Solitude’s Proposed West End Parking Lot
Overview
In December 2001, Solitude Mountain Resort submitted its Final Environmental Impact Statement for a Master Development Plan (MDP) update to the USDA Forest Service.
The update outlined a wide range of projects proposed by Solitude to better position themselves to meet current and future demand for developed winter and summer recreational opportunities and to meet the large-scale needs of the general public. A list of those projects and is outlined below.
One of the projects that jumped off the page to me was constructing a new West End parking lot between SR 190 and Big Cottonwood Creek, opposite the Eagle Express base area. In conjunction with the new parking lot was a proposal to install a low profile, double chair access lift from the West End parking lot to the proposed Eagle Express Day lodge.
The West End parking lot was obvious;y never built, but the details provided by Solitude back in 2001 are interesting in light of today’s debate over the Old Stage Road Parking proposal.
West End Parking Lot Location
The proposed lot would have been located between Big Cottonwood Creek and SR 190, directly across from the planned Eagle Express Lodge. While the lodge was never built, the proposal placed it just west of today’s Eagle Express chair loading zone – where the lower Moonbeam parking area now sits.
The proposed West End Parking Lot would have been located outside Solitude’s existing ski area boundary, meaning a Forest Plan amendment would have been required to expand the resort’s permit area to include it. The exact capacity of the lot was never specified, but based on the scale of the proposal, it likely would have accommodated in the range of 300-400 vehicles.
Entry and Exit
Drivers traveling up the canyon would have accessed the West End parking lot via a right-hand turnoff about a third of a mile before reaching the Moonbeam parking entrance.
Getting from the Parking Lot to the Ski Resort
Skiers parking in the West End parking lot would not have convenient walking access to the resort. To address this, a low-capacity, low-profile double chairlift was proposed to transport skiers from the West End parking lot across Big Cottonwood Creek to the Eagle Express base area. This lift would function strictly as a “people mover” and would not increase the Skiers At One Time (SAOT) or the Comfortable Carrying Capacity (CCC) of the mountain’s lift network. Solitude anticipated the requirement to take a people mover chairlift to the ski area might be problematic:
The lift may create some unforeseen operational challenges and frustrations for some visitors. Lift riders may or may not have equipment (some may need to rent equipment) or experience riding lifts. This could cause concerns loading and unloading the lift. Riders may also have to deal with carrying excess gear, including bag lunch and other miscellaneous equipment. Beginner skiers would have to ride a second lift, the Pulse Gondola, to access appropriate terrain. Furthermore, guests parking in this lot would be required to download on the lift at the end of the day to get back to their vehicles. Some would find this an inconvenience. An inter-parking shuttle would likely be necessary to support the lift access and meet the needs of these guests. This would contribute to congestion in the Moonbeam lot and SR 190. These are operational issues that have the potential to detract from the recreational experience for some visitors.
Traffic Impact
Solitude noted that their traffic simulations indicated accessing and leaving the West End parking lot would become increasingly congested the closer to Moonbeam the entrance was located. This was due to fewer gaps in traffic for vehicles making left turns out of the lot during the afternoon. Solitude expected that congestion in the West End Parking Lot would be similar in nature to that experienced at the Moonbeam Lot.
Today, traffic exiting the Moonbeam Parking Lot turns into a protected, dedicated downhill lane. In 2001, this feature did not exist, and there was interest in installing a traffic light on SR 190 to assist vehicles exiting the Moonbeam Lot. Solitude predicted that if a signal were installed, congestion leaving the West End parking lot would be significantly reduced due to the gaps in traffic created upstream by the signal.
Environmental Impact
Of all the projects proposed in their Master Development Plan (MDP), Solitude identified the West End Parking Lot as having the greatest impact on forested cover types. During construction of the West End Parking Lot, a single row of temporary sediment fencing would be installed due to the site’s close proximity to water.
Because the parking lot is located within conifer and mountain meadow habitats and near Big Cottonwood Creek, construction would “contribute to the fragmentation of whatever wildlife corridor values this area retains.” Solitude also noted that the corridor is “already fragmented by existing development at the Village at Solitude and by the presence of SR 190.”
Additionally, the proposed chairlift from the parking lot to the resort would cross Big Cottonwood Creek. Solitude noted that this could contribute to further fragmentation of the creek corridor, reducing its usefulness as a movement and migration pathway for wildlife.
Why the West End Parking Lot Wasn’t Built
I believe there were two main reasons the West End Parking Lot project never moved forward:
1. Lack of necessity. In 2000, Solitude was a ski area in decline. Between 1990 and 2000, the resort experienced a decrease in skier visits and lost regional market share. There was genuine concern that Solitude could fail as a ski resort, and the demand for significantly expanded parking simply wasn’t there.
2. Regulatory constraints. The proposed West End Parking Lot was located outside the ski area boundary, meaning a Forest Service amendment to Solitude’s use permit would have been required. In 2002, the Forest Service issued a memo effectively barring ski resorts from adding parking on federal land.
Additionally, public support for developing National Forest land was limited at the time. Many comments on Solitude’s 2001 MDP reflected concerns similar to those expressed today regarding the Old Stage Road parking lots.
Should the West End Parking Lot Proposal Be Revived?
Setting aside whether the West End parking lot would be feasible under today’s Forest Service regulations, would it be preferable to the Old Stage Road parking expansion at Solitude? Many of the same concerns – traffic, habitat loss, safety, impact on the ski experience and mass transit – apply to both proposals. That said, if I had to choose, I would favor the West End parking lot over the Old Stage Road option.
The West End Parking Lot would likely have a smaller impact on canyon traffic, thanks to fewer parking spots and a slightly better location on SR 190 for entry and exit. If skiers can be transported from the Old Stage Road lot to the resort via shuttle, the same approach could be applied to the West End parking lot, potentially eliminating the need for a people-mover chairlift over the creek.
Impacts on local residents would also likely be lower. That section of Big Cottonwood Canyon has very few cabins – the closest is approximately 0.3 miles from the site.
A final consideration is that National Forest Service regulations may change in the future. While I am not a supporter of the current administration, they seem to be trying to loosen regulatory constraints on development in wilderness areas, which could influence the feasibility of the West End parking lot.
Solitude Village from 1997-2024
I was looking at satellite images of Solitude to try to get a sense of how the resort looked in 2001 (when the MDP was submitted). I thought the progression of Solitude Village’s development was interesting (click to zoom in):
Other Projects in Solitude’s 2001 MDP
Solitude’s 2001 Master Development Plan (MDP) included an ambitious list of proposed projects and upgrades. Some of these projects were realized, while others are unlikely to ever see the light of day:
- Upgrading the Apex and Powderhorn chairlifts to high-speed quads in their existing alignments and making associated terrain and top terminal modifications
- Upgrading (to a high speed quad) and realigning the Moonbeam II lift
- Constructing six new lifts/people movers:
- Redman – a beginner lift near the Village base,
- Honeycomb Return lift – a return lift from Honeycomb Canyon
- The Sol-Bright lift – a lift connecting Solitude and Brighton ski resorts
- A magic carpet – a ground/snow level conveyance belt serving first time and beginner skiers located just west of the Last Chance Mining Camp
- A Pulse Gondola – a people-mover connecting the Eagle Express base area with the Moonbeam Center and the Last Chance Mining Camp
- The West End parking lot access lift – a low profile, double chair, people mover that provides access from the proposed West End parking lot to the proposed Eagle Express base lodge
- Expansion of the Moonbeam Center day lodge and the Last Chance Mining Camp
- Installing a lighted skating rink adjacent to the Last Chance Mining Camp
- A complete replacement of the Eagle Express base area day lodge
- Relocation of the Resort Operation Center into an expanded Vehicle Maintenance Building, to include a rooftop helipad, a fire station and an adjacent satellite and communications base station and electrical distribution center;
- Burial of 1100 feet of the only sections of the Utah Power transmission line that remain aboveground in the base area
- Constructing a mass transportation center in the expanded Moonbeam Center
- Constructing acceleration and deceleration lanes on SR 190 on either side of a reconstructed,
- 3-lane Moonbeam entrance road
- Reconfiguring and expanding parking in the Moonbeam base parking area to include 10 R.V. hook-ups
- Expanding the snowmaking system and improving the water supply by utilizing Big Cottonwood Creek and Lake Solitude
- Constructing a bus, high occupancy and other vehicle parking area adjacent to SR 190 and just east of the Moonbeam access road
- Constructing a new West End parking lot between SR 190 and Big Cottonwood Creek, opposite the Eagle Express base area
- Rebuilding the existing mountain work roads between the Last Chance Mining Camp and the Vehicle Maintenance/Moonbeam Center buildings
- Modifying and constructing ski trails
- Night lighting of 6 km of Nordic trail and the lower mountain lifts and alpine trails
- Modifying the Sunrise, Eagle Express and Summit top lift ramps
- Constructing a small “trapper’s cabin” on the south side of the Children’s pond to serve as an educational and interpretive center
- Implementing the Forest Vegetation Management Plan including forest stand thinning west of the Challenger ski trail
- Constructing a surface water runoff drainage control system and sewer line extension, to serve the resort village/northern Giles Flat area
- Enhancing summer recreation opportunities, including improving the mountain biking program and installing an alpine slide
- Combining Solitude’s separate Nordic and alpine ski area Special Use Permits into one 40-year Ski Area Term Special Use Permit.
Sources
I recommend checking out the following documents. They are lengthy (635 and 184 pages, respectively) but offer an interesting snapshot of Solitude 24 years ago and provide relevant context for the Old Stage Road project today:
U.S. Forest Service. Solitude Mountain Resort Master Development Plan Update: Final Environmental Impact Statement. 2001. Utah State University Digital Commons. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1093&context=elusive_docs (PDF 455MB)
U.S. Forest Service. Solitude Mountain Resort Master Development Plan Update: Final Environmental Impact Statement – Volume II: Response to Comments. 2001. Utah State University Digital Commons. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1094&context=elusive_docs (PDF 135MB)