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This year marks Summit Land Conservancy’s 20th Anniversary as Park City’s local land trust–- 20 years of saving the landscapes that are the heart of our community. The first 20 years of forever…
To honor the places we have protected, we will highlight and share some of the stories about these precious lands and how the Conservancy has grown over the years.
Warren Claims, located in Summit County, sits on the north face of Iron Mountain west of highway 224 at the entrance corridor to Park City, between White Pine Canyon and Iron Canyon. Warren Claims possesses natural, scenic, open space, wildlife, and wetland values of great importance to the community. The permanent conservation easement protects the 105-acre property from the construction or installation of ski lifts and alpine ski runs; any glading or thinning of trees, surface mining, hotel, lodging, residential or commercial development, and prohibits hunting or trapping for any purpose other than predatory or problem animal control.
"Several of the Summit Land Conservancy’s properties are identified by the names given to them during Park City’s mining era. These old claims are hard to identify because they’re not always listed among the County Recorder’s parcels. Claims were named by the miners who staked them.
Warren Claims is a case in point. We don’t know who the Warren in Warren Claims was. The property is a 105-acre parcel within a larger parcel shown on the County’s website. The mine claim is owned by United Park City Mines Company, while the rest of the parcel is owned by Iron Mountain Associates, who was the developer of the Colony. The Mine Company granted an easement to the Summit Land Conservancy on the 105-acre Warren Claims parcel in April of 2002 as part of its requirement for approval of the Empire Pass Development.
That 105 acres sits right on top of Iron Mountain. It fits over the mountain the way a bandage fits on a bent knee. The easement specifically prohibits any and all ski area development, so when the Canyons starting flying helicopters up there to put in chairlift towers, we had to rush up onto the mountain to check the easement boundaries. I wasn’t wearing the right shoes.
But everyone cooperated; no one wanted to violate the easement. You can tell where the easement boundary is by where the lift and ski-runs go, and where they don’t go.
Now, the Conservancy is working to put a new easement on 475 acres surrounding the Warren Claims property. Iron Mountain Associates has agreed to grant the land they own to Park City Municipal, consolidating ownership, management, and protection. Together with the original 105-acre property, the Conservancy will soon protect a total of about 580 acres on Iron Mountain.
On November 17, 1941 a B-18 airplane crashed into Iron Mountain during a storm. Five of the service men parachuted to safety, but two perished. The site of the crash will be protected by the easement as well.
Every morning, Iron Mountain catches the sunrise for me. I know that elk, moose, and sage grouse who live up there are rustling around in the first rays of every new day. Today and forever."
Learn more about the Conservancy’s work and how you can save the lands and waters you cherish at www.wesaveland.org.
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