Mike Maughan, the general manager of Alta Ski Area, called for a ‘heart to heart’ with neighboring Snowbird on Valentine’s Day. It won’t be a lovefest.
At a Town of Alta town council meeting Wednesday, Maughan expressed frustration with Snowbird over its refusal to require parking reservations. That decision impacts the traffic flow in and out of Alta and, in particular, his resort’s customers and employees. Maughan said he has raised the issue to Dave Field, Snowbird’s general manager, to little avail.
“We have a tenuous relationship with Snowbird, a little bit,” Maughan said.
“We’re going to have a heart-to-heart here pretty soon with them and the Forest Service,” he added, “and see if there’s something we can do.”
Alta sits at the top of Little Cottonwood Canyon and can only be reached via State Route 210, an avalanche-prone two-lane highway that first passes by Snowbird. Two years ago, Alta implemented reservation-only paid parking until 1 p.m. every Friday through Sunday and on holidays during the ski season. Maughan said he “never could have fathomed the benefits” the reservation system would produce. It has spread out the arrival of skiers and reduced the number of cars being turned around after lots fill. In addition, he said reservations have led to an increase in carpooling and, perhaps surprisingly, more skiers visiting the resort.
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This article is published through the Utah News Collaborative, a partnership of news organizations in Utah that aims to inform readers across the state.