Short-Term Projects Grant Program

During the May meeting of the Central Wasatch Commission, the Commission approved funding for fourteen project proposals that resulted from the Call for Ideas opened to the public in March. The goal of the Call for Ideas was to identify projects for possible funding that implement transportation and transit solutions, protect the ecosystems and watershed that originate in the Central Wasatch, steward recreational access, and sustain the economic viability of the Cottonwood Canyons.  

Starting in May 2024, the CWC partnered on the following projects: 

• The maintenance of Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest bathrooms at trailheads located in the tri-canyons. Support for trailhead facility maintenance will build upon a multi-year partnership among the Central Wasatch Commission, Salt Lake City Public Utilities, the Town of Brighton, and  the Uinta-Wasatch National Forest to service existing bathroom facilities at trailheads popular  with the public. 

• For the first year, the newly formed Central Wasatch Commission Youth Council was awarded two grants to plan and host a youth-oriented outdoor film festival and to build a community gear shed located at the Mobile Moon Co-op on the West side of Salt Lake City aimed at reducing barriers to accessing the Central Wasatch for historically under-served populations. 

• New this year, the support for Summit Community Gardens – EATS Environmental Education programs.

• For the second consecutive year, the CWC provided funding for the maintenance of aging fixed rock anchor hardware on climbing routes across the Central Wasatch, as part of the Salt Lake Climbers Alliance’s ongoing work to steward climbing access in the Wasatch. SLCA uses professional anchor technicians to perform the maintenance. 

• New this year, support for Salt Lake Climbers Alliance’s Alpenbock documentary film which will  delve into the history of legendary Wasatch climbers, celebrating the climbing legacy in Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons, and the enduring spirit of the Alpenbock Club amid contemporary preservation challenges. 

• For the third consecutive year, support for Cottonwood Canyons Foundation’s Tri-Canyon Trail Deferred Maintenance and Invasive Weed Control Project, which provides for extensive trail maintenance work across the Cottonwood Canyons. During its 2023 Tri-Canyon Trail Deferred Maintenance and Invasive Weed Control Project, CCF maintained 60 miles of trail, installed 2,275 feet of new trail, installed 200 feet of rock wall, surveyed 220.25 miles of trail for weed control, removing a total of 11,331 pounds of invasive weeds, and planted 1,492 native wildflowers for restoration.

• In an effort to offset winter canyon traffic, the CWC is continuing its partnership with Wasatch Backcountry Alliance to provide a free Saturday backcountry ski shuttle in Little and Big Cottonwood Canyons. This will be the third consecutive year the CWC will partially fund this transit initiative. 

• For the third consecutive year, partial support of Save Our Canyons’ Wilderness Stewardship Project through the organization’s Conservation Program. Through this project and with CWC  funding, Save Our Canyons removes illegal campfire rings, hosts trash cleanups and invasive weed pull days, conducts watershed education, and continues fuel management practices including burning, thinning, pruning, chipping across the Central Wasatch. 

• The Central Wasatch Commission awarded Trails Utah two grants to support the extension of the Pipeline Trail, and the maintenance of the White Pine Trail bridge. 

• For the fourth consecutive year, the CWC will support Utah Open Lands’ Transit to Trails Shuttle program, which provides a direct public transit option from the Park City Old Town area to the following trailheads along SR-224 and Guardsman Pass Road: Mid-Mountain Trailhead, Bonanza Flat Trailhead, and Bloods Lake Trailhead. New in 2024, this program will expand to shuttle recreationists from the Wasatch Front, picking up in Sandy City and Cottonwood Heights to shuttle to popular trailheads in the Wasatch Back, further reducing traffic in Parley’s Canyon and Guardsman Pass Road. Transit to Trails runs all summer until the first snowfall in October. 

• New this year, Utah Open Lands was awarded funding to support the construction of an accessible trail at Bonanza Flat. 

• The CWC continues to support the year-round abatement of graffiti tags across the Central Wasatch in partnership with the Wasatch Graffiti Busters. 

“The Central Wasatch Commission is please to create new and build upon existing partnerships with organizations working to steward recreational access, sustain the ecosystems, and protect the watershed that originate in the Central Wasatch,” said Jeff Silvestrini, Chair of the Central Wasatch Commission, and Millcreek Mayor. “These projects signify the ongoing commitment of the CWC and the broader community to the preservation of the Central Wasatch Mountain Range. We are especially pleased to fund two project proposals from the newly created Central Wasatch Commission Youth Council.” 

All fourteen of these projects will take place in 2024 and 2025, and will address tenets laid out in Mountain Accord including recreational stewardship, environmental and watershed protection. Partnering with nonprofit organizations, and other governmental entities on these projects will allow the CWC the opportunity to engage diverse stakeholders throughout the Central Wasatch and will help see these projects to completion.

Co-Chair of the Central Wasatch Commission Youth Council, Crystal Chen said, “The Youth Council is thrilled to be able to construct and stock a new community gear library this summer. With funding from the Board of Commissioners, we will be able to offer camping, backpacking, and other outdoor gear rentals free of charge to the community.” The Youth Council is an opportunity for people between the ages 16 – 30 to engage directly with the Central Wasatch Commission on issues in the Central Wasatch Mountains. For more information, or to join the Youth Council, visit cwc.utah.gov. 

During the May 1st meeting of the Central Wasatch Commission, the Commission approved funding for eight project proposals that resulted from the Call for Ideas opened to the public in March. The goal of the Call for Ideas was to identify projects for possible funding that implement transportation and transit solutions, protect the ecosystems and watershed that originate in the Central Wasatch, steward recreational access, and sustain the economic viability of the Cottonwood Canyons. The Commission moved to enter into partnerships on eight projects that address the tenets laid out in Mountain Accord. The funding for the eight approved projects will be allocated from the Central Wasatch Commission’s 2022/2023 fiscal year budget and will not call upon reserve funding.

Starting in May, the CWC will partner on the following projects:

• The maintenance of United States Forest Service bathrooms at trailheads located in the tri-canyons. Support for trailhead facility maintenance will build upon a partnership among the Central Wasatch Commission, Cottonwood Canyons Foundation, Salt Lake City Public Utilities, and the United States Forest Service (USFS) to service existing bathroom facilities at trailheads popular with the public.

• Support for Cottonwood Canyons Foundation’s 2023 Tri-Canyon Trail Deferred Maintenance and Invasive Weed Control Project, which provides for extensive trail maintenance work across the Cottonwood Canyons. During its 2022 Tri-Canyon Trail Deferred Maintenance and Invasive Weed Control Project, CCF maintained 60 miles of trail, installed 2,275 feet of new trail, installed 200 feet of rock wall, surveyed 220.25 miles of trail for weed control, removing a total of 11,331 pounds of invasive weeds, and planted 1,492 native wildflowers for restoration.

• For the third consecutive year, the CWC will support Utah Open Lands’ Bonanza Flat Trailhead Transit program, or Transit to Trails Shuttle program. The Transit to Trails program is a shuttle service from Park City to some of the highest use trailheads in the Wasatch Back. This shuttle provides a direct public transit option from the Park City Old Town area to the following trailheads along SR-224 and Guardsman Pass Road: Mid-Mountain Trailhead, Bonanza Flat Trailhead, and Bloods Lake Trailhead. This shuttle runs all summer until the first snowfall in October.

• The maintenance of aging fixed rock anchor hardware on climbing routes across the Central Wasatch, as part of the Salt Lake Climbers Alliance’s ongoing work to steward climbing access in the Wasatch. SLCA uses a combination of professional trail crews and volunteers to perform the maintenance.

• In an effort to offset winter canyon traffic, the CWC is continuing its partnership with Wasatch Backcountry Alliance to provide a free Saturday backcountry ski shuttle in Little and Big Cottonwood Canyons. This will be the second consecutive year the CWC will partially fund this initiative.

• The full support of Friend’s of Alta Junior Ranger Activity Book, which is an environmental education tool for children to become acquainted with the mountain environment in Little Cottonwood Canyon, and to learn about the importance of the watershed that originates in upper Little Cottonwood Canyon, as well as the town of Alta.

• The partial support of Save Our Canyons’ Wilderness Stewardship Project through the organization’s Conservation Program. Through this project and with CWC funding, Save Our Canyons aims to complete 30 hours of trail maintenance (removing illegal campfire rings, host trash cleanups, etc.), host invasive weed pulls partnered with Salt Lake Public Utilities, work with over 100 volunteers during the 2023 summer/fall trail season, attend and host different events to educate the community about the importance of protecting our watershed, continue advocating for a year-round public transportation system, and continue our fuel management practices including burning, thinning, pruning, chipping, and mechanically removing fuels to reduce the amount and continuity of burnable vegetation.

• For the first year, the Central Wasatch Commission will partner with the Park City Conservation Association, dba Recycle Utah for the Dumpster Days events, which help divert toxic materials from waterways.

• Though not part of the Short-Term Projects program, the CWC continues to support the year-round abatement of graffiti tags across the Central Wasatch.

The Commission approved funding for nine project proposals that resulted from the Call for Ideas opened to the public in March 2022. The goal of the Call for Ideas was to identify projects for possible funding that implement transportation and transit solutions and protect the ecosystems and watershed that originate in the Central Wasatch, steward recreational access, and sustain the economic viability of the Cottonwood Canyons.

In May 2022, the CWC partnered on the following projects and allocated a total of $51,250 in funding:

• The Cottonwood Canyons Foundation has a mission of stewardship within the tri-canyon area and leads trail maintenance and invasive species management. In 2021 CCF maintained or improved 108 miles of trails and removed 6,511 lbs of invasive weeds and this year the CWC is providing needed funding to support deferred maintenance, repair, and sustainability of trails in the area.

Volunteers removing invasive species.

• The Commission is continuing to support Salt Lake Climber’s Alliance in rerouting the Jacob’s Ladder trail to the Lone Peak Cirque. This project began in 2021 during which almost half a mile of trail was rerouted and the final 2.5 miles are planned to be completed this year. Due to the steep terrain of the trail and its backcountry location the trail needs to be hand built.

A runner on the new segment of the trail.

• The Commission is partially funding the Wasatch Backcountry Alliance’s weekly shuttle program intended to improve access to areas in Little Cottonwood Canyon and Big Cottonwood Canyon for backcountry use during the ski season. Learn more about the program here.

• The CWC is continuing to support the Beaver Dam Analog Project’s completion. This project involves building structures that will re-attract beavers to the Willow Heights area and improve the health of the surrounding environment, especially the water-retaining capacity of the watershed.

Volunteers building one of the analogs.

• The Central Wasatch Commission built upon its existing relationship with Trails Utah to partially fund the completion of the final 1,000 feet of the Bonneville Shoreline trail section running from Big Cottonwood Canyon to Ferguson Canyon. Completion of this section of the trail will improve access to Ferguson Canyon and will give access to the canyon from the lowest part of Big Cottonwood Canyon.

• Last year the Commission partially funded Utah Open Lands’ transit to Bonanza Flat trails program and it is continuing its support of the program in 2022. Transit to Trails provides shuttle service from Park City to the highest use trails on Bonanza Flat and runs during the summer months to reduce parking issues in the area.

• Junior Ranger Activity Books provided by Friends of Alta. These books are intended for children ages 5 and older to complete and learn about the importance of the watershed and the town of Alta.

• The Commission worked with a private citizen to fund a bike rack at the base of Rattlesnake Gulch Trailhead. This bike parking allows hikers and runners to ride to the trailhead and reduce the number of vehicles in Millcreek Canyon.

The installed bike rack at the trailhead.

• Save Our Canyons’ Wilderness Stewardship Project works to maintain wilderness characteristics in the Wasatch Wilderness areas and educate children through their Kids Program. The Commission is supporting this effort to provide necessary educational materials.

Participants learning about stewardship.

• Though not part of the Short-Term Projects program, the CWC continues to support the year-round abatement of graffiti tags across the Central Wasatch.

The Commission moved to enter into partnerships on seven projects that address the tenets laid out in Mountain Accord and focus on projects in both the Wasatch Front and the Wasatch Back. The funding for the six approved projects was allocated from the Central Wasatch Commission’s 2020/2021 fiscal year budget with $13,500 coming out of reserve funding.

In June 2021, the CWC partnered on the following projects:

• The development and installation of new interpretive signs along the Cecret Lake Trail in Alta’s Albion Basin. Currently, a series of five interpretive signs are located along the trail, although these signs are a few decades old and are badly in need of physical replacement and updated content. The intention is to replace signs along with information about the natural resources and general environment and ecology in Alta. Through funding this signage project, the Central Wasatch Commission embarked on a partnership with Alta Ski Area to update the signage.

• The Central Wasatch Commission partially funded the Cottonwood Canyons Foundation 2021 Cottonwood Canyons Preservation and Sustainability Initiative to help address the trail maintenance backlog across the Tri Canyons. Using a five-person trail crew, and two-person invasive weeds crew, CCF hosted hundreds of volunteers to fulfill the trail maintenance and invasive weed mitigation needs in Big Cottonwood, Little Cottonwood, and Millcreek Canyons. Projects included installing 250 erosion control devices, assessment and maintenance of 70 miles of trail, and weed monitoring of more than 150 acres.

• The Central Wasatch Commission built upon its existing partnership with Utah Open Lands to partially fund two Utah Open Lands projects for the 2021 work season: The Bonanza Flat Trailhead Transit program, or Transit to Trails, and the Cottonwood Canyon Stewardship program. The Transit to Trails program is a shuttle service from Park City to some of the highest use trailheads in the Wasatch Back. This shuttle provided a direct public transit option from the Park City Old Town area to the following trailheads along SR-224 and Guardsman Pass Road: Mid-Mountain Trailhead, Bonanza Flat Trailhead, and Bloods Lake Trailhead. This shuttle ran all summer until the first snowfall in October.

• The Cottonwood Canyon Stewardship program resulted in a user survey intended to inform land managers and stewards of the various uses and needs at three specific trailheads: the Cottonwood Heights Bonneville Shoreline Trail Preserve, Bonanza Flat Conservation Area, and Willow Heights. The program provided education to recreational users regarding appropriate outdoor etiquette and engaged with users in order to mitigate potential impacts on the land. In 2020, the Central Wasatch Commission supported Utah Open Lands’ effort to raise the necessary funding to purchase 26 acres of land at the base of Little Cottonwood Canyon. The land acquisition protected vital viewshed and provide an opportunity to create a trailhead for access to adjacent trails and recreational areas as well as connect a portion of the Bonneville Shoreline Trail.

• Support of the re-route project at the Jacob’s Ladder trail to the Lone Peak Cirque initiated by Salt Lake Climbers Alliance. Trails crews and volunteers will construct a three-mile reroute resulting in a new segment of switchbacks across the trail slope rather than climbing directly up it, allowing for frequent drainage and decreased erosion. The new trail will average 12 percent grade rather than the current 32 percent grade. This project is still in progress because of fundraising needs. In 2020, the CWC partnered with the Salt Lake Climbers Alliance to improve and define trails leading to rock climbing areas and replace aging fixed hardware on climbing routes using a combination of professional trail crews and volunteers in Little Cottonwood Canyon. The allocation of funds to the Jacob’s Ladder re-route project builds upon an existing partnership between the Climbers Alliance and the Central Wasatch Commission. More project information can be found here.

• The replacement of existing geological interpretive signage in Big Cottonwood Canyon. This project will facilitate a partnership between the Central Wasatch Commission, the Utah Geological Association, and the Town of Brighton to replace three existing signs, the Remnants of an Ancient Sea (mile 2.3), the Big Cottonwood Quartzites (mile 2.8), and the Mississippian Marble (mile 7.2) (miles from park and ride). The geologic interpretive signs are in pullouts adjacent to Hwy-190 and easily accessed by everyone regardless of age or mobility.

• The Beaver Dam Analog Project (human-made beaver dams) got underway on October, 27th 2021. Volunteers installed the logs, willow trees, and filler designed to attract beavers to Willow Lake by Summer 2022. Robby Edgel, Division of Wildlife Resources beaver expert, and his team conducted this project with support from the CWC.

• Though not part of the Short-Term Projects program, the CWC continues to support the year-round abatement of graffiti tags across the Central Wasatch.

The Commission approved funding for seven project proposals that resulted from the Call for Ideas opened to the public in March 2020. The goal of the Call for Ideas was to identify projects for possible funding that implement transportation and transit solutions and protect the ecosystems and watersheds that originate in the Central Wasatch, steward recreational access, and sustain the economic viability of the Cottonwood Canyons. The Commission moved to enter into partnerships on six projects that address the tenets laid out in Mountain Accord. The funding for the six approved projects will be allocated from the Central Wasatch Commission’s 2019/2020 fiscal year budget and will not call upon reserve funding.

In May 2020, the CWC partnered on the following projects:

• The maintenance of three United States Forest Service bathrooms at trailheads located at Donut Falls and Mill B in Big Cottonwood Canyon, and Temple Quarry in Little Cottonwood Canyon. These projects built upon a partnership among the Central Wasatch Commission, Salt Lake City Public Utilities, and the United States Forest Service (USFS) to service existing bathroom facilities at trailheads popular with the public. CWC funding will ensure that the USFS will continue to provide public access to these facilities as USFS funding sources have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Co-sponsored “Chipper Days” throughout Little and Big Cottonwood Canyons, Millcreek Canyon, and Parley’s Corridor. This project facilitated a partnership among the CWC, local jurisdictions, and the State’s Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands to help mitigate potential fire risks throughout the project area by reducing fuels and educating the public on best fuels management practices.

• A land acquisition in Cottonwood Heights at the base of Little Cottonwood Canyon. The Central Wasatch Commission contributed to Utah Open Lands’ effort to raise the necessary funding to purchase 26 acres of land at the base of Little Cottonwood Canyon. The land acquisition was supported by Cottonwood Heights, Salt Lake County, and other organizations. The acquisition protected vital viewshed and provided an opportunity to create a trailhead for access to adjacent trails and recreational areas as well as connect a portion of the Bonneville Shoreline Trail. Here is more information on the project.

• The construction of two significant bridges allow the rerouted Dog Lake trail to cross a ravine to the east side of Reynolds Peak. This project built upon a partnership among the CWC, Trails Utah, and the United States Forest Service to address erosion, protection of the watershed, and safety as the Dog Lake trail is a highly trafficked trail by various user groups. Without CWC funding, the project would otherwise not have been able to be completed in the 2020 work season.

One of the bridges built on the Dog Lake Trail.

• Support of the ongoing maintenance of the Lone Peak Wilderness Wag Bag Kiosk, sponsored by Save Our Canyons, the Salt Lake Climbers Alliance, and the Gear Room SLC. The funding provided by the CWC enabled Save Our Canyons staff to continue the replenishment of wag bags at the Jacob’s Ladder trailhead, helping hikers to pack out human waste rather than leaving it in the wilderness and watershed areas. Without the funding provided by the CWC, the kiosk would not have been replenished through the 2020 summer season. Learn more here.

The Lone Peak wag bag kiosk.

• The Graffiti Busters is a group of local residents who remove graffiti tags that appear throughout the tri-canyon area. The group estimated that they removed 300 graffiti tags that appeared on rock faces, bathroom doors, and trailhead signs per summer season. The CWC support helped the Graffiti Busters maintain their work by providing funding for the watershed-safe solvent used to remove tags and for the purchase of a power washer, making the abatement process easier and faster. Read more about this project here.

A Wasatch Graffiti Buster cleaning graffiti off a rock face near Mt. Olympus Trailhead.

• Support of the stewardship project at the Gate Buttress trail in Little Cottonwood Canyon to improve and define trails leading to rock climbing areas and replace aging fixed hardware on climbing routes using a combination of professional trail crews and volunteers. Protection of land for public recreation promotes positive lifestyle choices that increase the quality of life for residents and visitors of Utah. By providing funding for this project, the CWC has partnered with the Salt Lake Climbers Alliance.

One of the climbing trail signs at the Gate Buttress Trailhead in Little Cottonwood Canyon.

“The Central Wasatch Commission is excited to enter into public/private partnerships with organizations working to steward recreational access, sustain the ecosystems, and protect the watershed that originate in the Central Wasatch,” said Christopher Robinson, Chair of the Central Wasatch Commission, and Summit County Council member. “These projects signify the ongoing commitment of the CWC and the broader community to the preservation of the Central Wasatch Mountain Range.”