Paul Kirwin’s recent guest letter called “SkiLink selling our national heritage” is full of inaccuracies and questions that I would like to address.
SkiLink is only 3 miles (as the crow flies) and not 11 miles between Canyons and Solitude ski resorts. A lot closer than one might think and adds more reasons why the two resorts should interconnect.
He asks if the passage of legislation to sell land to Talisker makes all Forest Service land vulnerable? Obviously, the sale will only occur if Senate and House leadership feel it is in the best interest to do so. Each case thereafter would be viewed on an individual basis and does not and will not set a precedent.
As for the Salt Lake City watershed, no need to look beyond the water quality records which show that lifts have been developed in adjacent areas with similar slope, soil, and vegetation with no adverse impact to water quality. There are currently around 2,200 acres of skiable terrain in Big Cottonwood Canyon, with 14 ski lifts, yet according to Salt Lake City’s 2011 water quality report, Big Cottonwood Creek has the best water quality of all six of the city’s water sources. One more gondola will not cause adverse environmental impacts on Salt Lake City’s watershed.
SkiLink is not the silver bullet that will solve all transportation problems, but SkiLink offers a way to attract more skiers and substantially grow our economy while actually reducing traffic. Traffic studies that are accessible on SkiLink.com indicate a 10% yearly savings in car traffic. It will also save 1,000,000 miles driven per year and 1,000,000 greenhouse-gas-emission pounds per year by interconnecting the two resorts. That’s not “greenwashing,” that’s reality.
Talisker has stated publicly that it will not develop any of the land that is part of the sale. Development is impossible because the 30-acre strip is only 150 feet wide with Forest Service land adjacent on both sides. No roads are allowed. For more development to occur, it would literally take another Act of Congress.
“A serious intrusion into the back country” is simply not the case, as the lift will not allow downhill skiers or riders to access this backcountry as it does not unload until the bottom terminals of either side. Backcountry access will not change from the access provided today now from the top of 9990 or from people hiking. Ski resorts currently use only 3% of the Salt Lake Ranger District of the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, and 97% still can be used as backcountry ski terrain.
If you are interested in learning more or staying in the loop, then go to Facebook.com/SkiOurCanyonsResponsibly and like our group page. I encourage all Park City residents to not sit back, get involved and don’t let the opponents cloud the facts. Visit SkiLink.com for more information
Tom Richardson is a Park City/Summit County resident and founder of Ski Our Canyons Responsibly.