Summer 2022 Newsletter

Dedicated to protecting the beauty and wildness of the Wasatch Mountains

summer 2022 Newsletter

Citizens Committee to Save Our Canyons 3690 E Fort Union Blvd STE 101 Cottonwood Heights, UT 84121

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801.363.7283 info@saveourcanyons.org https://saveourcanyons.org

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ALEXIS KELNER Editor Emeritus

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Director’s Message: P2-P3 Trails Master Plan For The Tri Canyon Area: P4-P5 Greater Avenues Community Council: P6-P7 50th Anniversary Celebration: P8 An Outsider’s Perspective On The Importance Of Save Our Canyons: P9 Recreation Enhancement Act (REA): P10 Barriers To Nature Initiative: P11 Birds Of The Wasatch— Mount Nebo Soaring With Birds And Golden Eagle Rescue: P12-P13 Keep Cars Out Of The Top Of Millcreek Canyon: P14 Become A Member: P15

Lackadaisical Director’s Message

Written by Executive Director, Carl Fisher For decades, the State of Utah, primarily its legislature though many governors have also been culpable, has been unalterable toward common sense and scientifically grounded actions to protect its environment. Utah is one of the most beautiful states in the country, some might even call it Eden. Stegner reminds us however that there, “Is no Eden valid, without a serpent.” It is becoming increasingly clear that in addition to our water woes, and failure to steward our forests, we also have a snake problem.

Recently, after well-earned criticism in the state’s non-response to a dying Great Salt Lake, Governor Cox said Utah got “lackadaisical” about water. Lackadaisical might be the best-case scenario, and we should reject the state’s scapegoat vernacular suggesting they’ve merely been lazy. Utah has been outright hostile to recommendations from nearly every facet of our community, universities, water resource managers, cities and counties, scientists, non-profits, the people who call this place home.

One only has to look at the processes like the Mountain Accord, and projects being pursued by the local governmental agency to help work through and pursue a consensus decision by state and local governments and a litany of community organizations, businesses and individuals — or as one might collectively refer to

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this impressive group, citizens of the State of Utah. This group and its hard work have not been lazily ignored, it has been met with outright hostility as if we were enemies of the state trying to harm the state, its resources and its people. This couldn’t be further from the contrary, but the state’s active vilification of people coming together to solve problems, is quite literally going to kill people.

As we learned at our Dust Forum in June, the dust plumes blowing off the dry Great Salt Lake bed, will be laden with toxic heavy metals. This dust, combined with the dust we’ll get to enjoy blowing from ever expanding gravel pits in our watersheds, will also result in our dwindling snow to melt even faster, as the dust on snow changes the albedo (amount of light reflected vs absorbed), the same effect that makes your black t-shirt hotter than a white t-shirt on a sunny day.

It is pretty disgusting that UDOT, the Governor and Utah’s Legislature continues to entertain public boondoggles like gondolas, that will place new and unmitigated pressures on our Wasatch watershed canyons that will cost billions of dollars (looking at options for both Big and Little Cottonwood Canyon), meanwhile they give what one legislator told the New York Times would be Utah’s “environmental nuclear bomb” a meager $40 million.

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Wasatch From Antelope Island

The Wasatch is inextricably tied to the Great Salt Lake, its waters flow to its terminal basin. We live, play and raise our families in the Great Salt Lake ecosystem.

Our livelihoods depend on an honest assessment of the future we are confronted with. What Utah is doing (or isn’t’ doing) to the Great Salt Lake and other critical environments is not accidental, or lazy, lackadaisical, it is malicious and methodical in pursuit of dollars at the expense of its people and the resources they are dependent upon, namely water and air.

I love Utah, I love our community, I love its deserts, mountains, rivers, its cities and towns. But because of so-called laziness, the future we leave our children appears to be toxic at best… dystopian. This can be somewhat mitigated, but will require leadership, conviction and vision - characteristics endowed upon few who wander the granite floors (once the walls of Little

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Cottonwood Canyon) of the Capitol building.

We need laws to hold our politicians accountable.

Their good will is merely stealing from future generations and the longevity of our lives (ie. fewer ski days).

For decades, laws have been going the opposite direction of the threats and challenges we face.

In our 50th year, it’s time to call it like it is. Utah couldn’t have greater disdain for Utah, it’s an absolute tragedy, but Utahns can change it — call your elected officials, write them an email, and write a letter to the editor of a local newspaper on your experience. No excuses, action. It should take less than an hour of your time. Don’t be lackadaisical, because if you are, as the saying goes — you reap what you sow. We shouldn’t afford them this excuse.

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Trails Master Plan for the Tri Canyon Area Written by Claire Parsons, Wilderness Stewardship and Education Coordinator

We believe the expertise and experience the National Parks Service can lend to this project can aid in balancing competing priorities for the benefit of the many values intrinsic to the land, the water we are reliant upon, and the opportunities we seek to share with other people. The Salt Lake Ranger District will be hosting public listening sessions this Fall/Winter 2022 for the community to join together to voice their concerns about the trails and the canyons, suggestions for their management plan, and allow for overall questions - stay engaged with our Action Alerts to learn more about when and where these sessions will be taking place.

This is a scaled effort that Save Our Canyons has consistently worked with the Forest Service on for many years and we need our members to be actively involved so that we create an effective management plan. With 1,800 native plant and animal species in the Wasatch and millions of annual visitors, we take our responsibility of caring for these areas seriously and fully support the development of a Tri-Canyon Master Plan in hopes that it will help us improve our watershed, ecosystem health, and the future of recreation opportunities and promote a legacy of stewardship we can all be proud and part of.

Photo Taken By Howie Garber Images I Tri Canyon: Millcreek Canyon, Big and Little Cottonwood Canyon

In a valley that is seeing sustained growth and usage across the Wasatch, it has become dire to formalize a master plan for this ecosystem - more specifically the Tri-Canyon area which is made up of Millcreek Canyon, Big Cottonwood Canyon, and Little Cottonwood Canyon. This master plan will act as a framework that promotes a collective vision, including voices from public land managers, community members, local nonprofits and government, cities, counciles, and counties alike to ensure the future of the Wasatch has conservation at its core.

The importance of this geography to our members and community is complex. First and foremost, these areas are a watershed for Salt Lake County. For decades, Save Our Canyons has partnered with the US Forest Service Salt Lake Ranger District (SLRD) to maintain and improve recreation stewardship, most recently within designated Wilderness areas in the Central Wasatch Mountains. This has resulted in trail crews and countless volunteers maintaining the integrity of heavily used areas across the region.

In addition to backcountry stewardship and advocacy, we have had success with the SLRD in gathering data on user-created trails that inevitably impact land, water,

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other users, and flora and fauna in the designated Wilderness Areas of the Central Wasatch Mountains.

We have seen firsthand both the resource impacts and the demand this beloved region has incurred, all compounded by population growth and climate change, underscoring the need for an integrated conservation and recreation plan. It is up to all of us to formalize a plan that defends resource goals, focuses on rehabilitation and rewilding, well-planned trail systems, and provides the space for the Wasatch to breathe.

Visitation in this area, driven primarily by population growth in the region, is staggering. Visits to this forest exceeds that of many of the National Parks in the region. With a master plan in the works that will naturally involve many different user groups and stakeholders, the SLRD has applied to work with the National Parks Service. Balancing conservation priorities with recreational demand has been a challenge that the National Park Service has risen to. Although the Wasatch is not and will not become a National Park, it is true that we experience the same volume and usage as the surrounding National Parks across the state - in turn, the Wasatch needs the same level of attention, funding, maintenance, and proactive management.

www.saveourcanyons.org

Photo Taken By Howie Garber Images I Big Cottonwood Canyon

JOIN OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS We are looking for a few creative, intelligent, and tenacious new people to become Board Members and join our Save Our Canyons team.

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Since 1972, we have been successful in protecting the Wasatch Mountains, canyons, and foothills. This is our core mission!

You will do important work to help protect the Wasatch Mountains, our stunning backdrop along the Wasatch front, back, north, and south, a sanctuary and watershed for a million plus residents.

Becoming a Board Member at Save Our Canyons will boost your spirit, your resume, and your credibility.

We value your unique perspectives as we continue to build a diverse Board of Directors that better represents our mountain community.

SAVE OUR CANYONS https://saveourcanyons.org info@saveourcanyons.org Phone: (801).363.7283

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of insight and information to achieve the plan’s goals that balance land conservation with sustainable recreation. SLC staff has met with Save Our Foothills (SOF) and SLC Trails Alliance (SLCTA) several times to learn not just about their goals or concerns but to glean helpful information that will help us make more informed decisions.

The following three articles: “Save Our Foothills: Environmental Preservation for Now and for Our Future”, “Salt Lake City Foothills Trail System Plan” and “The Salt Lake City Trails Alliance” were published in the Greater Avenues Community Council Vol. XXVI, issue 7 in July 2022.

Save Our Foothills: Environmental Preservation for Now and for Our Future

By Hilary Jacobs and Dan Schelling

to come. As citizens we can all agree that recreational development should enhance rather than degrade the natural characteristics of the Foothills.

Save Our Foothills is a citizen campaign that came together in 2021 to advocate for the conservation and preservation of the Salt Lake City Foothills. The Foothills provide essential wildlife habitat, watersheds, and open space for all to enjoy. Our mission is to ensure the preservation of the Salt Lake City Foothills ecosystems, and the remarkable biodiversity that resides here, for the enjoyment and health of all visitors. Our immediate goals are to encourage Salt Lake City to develop science-based land use and recreation management plans for the Foothills, thus ensuring that these natural environments are maintained into perpetuity.

We are incredibly fortunate to live in close proximity to wilderness quality lands that provide us with immeasurable physical, mental and emotional benefits.

In our enthusiasm to increase recreational op-portunities, however, we must not take them for granted. We need to acknowledge that these lands are fragile, easily erode, and recognize that this arid environment is slow or sometimes unable to recover from damage. As Salt Lake City moves forward it is our collective responsibility to ensure that we leave a legacy for the future that in-cludes beautiful, unscarred viewscapes, intact habitats, and meadows blooming with native wildflowers.

Save Our Foothills believes long-term sustainability is possible through public engagement and intelligent decision-making. Detailed field research is required to understand and protect plants, wildlife, soils, water, and to understand the impact of recreational activities.

Additionally, we need comprehensive cultural and historical studies to understand and appreciate how these lands have been used, altered, and cared for by Native American stewards for millennia.

Save Our Foothills is ready to assist Salt Lake City to realize a vision for equitable and responsible enjoyment of the Foothills. Opportunities await, however prior to any development adequate protections for the Foothill natural environments must be defined and in place. We must also embrace outdoor etiquette and education.

We have but one chance to do this right. Let’s take the time we need, rise to the occasion, and constructively meet this challenge.

With an appropriate and comprehensive data-set, and an assess-ment of community values, Salt Lake City will be equipped to develop a regional land use management plan. This will then al-low Salt Lake City to develop a recreational management plan that prioritizes environmental preservation while allowing inclusive and equitable access to the Foothills—and to do this in a manner that will serve residents for generations

Salt Lake City Foothills Trail System Plan

By Tyler Fonarow, SLC Public Lands Rec. Trails Manager

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In June 2021, Public Lands submitted an article to GACC with a summary of Phase I of the Foothills Plan and its goals for evaluation before proceeding into Phase II. The analysis produced a tremendous amount

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The City has also committed to recruiting experts to evaluate and give feedback on Phase I implementation and the plans for Phase II. SWCA was hired in December 2021 to gather ecological and cultural analytics of trail corridors and designated “habitat study areas” within the Foothills. They have been actively engaging with local agencies to compile an inventory of factors to be considered and will present their findings and recommendations later this year. After an initial RFP for a trails plan evaluation this winter was cancelled due to insufficient responses, a more robust and detailed RFP was put out in the spring. A firm with extensive planning and trail design experience in wilderness and conservation areas has been selected but is still confidential until the contracts are signed later in June. Their consultation will run summer 2022 through summer 2023, leading to the possibility of Phase II implementation as early as fall 2023 or 2024.

While design and construction lay the foundation for a successful trail system, equally important are its users’ behaviors and trail culture. With the abundance of new users recreating in the Foothills, combined with the historical lack of oversight of regulations by its land managers (SLC, State, USFS), it is more critical than ever to work together to determine agreed-upon trail use guidelines and how best to educate the public on best practices on complex issues such as dogs, e-bikes, and land sustainability. There are successful models around the country where these “education and etiquette” campaigns have brought together conflicting organizations to find common goals and a more collaborative co-existence. It is the hope of SLC Public Lands that we can partner with groups like SOF, SLCTA, conservation leader Save Our Canyons, and the exploding number of mountain biking teams, riders, and hikers to come together to find a reasonable solution to protect our foothills and keep our trail users safe and happy.

The Salt Lake City Trails Alliance

by Ashley Patterson, Larry Dunn & Kenton Peters After spending five years laying the groundwork for a successful implementation phase of the Salt Lake City Foothills Trail System Plan, in March of 2020, the Salt www.saveourcanyons.org

Lake City Council formally approved the plan. Construction began in the summer of 2020, just as COVID-19 had begun to upend our lives, making this trail system even more critical to our residents and visitors.

Despite extensive engagement and planning efforts, phase 1 of construction surprised some, who expressed concern and outrage to city officials at the building of these first trails. In response, Mayor Mendenhall paused further construction for several months and then extended the pause for an entire year so consultants could assess the issues. Nearly one year after the initial pause, the consultants still have not been hired. Thus, Parks and Public Lands staff recently asked the City Council to extend the construction pause for another year to June 2023.

Local citizens formed the Salt Lake City Trails Alliance to understand the pause and advocate for a well-planned network of foothills trails to provide quality recreation opportunities for a broad range of non-motorized users.

As a group of volunteers, we are willing to roll up our sleeves to help with the implementation, maintenance, or advocacy of an intentionally-designed trails system.

We promote the idea that trails close to home reduce driving - save valuable time and money – while benefiting air quality and climate change.

To move forward successfully, we understand and support Salt Lake City’s acknowledgment the implementation of the first phase of the plan did have some problems, and we support the city’s commitment to addressing these. However, we also believe the fundamentals of the approved trails plan are solid, and the plan’s implementation should continue. As we are now in our third construction pause for this project, we are concerned the future approved phases will be postponed indefinitely. As Salt Lake City taxpayers, we request a firm deadline for the completion of the consultants’ studies, a publicly-stated date when Salt Lake City will announce proposed new trails, and a firm date for starting construction.

Having a defined and firm schedule will help all lovers of the foothills regain the trust that Salt Lake City will move forward with new, sustainable trails built for all users. Using the excellent examples set by our neighbors in Park City, Draper, Herriman, and other Utah towns, we look forward to working with Salt Lake City to expand and sustain the trail system that our worldclass city deserves.

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50th Anniversary Celebration Join us on September 10 at 6:30pm at the Natural History Museum of Utah for our 50th Anniversary Celebration Presented By KÜHL.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Save Our Canyons! 50 years ago a few hikers, climbers, scientists, parents, and concerned citizens united together and formed Save Our Canyons, a community dedicated solely to protecting the wildness and beauty of the Wasatch Mountains.

50 years later, we’re still at it. Still committed and still relentless. Still a passionate group of mothers and fathers, climbers and hikers, mountain bikers and picnickers, skiers and snowboarders working to protect the Wasatch Mountains.

This year we’re excited to unite around the protection of the Wasatch Mountains during our 50th Anniversary Celebration Presented By KÜHL, on September 10 at 6:30pm. This event is a fundraiser benefiting Save Our Canyons and held at the Natural History Museum of Utah.

This celebration gives you an opportunity to mix and mingle with others working to protect the Wasatch Mountains. While knowing your ticket price will go towards our many campaigns including but not limited to stopping a 600+ acre mining operation in Parley’s Canyon and protecting Little Cottonwood Canyon from the world’s longest gondola.

Join us on September 10 at 6:30pm at the Natural History Museum of Utah for our 50th Anniversary Celebration Presented By KÜHL.

scan to attend

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An Outsider’s Perspective on the Importance of Save Our Canyons Written by Mary Eargle, Save Our Canyons Summer Intern

I moved here from the East Ccoast almost two years ago. I had been living here for a few months before I began to notice that something was missing. Where were the trees? Where was the humidity? Where were the sounds of crickets at night? The praying mantis that would show up on my windowsill? The colorful birds and the even more colorful flowers that I would see on a neighborhood stroll? It began to feel like I had wandered much, much too far from home.

And I even thought I was beginning to hate it here.

A few months ago I had too much time to kill, so I drove until I found a random traihead that was busy with people. I began to walk. I was only planning to walk for a few minutes. But I noticed the air was getting a little more humid, and it drew me onward.

Then I began to notice beautiful blue flowers on the trail, so I continued to follow them. Pretty soon there were fields of these blooms, and the trail began to go up and up. I thought, “Might as well keep going!”

I hiked on. I met a man who told me, “Keep it up, you’re almost to the top!” The top?! I had never summited a mountain in my life. But why stop now. I went on and found stunning yellow flowers, followed by tiny purple ones. I quickly started to realize these mountains are very biodiverse! I finally reached the peak, and saw the most spectacular views I’d ever seen in my life. This was one of the most incredible experiences of my life. As I was reaching the end of my hike back down and the sun was setting, I heard the sweetest sound. There at the mouth of the canyon, a chorus of crickets began to chirp. I felt like a child again, falling asleep to the same sound outside of my window. It brought more than a few tears to my eyes.

It was shortly after this I began my internship with Save Our Canyons (SOC). I started off not even knowing the difference between “The Wasatch” and the “Uintas”. I just knew that I have always loved nature and I wanted to protect it. During my time with SOC, I have learned much more than just what the acronyms BCC and LCC mean. I have seen how invaluable this organization is to the preservation of the Wasatch and the environment it holds. Before now, I always blindly aswww.saveourcanyons.org

Photo Taken By Mary Save Our Canyons Wildflower Hike at Willow Lake

sumed that the natural world was securely protected.

However, the unfortunate truth is that economic gains often end up being put in front of conservation. It is only with the combined voices of the Utah community that these lands can responsibly remain open for public recreation, and not fall to privatization by small interest groups. My involvement in volunteer opportunities hosted by SOC has helped me see the canyons in this new light. The canyons are not solely the government’s responsibility, or the ski resorts responsibility, but all of our responsibilities. It is our job to preserve them.

Save Our Canyons’ community outreach invites everyone to enjoy, respect, and experience the solitude and beauty of this state’s hidden gems. As an outsider to Utah’s recreation life, I have found my internship with SOC to be the key to my reentering the natural world.

Whether it be hosting an invasive species pull up City Creek Canyon with Salt Lake Public Utilities or hiking up Big Cottonwood Canyon at Willow Lake with Utah Native Plant Society to see a rainbow of wildflowers Save Our Canyons truly understands the value of community inclusion in their work. Utah’s canyons are unlike anything I have ever experienced, and I finally see what everyone has been working so hard to protect.

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Recreation Enhancement Act (REA) Written by Claire Parsons, Wilderness Stewardship and Education Coordinator

As the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest (UWCNF) continues to face abundant external pressures and budget cuts from Congress, the land managers are eagerly trying to best strategize how to maintain these areas we frequently use - picnic areas, campgrounds, trailhead bathrooms, dispersed camping areas, trails, trail signage, parking lots, and so on.

To put things into perspective, the UWCNF which is managed by the US Forest Service is over 2 million acres large and sees year-round visitation from 13+ million visitors. The Forest Service strives to meet the needs of the public, maintain critical infrastructure, and protect resources. The UWCNF has recently proposed to increase, decrease, and add recreational fees across developed recreation sites to fund ongoing maintenance and improvements under what is called the “Recreation Enhancement Act Fee Program (REA)”. The Forest Service states that implementing the REA has various benefits: • •

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Provides a valuable source of funds that allow the Forest Service to maintain high quality recreation sites.

Most developed recreation fee sites are high use or highly developed areas that require daily maintenance, fee collection, and compliance by Forest Service employees.

Areas that are currently degraded or lack inaccessible amenities such as picnic tables and fire rings will be upgraded, improved, or replaced with accessible amenities, increased visitor security, improved trail connections, and other improvements.

Fees are used to supplement Federal appropriated funds and partner and volunteer contributions for deferred maintenance and maintaining recreation sites and trails.

Fee areas are already in place at 70 sites across the UWCNF and the REA will increase the number of fee areas to 119. These fees will be seen across the range, from south of Provo, east to Kamas, and north to Logan. For example, Donut Falls will see multi-day pass costs go from no fee to $10, Mirror Lake Trailhead will go from $6 to $10, Butler Fork and Mill B will see a change from no fee to $10, and so on. Additionally, year-round passes will also increase from $45 to $60, 3-day passes will increase from $6 to $10, and 7-day passes from $12 to $20. The UWCNF has also pro-

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Barriers to Nature Initiative Written by Grace Tyler, Development Director

posed New Special Recreation Permit Fees (SRPs) for recreation opportunities including winter snowmobile access and grooming, extensive OHV trail systems, and implement natural and cultural resource protection.

SRPs will provide for increased visitor contact Forest patrols, area-specific maps, and site maintenance. If proposed fee changes are implemented, 38% (currently 50%) of the 472 developed recreation sites would remain non-fee. With many stakeholders involved in the decisions made on behalf of the Wasatch, securing a long-term funding plan is going to be crucial for the longevity of these ecosystems. The fee changes, if approved, could be implemented as soon as Summer 2023.

The addition of fees can present a multitude of questions and concerns: • Even though the forest needs maintenance funds, what does this mean for equitable access to public lands?

• If the REA is approved, what accountability measures will be put in place to ensure these funds will go back into the Wasatch?

• If the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) does not enforce parking in designated parking lots - will people park on the road and create new trails to get to the area that is charging a fee? This ultimately leads to more areas of the surrounding canyons and mountains to be negatively impacted.

Is the UWCNF a place you want to see protected and cared for? Public comments are invaluable to this process. Your input matters. The Forest Service wants to hear what the community thinks of this proposed recreational fee concept and has opened up a public comment form that closes on September 7th, 2022 at 4PM. You can also provide feedback electronically by emailing: SM.FS.UWCFeeProp@usda.gov. A complete list of proposed developed recreation site changes can be found by scaning scan to learn more this QR CODE:

www.saveourcanyons.org

Photo Taken By Nicole SchulterI Instagram @originsbynicole I originsbynicole.com

When the world shut down in March of 2020, fear spread throughout the State of Utah. For many of us, the one thing that kept a glimmer of hope, is knowing that we could at least get outside and feel grounded. It was at this moment when I realized that we don’t often acknowledge how lucky we are to be able to access the Wasatch Mountains.

The pandemic shutdown would have looked drastically different, if the gates to the Wasatch were closed for quarantine. And for hundreds, if not thousands of people living along the Wasatch front, back, north and south – the Wasatch is always closed to them because of access. And it’s about time that we recognize that access is not equitable for people of all races, genders, ability, immigration status, and income levels.

This past year has been heavily focused on finding a “transportation solution”, but when talking about transportation in the Wasatch the focal point is often about: how many people can we move as quickly as possible to the ski resorts. Often leaving behind the questions about when and who can access the Wasatch. It’s important to remember that not everyone has access to a private vehicle, thus making it difficult to explore an area that doesn’t have a year-round public transportation system. Leaving many people in the Greater Salt Lake Valley unable to access this cornerstone of the community. Transportation to and from the Wasatch is just the tipping point of this conversation. Changes, exacerbated by surging population and the climate, our natural, cultural, and recreational values are at risk and in need of natural resource protection, enhanced rec-

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reation management, and environmentally sustainable transportation system improvements.

With a proposed 600+ acre mine impacting everyone’s air and water and asking the tax-payers for $592M to build a gondola — it’s imperative that people of all races, genders, ability, immigration status, and income levels are part of the decision-making and planning processes. And that is why at the start of 2022, Save Our Canyons partnered with Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation to launch our Salt Lake County Barriers to Nature Initiative program.

This program is focused around implementing a recreation vision that prioritizes watershed protections, transit-based connections, and habitat protection for growing use. While bridging the gap between people of all races, genders, ability, immigration status, and income levels through grassroots advocacy. In order to pursue our mission to protect the wildness and beauty of the Wasatch Mountains, it is paramount that these natural settings remain relevant and connected to all.

We are advocates for local, state and federal policies that protect our open space. We encourage stewardship of public lands through our Wilderness Stewardship Project and wild places near urban centers. We recognize that many people impacted by our mission are not being included in the decision-making and planning processes that impact everyone’s water, air, physical and mental health. If you would like to become part of the Salt Lake County Barriers to Nature Initiative program, please contact us: info@saveourcanyons.org.

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Birds Of The Wasatch

As with many of our members, Save Our Canyons is actively engaged with many organizations that do great work on a variety of issues and share a breadth of passions about the Wasatch and surrounding ecosystems. We are excited to share some highlights from a report shared with us from a Great Salt Lake Audubon Society field trip to the Mount Nebo Wilderness Area by Suzi Holt.

Mount Nebo Wilderness Area, located at the southern reaches of the range, was protected under the Endangered Utah Wilderness Act of 1984. With 28,022 acres of protected land that gains steeply from the designation boundary around 5,400 feet to the namesake, and highest point in the Wasatch reaching 11,928 feet. If you plan a trip to this area, be sure to make note of Suzi’s bird sightings to enjoy while in the area.

Mount Nebo Soaring with Birds

Written by Suzi Holt, Great Salt Lake Audubon Society

One of my first birds was a Western Meadowlark. I was hooked! I started building my life list by going to the different hotspots around Utah County. I loved going to the lake, but even more, I loved going up in the mountains! I love seeing the mountain species and being out in nature away from the hustle and bustle of the valley.

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Written by Lauren Thomas and Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah At the end of July a “community” of individuals came together to help a sick fledgling Golden Eagle in Big Cottonwood Canyon “Patient 1443”.

The combined effort by all involved was amazing and together they ensured that this baby received the help it needed.

Lauren Thomas was present at the scene of the Golden Eagle in BCC. On an evening in July, I was driving down Big Cottonwood Canyon. I saw two cars pulled over with their flashers on in the Storm Mountain Section. Then I saw him. A giant bird walking on the side of the road. I kept driving and processed what I’d seen and realized something was very wrong.

Once I flipped around, I saw a group approaching him and we all agreed he needed help. A group of guys had a blanket and they managed to easily wrap him and place him in the back of my truck’s camper shell. When I called the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah, they said they would accept him, but he needed to be transported. I offered to drive him to the Wildlife Rehabilitation Rescue of Northern Utah- about an hour north, before I even thought about it. We made sure the window was cracked for air and I set off. Once I got to the rescue, I was able to see him. I peaked in the back waiting for his intake, and he was nested in the blanket, alert- he cocked his head and coo ed at me. I told him he was safe now.

The mountains still prove to be my favorite spot! I’m grateful we have these wild places to enjoy! On our trip we stopped for a quick view at the Mt Nebo lookout and saw a few brave hikers nearing the summit. Returning to the Purple Martin Colony we were serenaded by a Rock Wren as the Purple Martin’s and Violet-green Swallows soared above us. We also watched a male Purple Martin deliver food to a nesting cavity in a dead Aspen Tree, what a treat!

A women came out dressed in PPE since Avian Flu is a big concern, and another gave me a few pamphlets with his case number. He was severely emaciated and had feather lice. They estimated 6 weeks old. Just a baby! He coo ed a bit while she looked him over. He was giant and just a magnificent bird. I was in awe. She thanked me for transporting him and said he wouldn’t have made it through the night. That evening I got a text that he’d had a mini seizure. My heart sank. They said it could be from dehydration and he’d have labs in the morning. I didn’t sleep very well that evening. In the morning he was looking much better. He had taken more fluids and had a couple “juicy rats”. I am so thankful the rescue accepted him and it is pretty neat we have Golden Eagles in the Wasatch.

This area abounds with life. We saw Black-headed Grosbeak and Chipping Sparrows. A Blak-chinned Hummingbird and juvenile American Robins and Dark-eyed Juncos. A Northern Flicker, and an Orange-crowned Warbler enjoyed a drink in the puddle. It was a great morning spent in one of my favorite canyons!

Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah Update. Safely at the Center in record time, the patient was given an initial examination and found to be extremely emaciated. This condition suggests it may have lost its parents, as it is far too young to be on its own.

A juvenile Hairy Woodpecker I Nebo Bench Trailhead

My name is Suzi Holt and I have been birding for about 10 years. I got interested by going to the Great Salt Lake Bird Festival and then going out with my aunt and mom to Utah Lake. I am a mother of 4 daughters.

With two of my daughters Jessica and Amanda and my grandson Tatum we do 2 or 3 monthly field trips for our group. We go all over the state. In fact, we have done trips to all 29 counties.

Golden Eagle Rescue

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Photo Credit: WRCNU Sick Fledgling Golden Eagle in BCC

Patient 1443 will be tested for the Avian Influenza (AI), West Nile Virus (WNV) and given a more thorough exam to determine if here is anything else to suggest why it was on the ground. During the initial exam, one Specialist noticed signs of “mild seizures”, which could be from head trauma due to a collision with a vehicle or any one of several other possibilities--emaciation, heat stress, AI or WNV, so there is a lot to rule out before we will know how this goes. Even if the initial Avian Influenza tests come back negative, Eagle 1443 will go through a minimum 4-week quarantine period with several tests throughout the process, before allowing “him” into the general patient treatment areas.

The Wasatch Mountains are home to over 1,800 different flora and fauna. Whenever you find an injured or orphaned wild animal, call Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah (801-8147888) or your local licensed wildlife rehabilitator to determine whether the animal actually needs help! Some young animals may not need rescuing – please call first to determine if an animal needs to be rescued. Please don’t take a healthy animal away from its parents. If you would like to help with the cost of 1443’s treatment, please consider a donation of any size to help pay for the testing, vet visits, care and feeding. There are no state or federal funds for rehabilitation of wildlife, not even for our Bald and Golden Eagles. You can find out more about Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah and help Eagle 1443 by visiting: https://wrcnu.org.

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Keep Cars Out Of The Top Of Millcreek Canyon

By Melanie Topham | Special to The Tribune I July 8, 2022, 10:00 a.m.

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Fall colors make for a vibrant drive along Mill Creek Canyon on Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021.

This article, “Melanie Topham: Keep Cars Out Of The Top Of Millcreek Canyon” was first published in the The Salt Lake Tribune on July 8, 2022, 10:00 a.m.

The quiet retreat of Millcreek Canyon is unique. Tucked between the endless traffic of Parleys and the busy highway of Big Cottonwood, Millcreek Canyon by comparison is narrow, natural, serene. Millcreek’s winding riverside road leads not to a town, nor a resort, nor even another road, but instead dead ends at a trailhead parking lot—a place where people travel specifically to enjoy nature.

Thus, it is a tragedy that Salt Lake County, the US forest service, Millcreek City, various community councils, and a group of engineers and contractors have drafted plans to turn upper Millcreek Canyon into just another busy road. Using $20 million of Federal Lands Access Program (FLAP) grant funding plus an additional contribution of $5 million in local taxpayer money, the group’s design options range from adding a bike lane to the upper canyon road to nearly tripling the road width in certain areas. Their plans necessitate chopping down countless trees, replacing hillsides with unsightly retaining walls, and even rerouting Millcreek stream in some sections. With no regard for the creatures

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Save Our Canyons, Summer 2022

who live there and minimal thought for the countless people who use the upper canyon as a biking, hiking, and skiing trail for eight months of the year when the upper canyon road is closed, this group plans to forever change the landscape of upper Millcreek.

Admittedly, the group came together for good reason: to increase road safety and accessibility for canyon users. Yet the planned road expansion is entirely unnecessary because the safest and best way for people to enjoy upper Millcreek is not to add retaining walls that disrupt the natural scenery and wildlife habitat; not to widen the road in a way that would dangerously increase vehicle speeds; not to straighten the road and thus destroy the enticing curves of the road as a trail; not to reroute the beautiful springs and creek that were so recently restocked with native fish; not to add more vehicles, noise, and exhaust to this scenic spot; but instead to keep the upper canyon gate closed all year.

and also allow the FLAP grant funding to be used in ways that demonstrate good stewardship of Millcreek’s unique environment. The upper canyon pedestrian trail would need minimal improvements, leaving funds available for the heavily used lower canyon road.

All canyon users would benefit from improvements to the lower canyon, including its inadequate bike lane, numerous potholes, crumbling road shoulder, and unpaved parking areas for popular trailheads like Grandeur Peak, Porter Fork, and Birch Hollow. Funding could certainly be applied toward reducing overall car traffic up the canyon by adding a park-and-ride lot at the bottom of the canyon (perhaps where the glass recycling and virtually unused Mill Creek “Park” currently sit stuck between the roaring traffic of I-215, Wasatch Boulevard, and 3800 S). Another forethoughtful investment would be an e-bike rental station at the bottom of the canyon and at the upper canyon gate, providing a fun and easy way for people to access the upper canyon trails. Stocking e-bike rentals equipped with large carrier bins would allow canyon visitors to transport children, dogs, and picnic supplies to the upper canyon sites, while adding bike racks with locks at the trailheads and picnic areas would ensure that bikes don’t go astray.

As the current stewards of Millcreek Canyon, we all are responsible for maintaining this pristine place for current and future users. Right now we have the opportunity to create something special: a pedestrian pathway for all people to enjoy, one that maintains the natural beauty of Millcreek’s unique mountain setting.

Although this plan may be an extreme change from the current canyon road, it is significantly preferable to the alternate extreme of forever damaging the slopes, forests, springs, and creek of the upper canyon with retaining walls and culverts. All who care about Millcreek Canyon—whether you support making improvements to the lower canyon road, would like to see e-bike or park-and-ride options, or would like to preserve the road as it is now or as a pedestrian trail—should act now by providing feedback at slco.org/planning-transportation/millcreek-road-improvements.

Melanie Topham has been a lifelong hiker, trail runner, biker, skier, advocate, and volunteer in the Salt Lake County canyons.

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Closing the upper canyon to cars all year will allow canyon users to enjoy the natural setting they are seeking, www.saveourcanyons.org

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NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH PERMIT NO. 7271 Citizens’ Committee to Save Our Canyons 3690 E Fort Union Blvd STE 101 Cottonwood Heights, UT 84121

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