Industry News
The wait to hike Mount Superior, Utah, is over, but only for a few weeks before another short-term closure in early September. The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) has temporarily lifted the closure in Little Cottonwood Canyon after completion of the initial phase of their avalanche mitigation project along SR 210, which is the road that leads to Alta Ski Resort and Snowbird Resort.ย
This spring, UDOT began installing new Wyssen avalanche control towers along the Superior ridge line as part of their new safety improvements. The preparation work, including site clearing, anchor drilling, and concrete pouring for the tower foundations, has been completed ahead of schedule. UDOT has kept the public informed with regular updates, even sharing behind-the-scenes glimpses on their social media accounts.
The project area closure was lifted by UDOT at sunrise on Sunday, August 11, enabling hikers and people wanting to explore the mountains the ability to reenter the canyon. This reopening is only temporary, though. The project’s last stage is placing the towers in a staging area before using a specialized heavy-lifting helicopter to move them to their intended places. This important stage is planned for late August or early September, and depending on helicopter availability during the hectic fire season, there may be a brief closure during the installation.
UDOT expressed its appreciation to the community for respecting the summer closure, which was essential for completing the first phase of the project on time. As it moves forward, UDOT will continue to remain committed to balancing safety improvements with public access to this popular hiking destination.
