Updated 6/14/2010

June 14, 2010-- We just heard that the Forest Service has denied Solitude access to Silver Fork Canyon, rejecting their proposal in it's entirety. In a conversation with the Forest Service, one of the biggest reasons was that the proposal was inconsistent with watershed management. Also, that the expansion was not consistent with the direction of the forest as put forward by the 2003 Forest Plan.

What does this mean? Silver Fork remains open to the public, free of ski area domination...for now. If the proposal was accepted by the Forest Service they would have begun the NEPA process, opened up public comment, and started an EIS or EA. We applaud the Forest Service's decision to protect this incredible canyon for the enjoyment of future generations and taking steps towards preservation of what we have left of the Wasatch Mountains.

More information will be posted here as it becomes available.

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April 13, 2010-- Solitude has revised its expansion into Silver Fork Canyon. While it is a smaller proposal, a significant amount of public lands are still being affected and will be lost to the public.

What they now propose is to expand into Silver Fork using the Creek (or 100' buffer from it) as their western boundary. They plan to use 182 acres of public land and 116 of privately held parcels bringing an additional 298 acres to one of the most heavily developed resorts Big or Little Cottonwood Canyons.

In their letter, Solitude states that the lands in Silver Fork Canyon should become part of their resort because, "This land is immediately adjacent to our current permit and is consistently used by our Resort guests." Contrary to what Solitude also claims this is BAD for our watershed, BAD for recreation in the canyons, and BAD for the untouched beauty of Silver Fork Canyon,

We could go on an on why this is still a horrible idea (and plan to)! Bottom line: Solitude feels as if they are giving something up by pitching something that is smaller in size. Fact of the matter is, if you never had something are you really giving anything up. If the Forest Service accepts this proposal, the public loses forever another one of our canyons.

Read it for yourself send your thoughts to the Forest Service (Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest Supervisor, Brian Ferebee and Salt Lake District Ranger, Cathy Kahlow) as they will begin, AGAIN, the process to deny or accept this proposal.

Solitude's Revised Expansion into Silver Fork (4/11/10)

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Octoboer 2009--Despite the public's feelings about ski area expansion in the Tri-Canyon area found in Round 1 of Envision Utah's Wasatch Canyons Tomorrow process, Solitude Ski Area wants you OUT of Silver Fork Canyon. In a Sept. 14, 2009 letter obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request, Solitude Ski Resort wants to expand its "existing 1,418 acre ski area boundary by approximately 741 acres," an expansion of over 50%! This expansion would close off Silver Fork Canyon to public access, spread the cancer of groomed ski runs and downed trees, and increase the Wasatch Slackcountry- further displacing a growing number of backcountry enthusiasts. In the cross-hairs of Solitude's request is the Upper Bowl of Siver Fork and the Meadow Chutes, some of the finest backcountry routes in the Tri-Canyon area.

Solitude Mountain Resort also cited Save Our Canyons' Wilderness Proposal as reason why they need to expand their resort. "It should go without saying that federal designation of Silver Fork Canyon as Wilderness would preclude Solitude Mountain Resort from ever existing beyond our existing SUP area." The irony is that this expansion is the exact reason Wilderness Expansion needs to happen in the Wasatch. If we do not protect these areas, they will be gobbled up by the ski areas in the blink of an eye. They then go on further to say, "This seriously jeopardizes our ability to provide quality and diverse developed recreation opportunities on National Forest System lands, and to respond to evolving customer demands."

As we have seen through numerous studies conducted on this area of the Wasatch and reinforced by the Wasatch Canyons Tomorrow process, people want to see LESS development in the canyons and NO MORE ski area expansion. This sentiment is also echoed by the 2003 Forest Plan which does not allow for ski area expansions and the 1989 Wasatch Canyons Master Plan which recognizes Siver Fork as a place that needs to remain available to the public. In 1988, Silver Fork was removed from Solitude's ski area permit in part because of its importance to backcountry recreationists.

Silver Fork Canyon, much like White Pine Canyon, is one of the few treasures we have left to enjoy in the Wasatch. We cannot create any other places for people to enjoy the splendid backcountry of the Wasatch Canyons. Once they are gone, they are gone forever.

Click here to View Solitude's September 2009 Request

Click here to read Salt Lake Tribune's article on this issue.

Click here to read the Deseret News article on this issue.

Click here to read Save Our Canyons Letter to the Forest Service on this Proposal. (If link doesn't work, please copy and paste this URL into your browser: https://saveourcanyons.org/files/campaigns/Solitude_Expansion_Letter.pdf)