The Widowmaker may end up retiring at age 25.
The Bees Motorcycle Club, which has sponsored the hill climb since 1963, has not sought approval before the City Council for the annual event, City Administrator Andrew Hatton-Ward said Tuesday.Widowmaker, so called for the daredevils who would ride up a ridge at the Traverse Mountains south of Draper on the Utah County-Salt Lake County line, has met with cool receptions from City Council members and Mayor Charles Hoffman.
"They were looking like the 24th" of May would be Widow day, said Hatton-Ward. "But they have never submitted" the proper paperwork to get a city business license.
The club earlier this year came to the council to feel out the temperament, the administrator said.
"The council let them know they were not pleased with last year's performance," Ward said, adding, "I don't think they're going to hold it. It's physically impossible to hold it in May based on our agenda schedule. But I think they sensed they were going to meet some opposition."
Hoffman pointed to the scarred hillsides and erosion potential from the dirt bikes racing up Point of the Mountain in past hill climbs.
A provision in last year's business license even required replanting grass on the hillside. But the effort to replenish the ground cover did not meet city officials' desires.
Add to that objection - alcohol, rowdiness and liability.
"We've had numerous problems with drugs, alcohol consumption (and) assaults," said Council Todd Andersen. "It was not something that was a lucrative or profitable venture for Draper City."
The city was sued in 1985 for an incident in which a man was arrested for brandishing a weapon. The motorcycle club's liability insurance was supposed to cover the claim but didn't. The city's insurance eventually settled the claim for $10,000.