Breckenridge: Forest Service OKs Peak 6 expansion

Posted on August 21, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Pending appeals and lawsuits, resort could get two new lifts

A map for the proposed alternative from the USFS Record of Decision outlines the Peak 6 expansion.

By Bob Berwyn

*Read about continuing community concerns in this Summit Voice story.

SUMMIT COUNTY — Pending the outcome of potential appeals and lawsuits, Breckenridge Ski Area will be permitted to add about 550 acres of terrain on Peak 6, served by two new lifts.

White River National Forest Supervisor Scott Fitzwilliams Tuesday announced his decision to approve the hotly contested expansion, saying it will help reduce congestion on the busy mountain. Forest Service documents on the expansion are online at the WRNF website. (more…)

Filed under: Colorado | Tagged: , , , , , | 4 Comments »

Letter: Breckenridge is big enough; say no to Peak 6

Posted on August 5, 2011 by Bob Berwyn

Quality of life being compromised

Participants in a recent site visit to Peak 6 stop for lunch near the location of the proposed top terminal of a new six-seat chairlift.

Dear Mr. Fitzwilliams and staff,

I write in opposition to the Peak 6 expansion. As a 20 year resident and business owner, I have watched Breckenridge evolve from a charming ski town to a  “ski city” stumbling to keep on its feet. The towns infrastructure can barely handle the existing traffic, and  I believe more thought should be put in to this proposal because of this. I live here for the superb quality of life, but this too is slowly becoming compromised.

As a business owner I can appreciate the town wanting to increase revenue, but at what cost? Bigger is not always better … but Vail’s marketing plan is a good one. They certainly have the most to  gain from this, as do their shareholders. More terrain to advertise is by far the best option for them.

The beetle kill has had a devastating effect on both the  landscape and wildlife here. More time needs to be spent understanding the long term repercussions of this. Coupled with the town’s unbridled growth and development, we can’t be sure of the impact if we rush in to action for those precious dollars.

Enough is enough. The ski area is huge and on this trajectory it will never end. When will we be able to say no?

Thank you for your consideration and taking the time to read this.

Cassidy Brush, LEED AP

phone 970.262.6684

cassidy@wildsageinteriors

www.wildsageinteriors.com

 

 

Filed under: Breckenridge, Breckenridge Peak 6 expansion, Breckenridge Ski Resort, Colorado, Environment, Summit County Colorado, Summit County news, US Forest Service, White River National Forest | Tagged: , , , , , , | 3 Comments »

Breckenridge: More info on the proposed Peak 6 expansion

Posted on June 21, 2011 by Jenney Coberly

Breckenridge open house set for June 23; Front Range open house coming up, as well as a Peak 6 site visit on July 14

Healthy spruce and fir forest on Peak 6.

By Summit Voice

BRECKENRIDGE — It’s a common misconception that the trees within the proposed Breckenridge Peak 6 expansion area are lodgepole pines dying from the pine beetle epidemic.

In reality, healthy spruce and fir forest, including ancient legacy trees, dominate the alpine terrain, as described in the U.S. Forest Service draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS): “Spruce-fir within stands average approximately 90 years in age, although some stands may be much older in the Peak 6 area, where individual trees over 300 years of age were observed (legacy trees).”

The Forest Service is providing citizens with the opportunity to meet one-on-one with Forest Service personnel and learn more about all the proposed alternatives in the DEIS at June 23 open house, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Beaver Run Ballroom of the Beaver Run Resort and Conference Center, located at 620 Village Road in Breckenridge, Colorado. (more…)

Filed under: Breckenridge, Breckenridge Peak 6 expansion, Breckenridge Ski Resort, Environment, forests, Ski Resorts, Summit County Colorado, US Forest Service, White River National Forest | Tagged: , , , , , , , | 3 Comments »

Breckenridge Town Council gets Peak 6 update

Posted on January 26, 2011 by Jenney Coberly

Resort officials say new terrain is needed to stay competitive

The view from the summit of Peak 6, now a popular backcountry ski destination that would become part of Breckenridge ski area's developed terrain under a proposal being reviewed by the U.S. Forest Service. PHOTO COURTESY ELLEN HOLLINSHEAD.

Listen to an audio transcript of the Peak 6 presentation at the Jan. 25 Breckenridge Town Council work session, including a presentation by ski area chief Pat Campbell and questions from town council members.

By Bob Berwyn & Jenney Coberly

SUMMIT COUNTY — Even as she acknowledged that Breckenridge has been among the top two most-visited ski areas in the U.S. during the past decade, resort chief Pat Campbell said the ski area needs the proposed Peak 6 expansion to stay competitive as a premier resort in the ski industry.

“It’s no secret that Breckenridge Ski Resort in the last decade has been has been either the most or second-most visited resort in the United States,” Campbell said Tuesday afternoon, updating the Breckenridge Town Council on the status of the expansion plan. “In fact we do that on less than half the skiable acreage that Vail has,” Campbell said. “Peak 6, we feel, is our best opportunity to really mitigate some of the crowding and guest experience issues that we have come to experience.” (more…)

Filed under: Breckenridge Peak 6 expansion, Breckenridge Ski Resort, Colorado, Dillon Ranger District, endangered species, Environment, ski industry, Ski Resorts, Summit County Colorado, US Forest Service, White River National Forest | Tagged: , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Breckenridge: Town council update on Peak 6

Posted on January 24, 2011 by Bob Berwyn

A recent rendering of one possible alignment of new ski terrain on Peak 6 at Breckenridge.

* This is the text of a memo included in the Jan. 25 Breckenridge Town Council packet. View the full council packet here.

Proposed Peak 6 Expansion Project Overview Presentation to Breckenridge Town Council January 25, 2011 Work Session

Breckenridge Ski Resort (BSR) has fluctuated between the most- and second-most visited resort in the U.S. over the past decade making it consistently one of the busiest mountain resorts in North America. Historically, peak visitation days put pressure on the existing terrain and infrastructure capacities.
As visitation increases, the quality of the recreational experience is impacted. High trail densities and long lift lines are associated with three periods:

(1) peak days;

(2) average days during key egress periods; and

(3) new snow days in areas of off-piste, lift-served terrain.

To begin to mitigate these issues and improve the guest experience, Breckenridge has identified the need for the following needs:

•    Better accommodation of current daily visitation levels;
•    Reduced skier/rider congestion on BSR’s existing Intermediate and Advanced
intermediate terrain network and associated lifts;
•    Reduced waiting time for lifts at BSR; •    Efficient dispersal of Intermediate and Advanced Intermediate skiers/riders across the
entire skiable terrain network;
•    Additional lift-served terrain to accommodate the existing terrain distribution deficit;
•    Additional hike-to access servicing advanced ability levels (more…)

Filed under: Breckenridge Ski Resort, Colorado, Summit County Colorado, Summit County news | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Breckenridge: Peak 6 expansion battle goes Facebook

Posted on January 20, 2011 by Bob Berwyn

A map showing one potential layout for a new lift and trail system on Peak 6 at Breckenridge Ski Area.

Will social media play a role in the outcome of a classic ski town showdown?

By Bob Berwyn

SUMMIT COUNTY — Like almost everything else in the information age, a battle over a proposed ski area expansion in Breckenridge, Colorado, will be partially waged on the web. Both supporters and opponents of the plan to build a new lift and clear-cut new trails on Peak 6 are signing up on Facebook pages to take a stand — or at least to stay informed about the issue.

So far, the Support Peak 6 page has 75 “likes,” while the Save Peak 6 page has 13 “friends” and 43 “likes.”

Breckenridge Ski Area first proposed the expansion a couple of years ago. In the initial round of formal Forest Service documents, the resort and the agency said the new terrain is needed to meet demand for intermediate terrain at what has been the country’s most-visited ski resort the past few seasons. Breckenridge has averaged about 1.5 million skier visits per season.

Critics of the expansion are concerned about ski area growth in general, loss of access to nearby backcountry skiing opportunities, as well as potential impacts to natural resources; lynx, elk and healthy old-growth forests high in the Tenmile Range. (more…)

Filed under: Breckenridge Ski Resort, Colorado | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Breckenridge ski area expansion: Peak 6-lite?

Posted on June 21, 2010 by Bob Berwyn

An early map of the Breckenridge Ski Area Peak 6 expansion plan, released with the scopng notice in 2008, shows one possible version of a planned terrain pod.

Forest Service says draft study on plan is due in September; agency will publish a newsletter on project in the next few weeks to update stakeholders

By Bob Berwyn

SUMMIT COUNTY — A pending proposal to expand lift-served skiing at Breckenridge will include a “Peak 6-Light” option, including in-fill development within the resort’s existing footprint, as well as gladed Peak 6 terrain. The scaled-back version includes a shorter lift than envisioned in the initial version of the plan, which includes a lift extending well above treeline, to near the summit of Peak 6.

The U.S. Forest Service now hopes to release a draft environmental impact study for the Peak 6 plan in September. In the next couple of weeks, the agency will be sending out a newsletter to update interested parties on the Peak 6 mailing, said Roger Poirer, the winter sports program administrator for the White River National Forest.

Vail Resorts officials said last week via e-mail that they had no comment on the expansion proposal at this time.

“We wanted to develop a realistic alternative proposal … not just a straw-man alternative that we’d never pick,” Poirer said. The draft study will also show various options for mitigating impacts from tree-clearing and development on Peak 6, especially as those activities relate to threatened lynx, Poirer said. (more…)

Filed under: Breckenridge, Dillon Ranger District, ski industry, Ski Resorts, Summit County Colorado, US Forest Service, White River National Forest | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments »

Forest Service chief to review Crested Butte expansion bid

Posted on June 18, 2010 by Bob Berwyn

Snodgrass Mountain, viewd from the Mt. Crested Butte ski area. PHOTO COURTESY FRIENDS OF SNODGRASS MOUNTAIN.

Agency also denies Utah resort expansion, citing need for backcountry recreation and watershed protection

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — A controversial plan to build new lifts and trails in Crested Butte is headed for the desk of U.S. Forest Service chief Tom Tidwell. The high-level review comes after two other Forest Service decision-makers previously rejected the Snodgrass Mountain expansion plan.

Originally, national forest supervisor Charlie Richmond decided late last year that the Forest Service would not start a formal review process for the expansion. Richmond said there was a lack of clear community support for the project, and also cited geological issues in his decision.

After a California-based regional forester upheld Richmond’s decision, the resort took the appeal to the highest level, claiming that the forest supervisor violated federal law by making a private decision that excluded the public.

Tidwell’s decision is due my mid-July. Read more in the Crested Butte News …

The U.S. Forest Service has also denied a ski area expansion bid in Utah, where Solitude had sought to build new lifts in the Silver Fork area, where the resort wanted to build one new lift and develop about 180 acres for skiing.

The forest supervisor for the area said the proposed expansion is not consistent with the 2003 forest plan, which designates the Silver Fork area for watershed protection and undeveloped recreation. According to the agency, the need to protect watersheds and provide opportunities for backcountry has grown since 2003. Read More …

Filed under: skiing and riding | Tagged: , , , , , | 1 Comment »

USFS denies Crested Butte expansion appeal

Posted on May 8, 2010 by Bob Berwyn
Trail map of Crested Butte Mountain Resort

A bid to expand Crested Butte was denied by the U.S. Forest Service, but the Forest Supervisor could overturn the decision. The undersecretary in charge of the Forest Service is Harris Sherman, an attorney who favored expansions at Vail Resorts when he worked in the private sector in Colorado.

Controversial plan reached top levels of Forest Service, ski industry and Congress

By Bob Berwyn

SUMMIT COUNTY — The U.S. Forest Service is sticking with its decision to deny an expansion of Crested Butte Mountain Resort on to nearby Snodgrass Mountain.

Deputy Regional Forester James M. Peña announced his decision in a May 6 letter to the resort owners, saying the record is full of contradictory evidence regarding the merits of the plan, and said that Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnision National Forest Supervisor Charlie Richmond, who initially denied the expansion plan, “(D)id not violate law, regulation, or agency policy nor was it arbitrary or capricious, and was fully within his broad discretionary authority.”

See the entire letter in a Scribd.com window at the end of the story.

Peña also said he is requiring Richmond to provide guidance on how Crested Butte “should submit a proposal to provide downhill skiing in the context of (forest plan) direction that the authorized officer would find acceptable,” or to initiate a revision of the plan to modify the ski area zoning for the area. (more…)

Filed under: public lands, ski industry, Ski Resorts, skiing and riding, Summit County Colorado | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 5,562 other followers