More than three decades after the idea was first discussed, general managers at seven Utah ski resorts have announced they are committed to finally building a series of chairlifts that would link their ski areas and give the state a European-style experience.
But skiers won't see it become a reality any time soon.
Utah ski officials made clear during a news conference that it's a concept, not a plan, with no firm timeline. Dozens of key decisions still need to be made, and the project will require permits and approvals from government officials. One general manager said he thinks it could take a decade to complete.
The project is expected to cost up to $US30 million ($A33.26 million), paid for entirely by the resorts, said Nathan Rafferty, president of Ski Utah, a trade organisation representing the ski resorts.
It would link Alta Ski Area, Brighton Resort, Canyons Resort, Deer Valley Resort, Park City Mountain Resort, Snowbird Ski Resort and Solitude Mountain Resort. Skiers who buy one pass would have access to 100 lifts, 750 ski runs and more than 18,000 skiable acres.
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By combining almost 65 square kilometres of terrain, the Utah resorts could offer North America's largest skiing complex - three times the size of Vail, Colorado and twice as big as Whistler Blackcomb, in British Columbia.
Rafferty said it would create an experience unique in North America. In Europe, lifts connecting ski areas are common. In the US, a daily pass to a ski resort usually confines you to that resort, no matter how close a neighbouring resort is.
If completed, the linking lifts would bring the spotlight to Utah's ski community and put it in prime position to lure skiers from popular resorts in Colorado and California, ski officials said.
"You combine that with our accessibility and the airport, and there's not a ski community in this country that can beat us," said Jenni Smith, Park City Mountain Resort general manager.
The new proposal will reopen a debate that has long triggered strong opposition from backcountry skiers, wilderness advocates and municipal water officials.
Carl Fisher, executive director of Save Our Canyons, said the ski resorts already have a sufficient footprint on the Wasatch Range, and linking lifts would ruin pristine areas used by outdoor enthusiasts.
"It's a gimmick, a marketing ploy they are trying to use to attract more tourists," he said.
Rafferty said the resorts are committed to preserving backcountry ski terrain and would continue talking with Fisher's group and others with concerns.
The latest proposal calls for the lifts to be built on private land. However, Fisher said he doesn't think it's possible for linking lifts to avoid affecting public land and forests.
And it's not just about ski season. Hiking trails used in the summer would be affected as well, Fisher said.
"You're going to be hiking around lift towers instead of rocks and trees," he said. "You're going to be looking at cable and chairs instead of wildlife."
Alta Ski Area general manager Onno Wieringa said he hoped the project would be accomplished in the next decade, but it would come down to each resort crunching the numbers to see if it makes financial sense.
"Before we would invest $US10 million or $US5 million or whatever, we've got to feel that we're going to get some return on that money," Wieringa said.
Mike Goar, general manager at Canyons Resort, said having all seven ski resorts agree on the parameters of the plan was a significant step. They had reached outlines for revenue sharing, had identified three sites for connection points, and come up with a name, "One Wasatch".
"The idea was finally baked enough," Goar said.
All seven resorts said the plan was long overdue.
