No Gondola

Why we oppose the gondola

The project is estimated to cost taxpayers more than $1.4 billion while primarily serving Alta and Snowbird ski resorts. Save Our Canyons opposes the gondola because we believe it will not solve canyon congestion, while creating significant environmental, watershed, and public access concerns.

Our Solutions

Buses and shuttle vans are the best way to improve access to the Wasatch Mountains while also prioritizing the protection of our natural spaces. Because transportation issues aren’t unique to Little Cottonwood Canyon, our solution takes a much broader approach and addresses access to the Wasatch Mountains as a whole. 

We’re advocating for year-round bus service to Millcreek Canyon, Big Cottonwood Canyon, and Little Cottonwood Canyon, with more frequent service during peak use periods (for example, weekend powder days). Public transportation should work for all canyon visitors, not just resort skiers, so we’re also advocating for shuttle stops at dispersed recreation sites (like trailheads) in addition to the ski resorts. 

Along with carpool incentives, such as occupancy based tolling, enforcement of the traction law, and mandatory parking reservations at ski resorts, buses are critical to solving traffic in our canyons.

Transportation Update (April 2026)

Last fall, the joint plaintiff groups worked to find a pathway toward common-sense solutions included in “Phase 1” of the EIS. The goal was to prove that much-needed transit and traffic alleviation could occur separately from the ongoing lawsuit. 

In mid-December of 2025, this proved effective, as UDOT announced they were moving forward with Phase 1. Now, the specifics of Phase 1 are being ironed out, with an expected plan in place by the end of April 2026. We anticipate that this will include a bus mobility hub at Snowbird and Alta, much like those proposed for Solitude and Brighton. There will also likely be incentives to make the bus the preferred method to vehicles, like lanes that prioritize the bus, and a toll to disincentivize single-use vehicles. We believe that this can help us prove that less invasive transit measures can be successful, and are excited to advise on and advocate for bus alternatives in both Cottonwood Canyons. 

Busing for both canyons should be back up to appropriate service levels by fall 2028. There will likely need to be a revision of the EIS to provide for a new mobility hub (or two) in the Town of Alta, depending on where partners decide on the final plan. We are generally supportive of these efforts. Similarly, we are advocating for a second mobility hub to service LCC, which would need to be added with a revision as well.

The bad news on the gondola is that in May of 2026, the Utah Transportation Commission voted unanimously to release roughly $8 million dollars from their corridor preservation fund to allow UDOT to purchase an eight-acre parcel at the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon that would serve as a potential base area terminal for the gondola. This parcel was owned and sold by Wayne Neiderhauser and Chris McCandless, two former lawmakers and current developers who have long advocated for the gondola. 

We remain steadfastly opposed to the proposed gondola and are still waiting for briefs on our case with UDOT and our partner plaintiffs. When those are released, we will update our community on where our lawsuit stands.

Environmental Impacts

The gondola would include 20 towers and 2 angle stations, some reaching over 260 feet tall, permanently impacting recreation areas, trails, climbing routes, and scenic canyon views. Construction also threatens the canyon watershed, which supplies more than 60% of the Salt Lake Valley’s drinking water. Save Our Canyons supports lower-cost alternatives that better serve all canyon users, including expanded year-round bus service, more frequent transit during peak periods, carpool incentives, occupancy-based tolling, improved traction law enforcement, and mandatory ski resort parking reservations.

Traffic, Access & Cost Concerns

The proposed gondola would stretch more than 8 miles with only two stops: Snowbird and Alta. While promoted as a traffic solution, the project would still leave many canyon visitors dependent on personal vehicles. It could push congestion farther into surrounding communities like Sandy, Granite, and Cottonwood Heights. In addition, the gondola primarily benefits resort visitors, leaving hikers, climbers, backcountry users, snowshoers, and other recreationists without reliable transit options. The project’s cost has also ballooned from early estimates of $550 million to more than $1.4 billion, while projected ticket prices could range from $90–$200 per rider.

Litigation Status

Our lawsuit was consolidated with lawsuits filed by Friends of Alta/Canyon Guard and Salt Lake City, Sandy City and the Metropolitan Water District in April, 2024. As of Spring, 2026, the case remains tied up in the Administrative Record review phase, the stage where the court examines the documents and evidence underlying the agency’s decision. No briefing schedule has been set.