Little Cottonwood Climbing Is Still Under Threat. Comment to UDOT Today.

📷: Bree Robles - Olympic Silver Medalist Nathaniel Coleman gazing at the top out of The Little Cottonwood Canyon Classic “Wrist Rocket” (8B/V9) - A boulder set to be impacted by UDOT’s Proposals.

This past summer, a record number of comments were sent to UDOT about their proposed winter time traffic mitigation options: a gondola (with towers as tall as the Cliff Lodge) or roadway widening for additional lanes. On Friday December 10th, UDOT released a revision to their proposals that concerns climbing (specifically a 4(f) designation to some of the climbing resources in Little Cottonwood). Learn more at the button below.

UDOT’s newest evaluation of impacts from their two large transportation infrastructure proposals of the world’s longest gondola (with towers as tall as The Cliff Lodge) or roadway widening for additional bus only lanes for Little Cottonwood Canyon continue to minimize impacts to climbing. 

Tell UDOT that while the recognition of the Alpenbock Loop and Grit Mill Climbing area as a 4(f) recreational resource is appreciated: 

  • UDOT’s Revised Ch. 26 analysis inaccurately underestimates the actual significant impacts that a Shoulder Lane and Gondola Alternatives would have on the Alpenbock Loop and Grit Mill climbing resources; Specifically:

    • The Revised Ch. 26 analysis inaccurately states the Gondola Alternatives would have no noise impacts, when in fact associated noise impacts would be significant to climbers and other recreators. 

    • The Revised Ch. 26 analysis fails to recognize the significant visual impacts of the Gondola Alternatives, which would be significant to climbers and other recreators. 

    • The Revised Ch. 26 analysis fails to recognize the overall significant and negative impact that either the Shoulder Lane or a Gondola Alternatives would have on the natural aesthetic and environment that contribute to the Alpenbock Loop and Grit Mill climbing resources’ special value.

  • Neither proposal service dispersed recreation users nor do they provide for public transit options for climbers. 

  • Both proposals will cost an unacceptable $500 million + in construction costs, alone.

  • UDOT’s Revised Ch. 26 analysis still fails to evaluate impacts to the historic climbing resources on the 140-acre Gate Buttress property. This omission renders the Revised Ch. 26 Evaluation fatally incomplete.

  • Two-three years of construction time for the UDOT proposals will close and/or limit access to lower LCC climbing.

The SLCA will continue to advocate with UDOT to minimize impacts to the climbing resource if one of their proposals is chosen by our Utah Legislature. 

ACT NOW and comment to UDOT before January 10th and consider our points above in your comments.

Join the SLCA at The Front South Main on January 5th from 7-8 p.m. to learn more


Ultimately, there are much less impactful solutions to adequately address Little Cottonwood’s wintertime transportation problem, while still serving all dispersed recreation users. The SLCA strongly encourages UDOT to try their increased electric bus (without roadway widening) proposal coupled with other traffic mitigation efforts before altering the canyon and the overall climbing experience forever. UDOT needs to hear from you, again, by January 10th. Save Little Cottonwood climbing! Large-scale transportation infrastructure projects threaten the natural qualities that make Little Cottonwood Canyon such an iconic and treasured destination. Head to the link in our profile to make a comment to UDOT at the button below before January 10th, 2022.

Julia Geisler