CULTURE & HISTORY
Mt. Timpanogos is many things to many people—natural wilderness, ancestral home, retreat, resort. Stewardship and creativity underly how we live, work and play on the southeast slope.
Sundance Nature Alliance is committed to our place in this natural wilderness—temporary stewards with an ongoing commitment to protect and preserve the land for future generations.
The First People of the Land: The Ute Indian Tribe
The story of this valley begins with its earliest inhabitants, the Noochew Ute, and specifically the Toompahnahwach – Mouth of the River Utes) band of the Ute Indian Tribe, who lived throughout Heber Valley, Provo Canyon & Utah Lake.
“Mount Timpanogus was home to our people-the Toompahnahwach Ute Noochew, known as Mouth of the River Utes. Our people lived throughout Hever Valley, Provo Canyon and Utah Lake. We held Tahgoowunee Sundance ceremonies, which means Standing Thirsty on our sacred mountains."
The Redford Family and Sundance Mountain Resort honor the First People and Good Spirits of the sacred land
UINTAH AND OURAY UTE TRIBE
The Stewarts
At the turn of the 20th century (1899) Scottish immigrant Andrew Jackson Stewart and his two sons, Scott and John, surveyed the North Fork of the Provo River. The family subsequently homesteaded about 2,200 acres of this valley, and in 1944 developed a small ski resort called Timp Haven.
The Redford’s
In 1969, Robert Redford began to acquire land now known as Sundance—envisioning the careful growth of a community as a place for inspiration, that balanced art, nature, and recreation.
At Sundance, Redford honed his connection and commitment to the natural world. As an advocate for the environment
In 1961 Robert Redford purchased 2 acres in the North Fork Canyon and built a cabin for his young family. In 1969 he purchased Timp Haven from the Stewart Family and renamed the area Sundance. He envisioned the careful growth of a community as a place for inspiration, that balanced art, nature, and recreation. During the 1980s, Redford founded the Sundance Institute to foster new voices in American Film along with the Institute for Resource Management, which brought together environmentalists and industry to address climate change.
“We’ve got to realize that we’re all in this together. The environment doesn't separate us. The environment unites us.”
ROBERT REDFORD
Today
Today, the new owners of Sundance Mountain Resort continue to uphold a commitment to conservation by supporting land stewardship initiatives, embracing operational sustainability practices, and providing experiences where art and nature inspire visitors to develop a connection to the land. Like the Stewarts and Redfords before them, they believe in the balance of economic development and environmental protection.
In addition to their efforts on property, Sundance Mountain Resort sets aside 1% of all resort revenue for the environment, education, and the arts in the immediate areas and surrounding communities of the resort.
The funds go to non-profits like the Sundance Nature Alliance and to fund projects addressing environmental issues and promoting stewardship in Provo Canyon.
“The environment is where we all meet;
where all have a mutual interest; it is the one thing all of us share.”
LADY BIRD JOHNSON
Former First Lady of the United States