I’m a proud Alta pass holder and whenever someone badmouths my beloved mountain, I vehemently defend Alta. I recently defended Alta when a local complained on Instagram that the Ikon pass gave discounts to out-of-state visitors, but “did nothing for locals.”
I stated that Alta does a lot for locals. Alta protects the mountains from development and doesn’t build too many restaurants or lifts in order to maintain the rugged, majestic charm that we all love and enjoy.
This news about the Baldy tram, however, is a frightening development. It is against the soul of Alta.
A tram across the face of Mt. Baldy will be an eyesore, a scar across the most iconic face, and will overcrowd the mountaintop. A 15-minute hike up Baldy is part of what makes Alta … Alta. A little sweat is well worth the effort to get away from the crowds and groomed terrain. But a tram up Mt. Baldy will desecrate the very thing that makes Alta special.
I used to think Alta values were about leaving some things untouched, but it seems the new management has forgotten this.
Jude Engracia, Sandy