Park City Permanently Closes 9990 Backcountry Gate

Access to Park City backcountry through the resort’s 9990 gate is now permanently closed, according to the resort’s COO. The decision comes as an extension of a temporary closure that was put in place after two avalanche-related deaths in the Dutch Draw backcountry area this past winter. When the gate was open, getting to these backcountry drop-ins only required a few minutes of hiking from the top of the 9990 lift.

Despite this decision, Park City won’t entirely nix access to backcountry terrain next season. The resort’s Peak 5 backcountry gate will reopen, providing access to the same Dutch Draw area; however, getting to this terrain will now require a much lengthier hike.

Our Take

When Park City’s 9990 backcountry gate was open, we noticed that the Dutch Draw area was the easiest bowl terrain to reach from a resort chairlift, even compared to in-bounds high-alpine slopes. Despite the warnings of serious danger, it was easy to see how the short hike offered a more appealing experience than the laborious, 30-45 minute endeavors required to reach Park City’s in-bounds Jupiter and Murdock Peak bowls.

In the wake of the recent tragedies in the area, it looks like Park City has determined that this ease-of-access is more of a bug than a feature. The Dutch Draw terrain will still be accessible from the Peak 5 gate, but getting there will require a much more ambitious hike. Additionally, as one Twitter user deduced, the Peak 5 gate will likely open later in the season than the 9990 one did. Both of these factors will almost assuredly detract unexperienced visitors from visiting this area. While some may be disappointed with this decision, we expect and hope it will mitigate future avalanche deaths in the area.

Considering a trip to Park City next winter? Read our comprehensive mountain review here. Additionally, check out our Rockies rankings.