Deseret News | Reader comments: Donations sought for Bridal Veil project

Reader comments
Donations sought for Bridal Veil project

Leave the City in the City | 2:39 a.m. Aug. 21, 2008

Leave it alone!!!

I don't go up there to be in the city! DUMB IDEA!!!

Ruined Beauty-Crowds of Zombies | 2:44 a.m. Aug. 21, 2008

Don't forget to put in a hotel, Walmart and Oil Change place. Man! Can't you guys leave anything alone!

Mark | 6:23 a.m. Aug. 21, 2008

Before I plunk down my $99, I really need to know a lot more about Harper and Roller: their background, their potential for success, their fundraising plans and capacity. Good luck though with their venture, the area deserves the best and government seems to have been totally diinterested in making anything of the area.

Comments continue below

Mahonri | 7:00 a.m. Aug. 21, 2008

While at BYU in the 1960's I lived in the canyon and watched the place as it was mismanaged. When I would visit since then I watched the place as it was mismanaged. An ongoing drain on the finances of everyone involved the Bridal Veil Falls area has never done well. Why resurrect a failure one more time. Leave it alone, don't develop anything and let it be. The falls will still run with water and look nice if there is only a parking area and no restaurant, shopping mall, ticket takers or tram. Let it be, leave it alone, remove all the commercial junk from the area. This is just one more money making scheme, not an attempt to clean the location and let it be.

Anonymous | 7:23 a.m. Aug. 21, 2008

It is a "crown jewel".

Please don't make it into a commercial jewel.

Nature has taken its course twice with the falls.

Please leave it.

Besides, can they really stop an avalanche from happening again?

James | 7:30 a.m. Aug. 21, 2008

Good luck to the group, and I will consider donating. I remember growing up this was the perfect spot to go on family outings. It is close to hiking, camping, and fishing. It was a great place to stop for ice cream after a day in the mountains. And a great half-way point between the city and the mountains.

Jarvis | 8:10 a.m. Aug. 21, 2008

I grew up drive though this place to Midway where out family cabin is since 1970's. and been stop there often as my father used to work and hunting in this mountain there. what pretty place, even recently burn down build on top of mountain which cause me mad. I alway had hope to see it be restore again before I gone. great place for Family gotta out from too much World in city!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! more time with family and mother nature that alway bring peace. I support them to restore no matter what!!!!! go for it.

Anonymous | 8:24 a.m. Aug. 21, 2008

I'll donate $99 if they remove all that crap off the mountain!

Please don't | 8:31 a.m. Aug. 21, 2008

I grew up in Provo and visit at least annually so am in Provo Canyon several times a year. My vote would be to maintain a nice park at the base of the falls, tear out the tram and building, and possibly maintain some hiking trails. It this is a "jewel," why despoil it with a tram and restaurat? Does the Delicate Arch have these things?

Perhaps | 8:42 a.m. Aug. 21, 2008

Perhaps the government didn't back earlier plans to "revitalize" the area because it doesn't make any fiscal sense. IF the project was worth it the investors should be able to be found with out soliciting tax money and tax payers.

Anonymous | 9:24 a.m. Aug. 21, 2008

I have dealt with Brady Harper in the past. He is a nut job!

BYU AlumintheEAST | 9:28 a.m. Aug. 21, 2008

I went to the website to learn more.....not working.I was thinking of donating.When we visit UT,I miss the Falls.

Leave it alone | 9:30 a.m. Aug. 21, 2008

A natural beauty should be left that--natural. I enjoy the view of the falls without a tram running up and down in front of it or commercial businesses selling sno-cones and cotton candy at the base. The avalanche and fires that shut down these kind of operations are a godsend. What should happen? The county or the state could pony up the 3 million dollar asking price and buy the property and turn it into a state monument to protect it from all of these people trying to make a profit off of it.

From the ashes? | 9:31 a.m. Aug. 21, 2008

"Bridal Veil Falls to rise from the ashes."
The falls are the one constant. They don't need a tram and a restaurant.

Ned | 9:40 a.m. Aug. 21, 2008

Restore it? That is exactly what Mother Nature did, removing the unsightly aggregation of assorted buildings and shacks that had been thrown up around the place. I was delighted when the avalanche erased much of it, and only wished that the rest of the detritus would be hauled off. I've since left Utah, but didn't mind reading that a fire took care of some of the remaining trash. I can only surmise that it improved the scenery. For all I am sorry about the financial loss it represented for someone, I can't help but think it was a mistake to begin with, and would be an even bigger mistake to resurrect. Do the world a favor and stop "improving" nature. Leave it as is.

Andy | 10:03 a.m. Aug. 21, 2008

I don't know if I should donate $99 because odds are with our fiscally responsible legislators (mind the sarcasm), I'll have to pay much more than that in new taxes! If this is a great investment it wouldnï¿½t have turned into a garbage dump in the first place! Iï¿½ll join with the previous comment and pay $99 to have the junk removed from there.

Anonymous | 10:16 a.m. Aug. 21, 2008

150 plus years ago, H.D.Thoreau offered the cogent offering: "A man is rich in proportion to the number of things he can afford to leave alone."
I'm very famiiar with Bridal Veil Falls and view it as a treasure. Personally, I'd pay $99 as
collective pot, to placate the owners and leave the
falls just as they are. NO CABLE, NO STRUCTURES atop or bottom. Just natural, with a natural look and feel. Clean the debris and area up and simply let the public look and feel the wonder. That's enough! Personally I'm amazed at the insensitivity many have when it comes to natural zones. Owners, shift your mindset please.

Utah Doc | 10:39 a.m. Aug. 21, 2008

These guys have a lot of nerve to ask for donations for their private venture.

THE FALLS SHOULD BE CONDEMNED AND MADE A NATIONAL MONUMENT... AND LEFT ALONE TO BE ENJOYED BY ALL FOR GENERATIONS TO COME!

Nature | 11:36 a.m. Aug. 21, 2008

Can anybody think of another business where the owners ask for donations? Sounds great for the business owner but why would anybody consider donating? What's in it for me?

"I have a business idea! Send me your donations so I can start my business!"

I'm not sure if this amounts to arrogance or stupidity. I think it must be both!

Alternative Plan? | 11:38 a.m. Aug. 21, 2008

As with others who have commented, I would be happy to donate $99 or more to buy the land from the Grow family, clean up the human debris, and make it an undeveloped public park. Trails yes, resort, please don't! The falls are a treasure that deserves to be left alone! Besides, why develop in an area that is so prone to avalanches?

Anonymous | 11:45 a.m. Aug. 21, 2008

I remember when I first moved here and everything was operational. It was fun to be at the falls with a lot of people. Some feeding the ducks, some eating at the restaurant at the bottom and the tram working. It was a fun gettaway and fun to be there with people.

tj | 11:55 a.m. Aug. 21, 2008

I live in provo and go up the canyon weekly to ride my longboard down the trail past the falls I feel that it would be a mistake to restore the restaurant and the tram and whatever other buildings the want there. The parks that are close by and the trail are the only things that need to be maintained and not some run down buildings. People go there for a nice break and to go to the mountains where it is natural and away from the city so why ruin it with city things like restuarants? I would donate money if they want to remove things but not add things. The peacefullness away from the city is one thing that for me makes it so great and a "crown jewel" like Mr. Harper says. Get rid of the trams and the buildings replace them with hiking and biking trails.

A good cause? | 11:58 a.m. Aug. 21, 2008

There is no way I'm buying into the story that these guys are doing this out of the kindness of their hearts. They want money, and a lot of it!! I say, don't give it to them.

Jarvis | 12:01 p.m. Aug. 21, 2008

Anonymous - I agreed with you, this what I felt in past time of good old time!

JM | 12:58 p.m. Aug. 21, 2008

The falls will rise from the ashes? Did the falls stop running or something? Did you mean to say all the commercial stuff will rise from the ashes?

"This is a crown jewel," said Brady Harper, of Bridal Veil Falls LLC, of the area. "This is as great as Delicate Arch."
Yes, and Delicate Arch is great because it DOESN'T have a tram, restaurant, or ANYTHING manmade (other than the trail) within sight of it.

Let them have at it | 1:13 p.m. Aug. 21, 2008

There are more beautiful sights in Utah that are harder to reach. I don't care if they build a restaurant, ampitheater, or even a gift shop. Sights like bridal veil falls that have a big highway running next to them -- I'm all for it! Add a few things and let visitors from other places bring in the money with their purchase.

There are many other beautiful places to visit (like Stewart Falls) that are harder to reach and should be left alone.

mookie | 6:40 p.m. Aug. 21, 2008

Please just build a trail, restore some vegetation, and haul out all the human garbage. Then I will donate my $99.

Scam | 9:04 p.m. Aug. 21, 2008

Go ahead you Utah gullibles, chip in your $99 to this scam job.

Please NO Development | 9:20 p.m. Aug. 21, 2008

Most of these comments express the same thoughts I have. Clean up the area below the falls, get rid of the cables and leave the area alone. The paved trail is about as far the development should go. Does anyone else think it is strange that the group's name is "Scenic Canyon Preservation Society" but as stated in the article their goal is to "restore the tram, build an amphitheater, bring in infrastructure for future buildings and improve trails and landscaping around the falls." What is scenic about that? It seems like a "Scenic Canyon Preservation Society" would be against what this group is proposing.

National Monument | 11:36 p.m. Aug. 21, 2008

Making the falls a national monument OR a state park is a GREAT idea!

mrd00d | 8:27 a.m. Jan. 7, 2009

Look, there is a highway running right past the falls. I personally wish there was a place to eat on top of the mountains. I would have loved to have seen that. The place needs to be restored. It's not going to just 'go back to normal' with no 'touch' of man'. Look how rude people are to a person who shows interest to restore the place and protect it from OTHER potential commercialism? You guys all want to feed and pet the elephant in the room, but no one wants to clean up after it. Who is acting crazy now?

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