"We would hope that the people who use it will pay for it," he said. "There are a lot of people who are emotionally invested in this property, which I hope will open their checkbooks."

Although the area is especially popular with nearby residents, Silvestrini said it is also valuable for people from all over the valley because it offers them an opportunity to follow one of the area's more popular hikes to a panoramic view.

"It's a community asset for trails and open space, and it's been a neighborhood asset for years because it's in our back yard," he said. "I see people there from my neighborhood quite often."

What money is not raised, however, may be covered by Salt Lake County. Although no firm proposals have been given to Mayor Nancy Workman, she is interested and could tap a $2 million-plus open space fund to make up any funding shortfalls, spokesman Jim Braden said.

"My understanding is that we have every intention to purchase this land," Braden said. "We are willing to work with these groups. . . . It is property we want to keep as open space."

To help with the fund- raising efforts, nearby residents have teamed with Save Our Canyons. Dave Bastian, that group's director of operations, said that the land is important to them because of it's unique location and it's connection to heavily used rock climbing cliffs and hiking trails.

If the land were made private, "it would cut off access to very popular trails and some Parleys Canyon climbs," he said. "People would have to park on the (I-80) off-ramp or traipse through yards. They don't want to do that."

The group is coordinating the donations, and also accepts donations and has information about the Grandeur Peak access preservation effort on its Web site, www.saveourcanyons.org. The Web site also has links to other Web sites with information.

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E-mail: jloftin@desnews.com