sustainable, managed, year-round recreational opportunities to our community on private and adjacent public lands,” said Bonar.