Generations Of The Wasatch

Generations Of The Wasatch Written by Grace Tyler, Development Director

About 1 year ago, the Conservation Alliance approved funding for our Wild Forests and Connected Watersheds Education Program focused around protecting the Wasatch Mountains through the NCRA. One of the key components of this project was creating a multi media marketing campaign to bolster our grassroots organizing. We partnered with Everett Fitch from Big American Story to create two stunning videos highlighting the importance of protecting the Wasatch. To view these videos please visit: saveourcanyons.org today.

Thirty Second Video “Our Canyons Carry Us” “Our Canyons Carry Us” features Save Our Canyons Members Erme, Anna and Luka Catino! This short video is a teaser into the world of Save Our Canyons. This video was played on PCTV during June—September.

Mini Documentary “Generations of the Wasatch” This 15+ minute documentary explores the generations Big Cottonwood Canyon, “Our Canyons Carry Us” of dedicated SOC members who protect the Wasatch Mountains. Watch as Save Our Canyons Member Bill and Sylvia Gray discuss the importance of protecting the Wasatch through learning about the wildflowers and birds. Listen to Emanuel, Allison, Milo, Simon Vásquez as they talk about how kids benefit from the micros of the Wasatch floors. And dive into Save Our Canyons Intern Caroline Weiler and Save Our Canyons Member and Volunteer Elliot Frei on how they plan to keep impacting the future of the Wasatch Mountains.

From everyone at Save Our Canyons we would like to say thank you to: Erme, Anna, Luka, Bill, Sylvia, Emanuel, Allison, Milo, Simon, Caroline and Elliot for volunteering their time to make this project happen. Before you watch the mini documentary we wanted to share with you the voice over guiding the viewers throughout this film:

Voice Over Leading into Save Our Canyons Member Bill and Sylvia Gray • Nature here holds a special place in the hearts of those that depend upon the Wasatch Mountains. Generations of plants, animals and people have thrived here. Their families have all grown here. Some of the stories survive here— because of the nurturing beauty of our home. But abundance like this—in resources, in stories—won’t last long if preservation of the Wasatch isn’t our shared goal. Voice Over Leading into Emanuel, Allison, Milo, and Simon Vásquez • You live here. You grow here. You’ve weathered many storms. Spring, summer, autumn, winter. The Wasatch, like our families, face numerous challenges and changes. The foundations of homes we care for provide shelter and comfort—and the Wasatch takes care of you. You feel it in the wisps of air you breathe, the rejuvenation of water you drink, the sturdiness of the ground you stand on, and preparing us for the unknown challenges ahead. Voice Over Leading into Caroline Weiler and Elliot Frei • You’re an adventurer. The kind that likes to get lost, get dirty, test your boundaries. Previous generations protected the wilderness to afford you these opportunities. You witness the sun rise over the Wasatch every morning. And you see the sun fall opposite the valley, giving the foothills their orange glow every evening. Alpenglow sets ablaze what’s important. Freedom is wild. Your free spirit and the wildness and beauty of the Wasatch are one in the same. Conclusion • Morning, noon and night, life sure is good near the Wasatch. If you value the canyon air you breathe, the rivers and lakes you get your water from and the shared experiences with the community of life that surrounds you, lend your voice to defend them. It took 1.4 billion years to create the iconic landscape you engage with; now is our time to leave a legacy that protects the work of the ages. We are Save Our Canyons and we need you to join us so the

Wasatch Mountains have a chance to stay wild. Be a voice for the Wasatch before it’s too late. Visit www.saveourcanyons.org to get involved.

UGLY - Greenworks greenwashed gondola and governmental glad-handing? “I noticed the parties named as the members of the Gondola Works (www.gondolaworks.com) Coalition are Alta and Snowbird, Powdr Corp (Cummings), Ski Utah and these two entities: The Exoro Group (they worked for Mountain Accord and CWC); CW Management which is Chris McCandless and Wayne Niederhauser (it’s all about money). No wonder the CWC acts like their marching orders are to “do transportation” first and above all else. Disgusting.” - Dave B., Save Our Canyons member submission (the upshot to the ugly is that folks are paying attention).

All GOOD things are wild and free! Not many encounters in the outdoors elicit a deeper response than viewing a wild animal in its natural habitat. Recently, sightings of Black Bears have come to our attention in the Central Wasatch. We thought now is a good time to remind our readers that the species we share this planet with are wild and must be respected. Being outdoors means being with wildlife. Many people never encounter a bear. But if you do, here’s some simple advice: • DO NOT RUN. • Remain calm. • Group together and pick up small children. • Continue to face the bear and back away slowly, talking calmly to identify yourself as a human. • If the bear continues to approach, try to scare it away by making yourself as large and imposing as possible by stretching your arms overhead and making loud noises. • Carry and know how to use bear spray, which is available at many outdoor retailers and can be used to deter a charging bear. • For more information please visit: https://www. fs.usda.gov/visit/know-before-you-go/bears

GOOD : “Not going to happen” Public Lands to Stay In Public hands! The current Bureau of Land Management’s acting director has put his agencies foot down on the transfer of public lands from federal to state management. We applaud this move I’m not a Freegan— don’t feed me or approach me. as we have joined the Outdoor Industry, SUWA, Sierra Club, and many thousands of you to show our love and support for public lands staying in the national trust of ALL American’s hands. UT’s delegation has long salivated over their desire to take over public lands as it’s seen as the lynch pin that is holding back a renaissance of road building, development, and gas and oil exploitation on public lands in Utah. (https://www.sltrib.com/news/environment/2020/09/10/public-lands-boss-says)

GOOD: Our Canyons Carry Us! About 1 year ago, the Conservation Alliance approved funding our Wild Forests and Connected Watersheds Education Program focused around protecting the Wasatch Mountains through the NCRA. One of the key components of this project is creating a multi media marketing campaign to bolster our grassroots organizing. We partnered with Everett Fitch from Big American Story to create two stunning videos highlighting the importance of protecting the Wasatch. To view these videos please visit: saveourcanyons.org today. We would like to give a big thank you to Everett (@everettfitch), the Big American Story team (@bigamericanstory), and the Conservation Alliance (@conservationalliance ) for helping with this project.

GOOD: CARES Act Helps Nonprofits! To say things have gone south since March, would be an understatement, but it hasn’t been just bad or ugly. In addition to all the assistance offered to small businesses and nonprofits, the CARES Act also recognized the potential for individuals and businesses to step up to support nonprofit organizations during these trying times. As a result, the authors of the Act provided some new tax benefits to encourage donations. You can find out more about these benefits by visiting the Park City Community Foundation website: https://parkcitycf.org/how-thecares-act-makes-it-a-great-time-to-give!

GOOD: Salt Lake City Parks and Public Lands Master Plan! How important has nature in your backyard become during the Covid lock down? Spotting bird life and Fox squirrels on walks around the open spaces and parks of Salt Lake has helped to melt away some of the uncertainty, even temporarily that abounds these days. We have the Wasatch Mountains as a haven for nature immersion but the proximity of city parks and public lands have made these sometimes underappreciated areas a haven for our communities. The SLC Parks and Public Lands Master Plan is seeking your input to help them “plan for a bright future by reimagining these spaces together.” SOC is engaging in this process and we encourage our members and supporters to do so as well. Spreading out use and showing our support for walkable open spaces in our communities will ease some of the pressure of use that the ecosystems of the Wasatch Range could really use. Visit reimaginenatureslc.com to take their survey and check out what they’re up to.

Wild! - A cougar encounter in cougar country! A 26 yr old from UT County had a frightening encounter with a mountain lion in Slate Canyon. The 6-min viral video (@kunkyle on Instagram) documented what Kirk Robinson from Western Wildlife Conservancy who studies and advocate for the protection of predators, called an “unusual case” of a mother defending her cubs; “The mother cougar saw [the runner] as a threat, not food.” He went on to issue this important reminder, “We live and recreate near and in cougar habitat, so we should Salt Lake City Parks and Public Lands Master Planlearn to peacefully live with them.” We might add that we believe all creatures in the Wasatch have a right to life and we need to do more to protect them and enact policies to help them thrive! Learn more about how to advocate for wildlife at: westernwildlifeconservancy.org.

Coming Soon: Save Our Canyons is going to be making branded masks to help keep our canyons COVID free! We will have more information on a release date soon! Make sure to check our social media accounts (Instagram and Facebook) and read our emails! Gonna get Ugly - Alta Ski Area alleges no backcountry parking! Alta Ski Area literally wants to pave paradise and put up more parking lots. But what is more troubling is that in emails to the Uinta-WasatchCache National Forest, the ski area is stating that there is no parking for non-Alta skiers anywhere within the Town of Alta. The ski area is fighting buses, stating Alta Skiers refuse to ride them, stating instead that more parking and interconnects need to be constructed.

Please let us know if you get harassed by Alta this winter. You can submit a comment through our community tip form: https://saveourcanyons.org/get-involved/community-tip-form. We expect they will be telling the public they aren’t welcome at the top of the Little Cottonwood Canyon, unless you are willing to pay the Black Knight.