Eagle Point Resort Shares Photos and Extent of Damage After Cottonwood Fire
Days after the Cottonwood Fire hit Eagle Point Resort, Utah, the ski area and its owner, Shane Gadbaw, recently began to assess the damage caused by the blaze, posting photos and a message on social media.
“We wanted to share an initial update with our community,” the resort wrote.
The fire, according to Eagle Point, impacted about 300 of its 600 acres on the south side of the mountain, mostly in the Tushar Ridge area. Canyonside Lodge, one of the two day lodges, along with more than 100 condos and 30 cabins, was lost. And four out of Eagle Point’s five chairlifts were damaged, though the full extent of that damage hasn’t been determined yet.
Other losses included five snowmobiles, three vehicles, three storage containers containing tools, and the warming station on Tushar Ridge.
The Cottonwood Fire didn’t take everything, though. One of the photos shared by Eagle Point shows lush greenery and untouched trees.
The main lodge, Skyline, remains intact. So does the Monarch Lift and its surrounding terrain, a snowmaking pond, cell towers, and the Skyline terrain. The Aspen Crest subdivision is mostly intact, Eagle Point added.
The resort wrote that “First and foremost, our hearts are with everyone impacted by this fire.”
“While it’s heartbreaking to see the damage, we are incredibly grateful that everyone was evacuated safely and that no lives were lost at the resort,” the message continued, also thanking the firefighters, first responders, and community members who worked to save what they could.
“Your dedication and bravery made a meaningful difference,” Eagle Point wrote.
Eagle Point noted that assessing the aftermath is an ongoing process.
“It will take time to fully understand the full scope of the damage,” the resort wrote. “We ask for your patience as we gather accurate information and continue to share updates.”
In an update Tuesday morning, Utah Fire Info announced that the Cottonwood Fire had reached 92,820 acres and reached 4% containment. Five days ago, Governor Spencer Cox declared a state of emergency for wildfires and temporarily suspended Utah’s usual fireworks laws through July 5.
“More than 75% of Utah’s wildfires have been human-caused, and the danger to lives, homes, and our firefighters is simply too high,” he wrote on social media. The cause of the Cottonwood Fire is under investigation, according to Utah Fire Info.
It’s not yet clear how the wildfire will change Eagle Point’s plans next winter and into the future. A previous message from the resort said it would be closed for a “considerable time” to recover.
Eagle Point isn’t the first ski area in recent years to burn during the summer. In 2021, the Caldor Fire ripped through Sierra-at-Tahoe, California, torching the resort. While Sierra-at-Tahoe faced a long road to recovery and extensive repairs, the resort bounced back and has since reopened.
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