UTA to expand ski service up Little Cottonwood Canyon this season

SALT LAKE CITY — As ski resorts begin to open across the state, the Utah Transit Authority will resume its regular ski service later this month and will add something slightly new.

A spokesperson said they are expanding service up Little Cottonwood Canyon by adding two additional routes, canyon service one (C1) and two (C2).

“Canyon service one is mostly designed for the early birds and the employees,” said UTA spokesperson Gavin Gustafson. C1 will run from the Midvale Fort Union Trax Station and end at Alta’s Goldminer’s Daughter Lodge. The route will run every 30 minutes from 6:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and again from 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

C2 picks up where the other route leaves off, starting at the 6200 South Wasatch Park and Ride lot and ending at Alta as well every half hour throughout the day.

More than 200,000 skiers and riders took advantage of UTA ski service last season, a nearly 10 percent jump from the year before, Gustafson said — and expect the same amount of riders this year.

UTA said they’re fully staffed but are teaming up with a third-party group to allow them extra drivers to provide the expanded service.

“This isn’t just about the ski service. We want to provide the same level of service in the winter as we do all throughout the year, throughout our entire system,” Gustafson said. “Bringing on canyon service one and two and working with the driver provider allows us to keep the same level of service throughout our system while also providing the ski service.”

With the additions of C1 and C2, Cottonwood Connect, which was not a UTA service, has been discontinued. Gustafson said resorts in both canyons are excited about the additional routes, especially Alta and Snowbird. “And also, it takes pressure off of Big Cottonwood Canyon,” he said.

Regular service begins Nov. 29 with routes C1 and C2 starting up on Dec. 8. “We’re just happy … that we’re able to bring back an additional service with canyon service one and two,” Gustafson said.

Each one-way trip on the new routes costs $5 per rider, or $2.50 for those who qualify for reduced fare. Tickets will be available for purchase on the Transit app in the next few weeks. People who have an IKON, season pass or UTA farepay card can use those as payment.

As for other resorts, ski service for Powder Mountain begins Dec. 6, Snowbasin Dec. 8 and Sundance Dec. 21.

For a list of routes, maps, and times, click here.