Soldier Hollow

In retrospect, not using the Little Dell site for the cross-country and biathlon Olympic venues was the correct decision.

LeRoy W. Hooton, Jr.

January 30, 2001

On June 16, 1995, Salt Lake City was selected to host the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. At that time Mt. Dell Golf Course was designated as the site for the cross-country and biathlon venues.  The site was within minutes of Salt Lake City and it was believed that a world-class course could be constructed to meet international standards.  However, after Salt Lake City received the bid, the Salt Lake Olympic Committee (SLOC) began to rethink the golf course site.  Snow quantity and quality, elevations and interference with the golf course were issues that surfaced.  Foremost was the desire to leave a legacy in the form of permanent facilities to train future athletes and conduct world-class events. As a result, SLOC looked to a site above Little Dell Reservoir as a substitute.

During a recent visit, it became abundantly clear that the Soldier Hollow site, located southwest of Heber, Utah is more suitable for the Olympic cross-country and biathlon venues than the proposed Little Dell site in Parleys Canyon.  The facilities, space used and the number of people and activities would have overwhelmed the Little Dell site. Soldier Hollow occupies a spacious open area, including a maintenance area, parking lots, lodge, portable trailers, stadium and a myriad of trails.  Domestic animals are allowed within the premises. As one visualizes fitting the Soldier Hollow site into the narrow canyon above Little Dell Reservoir, it becomes obvious that it would not fit.  Furthermore with up to 20,000 spectators it would be extremely difficult to transport and situate them in the limited space above the reservoir.  Sanitation would have been a serious problem because all of the waste would have to be hauled away for disposal.  The Soldier Hollow site is connected to a piped sewer system. The environmental damage to the Little Dell area, especially if permanent facilities were allowed, would have been enduring.

Thankfully, the cross-country and biathlon facilities were built elsewhere.  The Little Dell site is prime municipal watershed for drinking water supply for 400,000 Salt Lake County residents and is managed under strict regulations. Watershed protection and use of the area would have been in constant conflict. 

The process leading to moving the venues to Soldier Hollow took nearly a year. SLOC felt that the snow was better, and the necessary elevation changes made the Little Dell site ideal for the venues.  On May 16, 1996 Salt Lake City and SLOC officials toured the site. SLOC proposed base facilities, including the stadium be located in a flat area above the reservoir. Approximately 25 km of cross-country and 8 km of biathlon trails would be constructed up Dell Canyon to Affleck Park and Little Hatch, a side canyon, with a minimum elevation of 1,770 meters to a maximum elevation of 1,950 meters. 

As discussions to use the site continued over the next several months, it became apparent that the desire to have permanent legacy facilities was paramount in SLOC’s and the athletes’ minds, something that was impossible under Salt Lake City’s watershed ordinances and policies. Anything done would have to be done in such a way that would protect the watershed and water quality. City officials insisted that everything, except trails, would have to be removed after the Olympics. Likewise, the environmental community opposed the site.  “Conservationists from the Citizens Committee to Save Our Canyon, Trout 

Unlimited, Sierra Club and the Audubon Society have been working hard to show that permanent facilities in the drainage above Little Dell would devastate a ‘classic riparian habitat of the Great Basin,’” wrote the Salt Lake Tribune.  SLOC planned to conduct an environmental study to determine if the site was suitable, however, after nearly a year of discussions, SLOC began looking at alternative sites to hold the venues. Ultimately, Soldier Hollow was selected and facilities constructed.

While gazing on the Soldier Hollow site, the thought occurred that those involved in this issue made the right decisions. Salt Lake City, SLOC, the athletes and the environmental community worked together to avoid locating the cross-country and biathlon venues in the wrong place.  The Wasatch Canyon watershed environs remain protected, as does Salt Lake City’s drinking water supply.