For the second season in a row, skiers and snowboarders will be able to use the Cottonwood Connect shuttle system to hit the slopes.
The reservation-based shuttle launches again Friday, with daily service up Big and Little Cottonwood canyons through Jan. 1. The shuttle will then run from Friday-Sunday and on holidays through April 14, 2024, transportation officials said at a news conference this week.
(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) Over two dozen seats are available inside the Cottonwood Connect ski shuttles.
The service first launched in January, after Salt Lake County Council members allocated nearly a quarter-million dollars to Visit Salt Lake to help fund the new public-private partnership. It operated from Thursday-Sunday and on holidays through April 16 this year, shuttling over 9,100 riders — 83% of whom were out-of-state visitors, according to a news release.
Reservations cost $10 each way and service all four of the Cottonwood Canyons resorts: Alta, Brighton, Snowbird and Solitude.
Pickup locations vary, from either park-and-ride lots to hotels near the mouth of the canyons. Reservations are $20 round trip, according to the Cottonwood Connect website.
“We can all play a part in protecting our air quality and protecting the wear-and-tear on our canyons,” Sandy Mayor Monica Zoltanski said Tuesday. “It’s good for preventing traffic congestion. It’s good for protecting our air quality. And it’s good for our local economy.”
(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) Sandy Mayor Monica Zoltanski speaks at a press conference for the Cottonwood Connect Ski Shuttle at the Holladay Park and Ride in Holladay on Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023.
The shuttle launch comes as Brighton and Solitude ski resorts recently instituted parking reservations. At Brighton, reservations are required Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays until 1 p.m. They cost $20 but are free for cars with three or more passengers and for certain Brighton season pass holders.
At Solitude, parking reservations are required before 11 a.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. They cost $35 but are free for cars with four or more passengers.
The Utah Transit Authority also reduced ski bus service for the second straight season this year because of ongoing staff shortages. Ski buses run through April, but there are fewer routes and fewer trips.
During high-traffic periods, UTA runs “surge” ski bus service, with increased capacity on buses and “backup” buses. More information on ski bus service can be found at rideuta.org.
More information on Cottonwood Connect shuttle pickup and drop-off locations can be found at visitsaltlake.com.
