Olympic medalist and Salt Lake City resident Nathaniel Coleman in 'Home Crag.' Photo: Gnarly Nutrition

LITTLE COTTONWOOD CANYON, Utah — Home Crag, produced by Gnarly Nutrition, and filmed and edited by Headlamp Studios, features Olympic medalist Nathaniel Coleman and discusses the current Utah Department of Transporation (UDOT) proposals to address winter traffic in Little Cottonwood Canyon (LCC).

UDOT released its Draft EIS for LCC on June 25, which identified two preferred alternatives — enhanced bus service in an added lane or a gondola that would become the world’s longest if constructed.

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Salt Lake Climber’s Alliance Executive Director Julia Geisler said they prefer a third proposal that increases bus service without adding a new lane. UDOT cut down over 100 options to the two currently proposed.

She recommended the state heavily invest in buses, and specifically electric buses, like the 10 White Express in Park City.

“I think a lot of people think it’s been decided, but it’s not. It deserves people contacting their representatives of the legislature because that’s where it’s going to get funded,” Geisler said.

The Gondola Works Coalition has been formed to endorse the gondola option. Alta, Snowbird, and Ski Utah are listed as endorsers of the project.

The coalition has said that the issue is a generational challenge and that “57% of the 9 miles of SR 210 is threatened by 64 avalanche paths,” citing the gondola’s avalanche safety.

Tim Behuniak, a content manager at Gnarly Nutrition who worked directly on the film, said the company was willing to pay a film budget to “take a stance, because pretty much all you’re seeing with this issue right now is everything from the skiers and the ski industry perspective.”

“Our own community has definitely rallied in support,” he said of the response to the film.

A spokesperson for UDOT told KSL.com that the agency is on track to make a decision between the two final options by “late winter,” which doesn’t end until March 20.

UDOT