A new lift will connect Alta and Snowbird this coming winter. Now, a new single lift pass will connect skiers with the two resorts.
At a joint news conference Tuesday afternoon at Snowbird, the two Little Cottonwood Canyon resorts announced they will become the first Utah areas to offer a single pass good at two resorts.
Kip Pitou, president of Ski Utah, called the joint pass one of the most significant developments in Utah skiing. "It adds a whole new dimension to Utah skiing," he added.
The two resorts will make available a combined day pass and a combined season pass to skiers for the 2001-2002 ski season. Prices on the day ticket and season pass have not been fixed. And, because Alta does not allow snowboards, the offer is good for skiers only.
Last season, an adult day pass at Alta was $35, and an adult day pass, excluding the tram, was $45 at Snowbird.
Simply put, the new pass will double the available terrain and usable lifts and will offer an opportunity heretofore unavailable within the state's boundaries. That is, to ski two areas in one day using a single pass.
Combined, the two areas offer 4,700 skiable acres of skiing, and access to 19 lifts, 22 restaurants and 9 base-area lodges.
Last week a federal judge gave Snowbird the go ahead to build a new high-speed, four-person lift from Mineral Basin at Snowbird to the Sugarloaf saddle at Alta.
"One of the great things about the Alta/Snowbird pass is that skiers will be able to enjoy two distinctively different resorts," said Onno Wieringa, general manager at Alta.
Bob Bonar, president of Snowbird, called the pass, "A great opportunity for people who love to ski in Little Cottonwood Canyon. (The pass) will allow skiers to conveniently access the world's best snow and most spectacular terrain."
Fred Rollins, director of public relations at Snowbird, pointed out that Skiing magazine ranked the powder snow at both Alta and Snowbird, "as the best in North America. Now it will all be available on one ticket."
Alan Engen, director of skiing at Alta, called the move "a wonderful broadening experience for both local and destination skiers."
Offering a combined pass is by no means a new idea. There have been rumors floating about for years that resorts were looking into a partnership.
Under a new master plan, Solitude is asking to install a Sol-Bright lift that would connect it with Brighton. This could eventually lead to a combined pass.
And there has been talk of a Summit County pass that would be good for the three Park City areas — Deer Valley, Park City Mountain Resort and The Canyons. Currently, however, the three are not connected by lift service.
For many years, skiers on the Interconnect ski adventure, which involves skiing up to five areas in one day, have been able to traverse from Alta to Snowbird and make a single run at each resort. But, this is a guided trip and access to the two areas is limited.
Aside from the joint lift pass, the management of both Alta and Snowbird would remain independent.
Two years ago, Snowbird placed a high-speed lift in Mineral Basin. At the same time, Snowbird received permission to install this lift, it also got permission for a lift that would connect with Alta.
Save Our Canyons filed suit in federal court to stop construction of the lift. A federal judge dismissed the case. The group then appealed to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver, which ruled last week in Snowbird's favor.
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