Alta Resort Improvements

That may just be controversial

If you are a fan of skiing at Alta Ski Resort near Salt Lake City, you may already be aware of the controversial changes headed their way. And according to anarticle by Brian Maffley in the Salt Lake Tribune, people are either loving or hating to proposed changes. Upgrades include updating several old lifts, a new restaurant, installing new technologies to control avalanches, and the most controversial addition,

“a short-run conveyance in Sugarbowl at the top of Albion Basin. That lift would enable skiers to access Germania Pass and Collins Bowl without having to navigate the East Baldy Traverse.”

For those who haven’t skied Alta before, you might not know it is one of the oldest ski resorts in the United States. It is also one of three resorts in the country that still only allows access to skiers and prohibits snowboarders. So you can only imagine how the clientele that goes there might like things just the way they are, but also how this resort might need some updates more than others.

Photo Courtesy of Alta Ski Resort:

However, the largest opponents of the changes are not skiers but environmental groups, including Save Our Canyon. Executive Director of Save Our Canyon Carl Fisher has some fighting words too. In the article from the Tribune, he attacks skiers and the market that drives these changes saying,

“Honestly, skiers are soft these days. People don’t like to go into the mountains and be subjected to the elements. They need heated chairs and gondolas instead of traverses. That’s literally why they are doing it.”

While skiers in the area might disagree with Fisher’s criticism the resort was required to have the proposed changes cleared by the U.S. Forest Service. The Forest Service said they don’t see any problems with the changes so after a 45-day period for public comment and rebuttal a final decision will be made to move forward with the updates.

Alta Ski Area knows it’s clients and the regional concerns of aesthetics as well. The lifts are designed to minimize the visual effect. And while the new lifts are capable of carrying more people, the resort isn’t trying to bring in more skier traffic but simply provide safer, faster, and more reliable technology.

Only time will tell how the attitudes towards these upgrades will change after they go in. If you are planning a ski trip to Alta Ski Area, contact us at SkierDeals.com for local deals.

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