Snowstorm gives rusty drivers refresher course for Cottonwood Canyons' traction law

SALT LAKE CITY — The line of cars trying to get into Big and Little Cottonwood canyons on Wednesday morning made it clear that new snow had motivated people to take the day off and take a drive up to the ski resorts.

And Utah got just enough snow to activate the traction law in those canyons.

Some drivers who haven't been up there in a while received a refresher course on what's required for their vehicles. A few drivers were a little surprised to see it.

On traction law days, police inspect vehicles to ensure drivers have chains, a four-wheel-drive vehicle, and the required tires. Many drivers who ski regularly receive a sticker from the Utah Department of Transportation, which essentially pre-approves their vehicle and expedites the process.

Cottonwood Heights police, the agency inspecting the cars on Wednesday, said the morning went relatively smoothly compared to really busy traction-law days. But the weather still caught some drivers off guard.

"Everybody gets up to the mouth of the canyon, and we have a little bit of rain that comes down, and so they look at roads, they're just wet, they don't expect or they don't realize that up top at Brighton, for at least this canyon, there is actually snow on the roadways," said Cottonwood Heights Police Sgt. Lance Bess.

Police estimate that of the roughly 1,500 cars that drove up Big Cottonwood Canyon on Wednesday morning, police had to stop at least 16 drivers who didn't have a sticker, the right tires, chains or four-wheel drive.

On busier days, they said that the number can climb to 40 or 50 cars, which can really slow things down.

UDOT is conducting free tire inspections for its sticker program until the end of February. More information is available at the agency's webpage.

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