SANDY, Utah — A fatal crash in the Seven Turns area early Tuesday morning marks the third rollover accident in the past four days up Little Cottonwood Canyon.
“Traffic can get a little bit crazier when there’s no snow and no snow… and all of a sudden, it does dump,” said Sgt. Michael Olsen with Sandy Police.
The slower start to the ski season has made for some quieter shifts for his department. But Sgt. Olsen says upwards of 1,000 cars per hour can go up the windy road at peak times — like this past weekend.
The canyon creates driving dangers that Lexi Dowdall grew up with — she lived up LCC for some time.
“One thing you learn pretty quickly is that sometimes, Mother Nature is in charge,” said Dowdall.
Now the communications manager for Alta Ski Resort, she still takes its twists and turns almost daily.
“There’s almost 60 avalanche paths that cross Highway 210,” Dowdall said. “So, it’s not your average roadway… We’ve got quite a beast to deal with out there.”
In addition to the fatal accident on Tuesday, UDOT reported single-vehicle rollovers on Saturday near Tanners Flat and on Monday near Stick Rock.
Each of these crashes caused delays and closures that have downhill or uphill effects on resorts and businesses alike.
Amid the busy holiday period up at the resorts, both Alta officials and law enforcement are encouraging alternative forms of travel so that both the canyon road and the ski lines can flow smoothly.
“Carpool, take public transit… and especially don’t take the road if you don’t have a properly equipped vehicle or are too nervous to drive,” said Dowdall.
Even without a raging winter storm, the road can still be troublesome. Signs in the lower canyon warn of black ice amid this milder winter.
So if you are driving up, even without the traction law in effect, Dowdall says the roads deserve respect.
“Little and Big Cottonwood Canyon aren’t to be messed with,” Dowdall said. “We’re here to make sure everybody has a good day and gets home safely.”
If you’re planning a trip up the Cottonwood Canyons, you can always visit UDOT’s traffic dashboard to find out about the latest conditions.
DRIVEN TO CHANGE
