Artist rendition of the “Mountain Coaster” at Snowbird, By Jared Hargrave.
Yesterday, I was informed of Snowbird’s proposed roller-coaster to be built on the lower flanks of Mount Superior. It would be dubbed the “Mountain Coaster†(pretty creative…eh?) and would start about 400 vertical feet up the slopes of Mount Superior, have about 3,000’ of track ranging from 2-13’ off the ground, include a bridge over the Little Cottonwood Canyon Road and a 1000′ up track, and end in the vicinity of the Chickadee bunny slope. Opinions on this venture are mixed…including my own.
When I hear the term roller-coaster, I think of the Cyclone or other types of monstrosities that tower above the horizon. So when I saw the picture of the proposed “roller-coaster”, I realized that in reality, it is really just a twist on the old “alpine slide” some of you may be familiar with. Many resorts around the country have them, including Snow King here in Jackson, as well as Park City just on the other side of the mountains from Snowbird. (Click here to see the ride in Park City.) They can be a good source of revenue (and fun?) for resorts in the summer months, but the question in relation to the Snowbird coaster seems to be the proposed location.
While I always hear of people backcountry skiing on Mount Superior, which sits across the street from Snowbird, officials state that the proposed Mountain Coaster will not interfere with the areas people ski. “This area will not affect the watershed, it will not affect backcountry skiing and it won’t affect hiking, and that was a big consideration for us”, said Jared Ishkanian, public relations director for Snowbird.
Mount Superior.
While it may not interfere with those seeking fresh tracks on Superior, the bridge over the highway and the coaster itself would add a visual element that could detract from the overall beauty of the area. “There will definitely be visual impacts to that from throughout the canyon,” Carl Fisher said, executive director of Save Our Canyons. One idea to address this is to make the coaster look like part of the canyon’s mining history.
Although the proposed roller coaster would be built entirely on private land, I can see how locals might get a little testy about it infringing on one of their local backcountry zones and I could see it being much better recieved it were to be built entirely on the south side of the road, where the rest of the Snowbird Resort facilities are located. Mount Superior is one of the most photographed peaks in the area and to tarnish it with the construction of an amusement park seems a bit lame if you ask me.
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There’s usually a shitty zipper crust in that area anyways. I think it would be sick to ski the suicide chute then traverse over, hop on the coaster and not have to deal with skiing the zipper. Anyone else on boars with that?
Man, sometimes I scare myself. Didn’t I call it exactly right in last weeks post when I said LCC/BCC are “Disneyesque”? (ie. Jackson’s proximity to it’s airport) For a 40-something cubicle rat who’s never gonna make middle management, sometimes I get it right.
I’m all for “rail” sliding over the road on my FT12′s! Yeah boyZ!
Even though government powers that be have said “go for it” I would say there’s zero chance this will happen. “Save our Canyons” will fight this to the death. If they kept it on their side of the road it would be a done deal, but a bridge ove the road at the base of Superior?! For such a stupid reason? No way, not even in this reddest of red states.
Just seems like a silly gimmick to me.
If they want an alpine slide they should just put on the ski hill. Some idiot would probably launch off the track over the road anyway.
Back East these things are the “rage” right now. Both Cranmore and Attitash, outside of North Conway, NH, put Mountain Coasters in this past summer, but in more inconspicous places (through the trees and out of sight…for the most part). The structure looks like some sort of space aged erector set, which is kind of cool. But I got to tell you, for $10, even for my 5 AND 3 year old, it’s not that worth it. The ride was fun, but I doubt I’ll do it again.
i wonder what would happen if snowbird wanted to put in a lift up towards superior and a skier bridge over the road.
I hope the Salt Lake gang gets together and stops the travesty and the destruction of the beautiful and natural views in the area.
How could they even THINK about destroying the view of the one and only Mount Superior. Keep it on the other side of the road.
To complain further about this abomination proposed by Snowbird- which is totally out of touch with the use of the area please send a letter to:
Bob Bonar- President of Snowbird- E mail to Bbonar@snowbird.com
Dick Bass- Owner of Snowbird -Email to Dbass@snowbird.com
About permits:
Mayor of Salt Lake- Peter Corron-mayor@sico.org
Max Burdick- District 6 Salt Lake County- Link to his E mail http://www.council.slco.org/html/mBurdick.html
SPEAK UP!
It’s all on PRIVATE PROPERTY. Stop this useless bitching.
looks like smokey wants to go on a roller coaster ride.
good attitude smokey, way to give up.
Give up on what Dan? Private property rights? Personally, that canyon is already fucked. Did all these people bitch when the tram went in at Snowbird on PUBLIC land? All of road needed to build the lifts, on public lands, surely had some detrimental watershed effects. But when a fairly benign proposal pops up for a Alpine Slide, all on private property, everyone comes together to “protect” the canyon? Yeah, I’m giving up on this, because there is bigger issues but obviously is this your last straw. Funny.
I don’t give a shit about private property when the property is a mountain such as Mt. Superior. Over 90 percent of ski areas acreage is on public lands. If ski areas want to desecrate their ‘private’ land they acquired via antiquated mining laws its time too start kicking them off and restoring the public lands we lent them. And the canyon is NOT all fucked up thanks to people like Alexis Kelner and all the folks at Save Our Canyons among others.
This is a total gross out. Private propert rights etc is all legit . However, this is still nauseous. My god ! May as well start plopping down some trinket shops staffed with the quintessential morbidley obese clerks dressed as cowboys. This is a shame. My 2 cents….
Private property rights aren’t absolute. If I put a hot tub in my backyard it’s no problem. But if I built a 40 foot tall ferris wheel the neighbors would probably complain, and understandably so. All the more so if I put it in my front yard where everyone had to look at it.
Hopefully this is NOT being designed by the folks who laid out the Whistler luge course.
maybe folks could actually go for a kie in the mts in the summer, then have a soak and dinner at the resort . . . is this a radical concept
I meant a hike of course
they have one in Chamonix so why not here? Doesn’t look like its taking over the best piece of skiing either sooo who cares.