(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Traffic at a standstill in Big Cottonwood Canyon on Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023. A similar issue with ski traffic congestion in Little Cottonwood Canyon prompted Mike Maughan, general manager of the Alta Ski Area, to pen what he's calling the "Red Snake Letter" to the Utah Department of Transportation. The letter asks the agency, which has decided on a mitigation plan that includes tolling and building a gondola, to look at alternative solutions to the congestion.
Julie left the beach of Santa Cruz, Calif., where she worked for 17 years, for the mountains of Salt Lake City in 2019. She has covered the NBA Finals, the Super Bowl, the World Series, the Maverick's big wave surf contest and two Olympics. A Colorado native, she enjoys creating her own adventure, occasionally with her husband and two kids in tow.