Guardsman Pass Snowmachine Use

Guardsman Pass trailhead is a treasured  location in the central Wasatch in upper Big Cottonwood Canyon. It is one of the few with a mix of both motorized and non-motorized use. It is a high elevation location with access to multiple excellent options for skiing/riding/snowshoeing to places like Peak 10420, Scotts Hill area, PC Ridgeline, and over to Bonanza Flat environs. 

As indicated on the sign at the trailhead, motor vehicles are ONLY allowed on the highway, the Guardsman Pass road. However, motorized users are increasingly encroaching on sensitive off-road terrain in violation of the existing ordinance and regulation. In addition to watershed concerns, these violations pose safety concerns for backcountry users. WBA has received reports of snowmachiners “high-marking” above skiers.

If you use snowmachines up Guardsman, help spread the word and check in with your fellow snowmachine users to let them know the rules. We call on the community to help promote responsible riding on the Guardsman Pass road to maintain access. The increase in events over the past few seasons has reached a tipping point and without community action multiple agencies will soon become involved to enforce existing ordinances and regulations. Learn more by taking this free Responsible Rider Masterclass.

If you see something, say something. The Town of Brighton has advised folks to call the Unified Police Department dispatch at 801-840-4000 to report infractions.

Community Observations Needed

In addition to calling the Unified Police Department dispatch, Wasatch Backcountry Alliance is asking for observations of snowmachines traveling off-road in violation of the current regulation and ordinance. Send an email or submit your experience via our Google Form or the CMC RIMS app on your phone.  

• Submit via Google Forms: Use this form to submit your observation. Please include the following:
  
  • Date of observation
    
  • Time of observation
    
  • GPS coordinates of observation (Create a waypoint in your onX app, take a photo on the UAC app camera, drop a pin in Google Maps, etc…)
    
  • Observation details (How many? What zones? Any other relevant information?)
    
  • Photos and/or videos of the incident

• Upload a report on CMC RIMS: The app has a violations and conflicts function that is designed for reporting snowmachine violations. This data is collected and shared with land managers. You must watch a quick online training video before being “certified” to report on RIMS. Learn more here.

To avoid escalating any situation, avoid taking pictures or videos of individuals (focus on tracks, machines, or people riding machines at a distance).

We hope that better education about the rules, along with the understanding that continued violations could lead to loss of access, will encourage snowmachine users to self-regulate. However, to ensure accountability, we are also tracking infractions and reporting them to the watershed authority—if these violations go unaddressed, the problem will only worsen. It’s time for our community to take action so that everyone can enjoy this space as intended. By documenting and reporting violations, we aim to encourage enforcement of the existing rules and protect this area for all users.

Please share these efforts with your touring partners and thanks in advance for your participation.

More information

The Bonanza Flat Conservation Area Adaptive Management & Stewardship Plan clearly defines the boundaries of the conserved lands. In Section VII: Prohibited Uses—Snowmobile Use, the plan states, “Motorized use is prohibited on the property except on designated roads and safety corridors.”