Mid-Season Parking Update

WBA has been working with UDOT this winter to figure out what’s up with parking changes (like ticketing at White Pine) in the canyons. Here’s the latest on Spruces, White Pine, and Millcreek plowing.

Spruces – UDOT is doing a good job of keeping Spruces plowed, and have dedicated a smaller plow to that lot.  However, this cycle may be unusually intense and prolonged, so exercise patience!  And when you park before the plows, keep in mind that a plow will be trying to plow around you, so park in either corners on the West side of the lot. 

There is no parking within 100 feet up and down canyon from the Spruces entrance.  The sign down canyon is about 100′ and correctly points to “no parking” between the sign and the entrance.  The sign up canyon points both ways and needs to be changed by UDOT, but parking is allowed over 100 feet up canyon on the shoulder.  The sheriffs are aware of this and we have been told they are not ticketing here.  Be sure you have your left wheels to the outside of the white line; if not that will earn you a ticket.  

Remember that Spruces requires the parking pass (America the Beautiful, etc) both in the lot and out on the road.  

White Pine– White Pine is more confusing. Parking is allowed on both sides of the entrance road, but there is one “NO PARKING” sign near the entrance on the west side and cars parked directly in front of that sign are being ticketed; UDOT “owns” the road and the first few feet of the entrance, and the Forest Service “owns” the interior of the lot.  However, UDOT does plow the lot and again it’s small and those plows are big so park in the Northwest corner of the lot by yellow sign so the plows can push the snow to the East end of the lot.

Cars are being ticketed for parking alongside the highway canyon from the White Pine entrance, even though this is below the Little Pine slide path (which is open/closed via a swiveling sign).  This is not technically correct and should be rectified soon once UDOT and the sheriffs are able to connect on this, but until at least next week it’s best not to park there in order to avoid getting – and then trying to fight – the $150 ticket that’s being doled out.  We are pushing UDOT to figure this out.  IF you ski at Snowbird…..please don’t use the White Pine lot!  There are a zillion parking places up at the ‘Bird, so please keep the White Pine lot available for dispersed users.  

As a reminder, though the Forest Service thought they were going to require a parking permit at White Pine this season ala Spruces/Cardiff, that did NOT go into effect but will over the summer.  

In the recent public land agency firings, the Forest Service lost one of their two Mill Creek Canyon plow drivers, so MCC may now have plowing issues for parking areas.  

As we are entering what appears to be a prolonged cycle of snow (!!!!) WBA has  asked UDOT – again – to be conscientious of the plowing of the other backcountry trailheads but we will no doubt have times when we will need to be patient and/or flexible.