Utah — After a low-snow winter that saw below-average visitation to Utah, you’d think conversations regarding a proposed gondola up Little Cottonwood Canyon would be dying down. However, that’s not the case.
Chosen as the preferred alternative by the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT), the Little Cottonwood Gondola aims to solve the traffic issues that cripple trips up and down the canyon during busy periods. The 8-mile-long gondola would feature 32-person cabins, allowing it to carry a maximum of 4,000 people per hour. A terminal near the canyon’s base would pick up people who would’ve been driving up, with stops at Snowbird and Alta. Before that, though, UDOT is trying different strategies to reduce traffic, which include more bus service, tolls, and a new transportation hub. Some of those changes could debut during the 2026-27 season.
While not environmentally detrimental in theory, locals are concerned that it will permanently alter the canyon’s landscape and not truly solve the traffic woes in the Canyon. Also worrying is whether public money will go towards the plan, although ski resorts have stated they could foot part of the bill. These concerns have resulted in lawsuits against the development, with that process still ongoing.
There have been a few interesting recent events regarding the gondola, with conservation groups continuing to rally the troops to stop the lift.
Although it still seems years to decades from happening, the conversations about the gondola show it will remain a topic of discussion for years to come. Here’s a rundown of what’s been going down lately regarding the gondola plans.
Wasatch Front Regional Council Vote
In recent years, much of the activity has been about whether local goverments adopt the gondola as part of their plans. This includes the Wasatch Front Regional Council, which creates a transportation plan for the region every couple of years. In 2023, they kept the gondola off the Regional Transportation Plan. In the plans that are set to be approved in the near future, it’s now listed as part of the plan.
Save Our Canyons is calling on the community to submit comments by May 13th to object to the gondola being included in the RTP. The Wasatch Front Regional Council plans to vote on the matter on May 28th.
Canyon Guard
A proposed visual rendering of the gondola also has people talking. Last month, the Little Cottonwood advocacy group Canyon Guard released a visual guide to what Little Cottonwood will look like if a gondola is installed. The visual map features renderings of the towers and how each tower could impact the Canyon.
The visual isn’t without its flaws. For one, it doesn’t accurately depict the haul rope or the gondola, instead focusing on the structure’s height. The future stations at Snowbird and Alta also weren’t displayed. However, it does show how big these towers would be, and what Little Cottonwood’s future could look like.
University of Utah
While the Utah Department of Transportation spent considerable time finding solutions to the canyon’s traffic, many were dissatisfied with the final results. The University of Utah is trying to find common ground. As part of a Capstone project, graduate students in the John and Marcia Price College of Engineering presented their findings on April 21st, outlining an alternative design to improve traffic in Little Cottonwood. The findings will reportedly be released to the public in the near future.
Image/Video Credits: Gondola Works, Canyon Guard
