Advocating for A Sustainable, Ecologically Friendly Ski Industry
Skiing in Colorado, while an appropriate (and fun!) use of our National Forests, can threaten the forests, rivers, and our mountains’ magnificent beauty − often the very attributes that drew us here in the first place. With skier numbers stagnant nationally for over two decades, some ski companies continue to greatly expand terrain simply to retain “market share” over other ski areas also in our National Forests – destroying wetlands, old-growth, and pristine mountain valleys in the process. Driven by the lure of real estate development profits, many resorts also over-develop exclusive ski-in/ski-out homes, further destroying Colorado’s natural beauty and harming crucial lynx, bear, elk, and deer migration corridors.
As the founder and nationwide leader of the nationwide Ski Area Citizens’ Coalition, Colorado Wild is the only group working state-wide to curb environmentally harmful or real estate driven ski area expansions. With our partner organizations throughout the western U.S., we grade ski resorts each year on their environmental friendliness with the Ski Area Environmental Scorecard – a widely acclaimed, user friendly tool thousands of skiers use to make a real difference.
In what we hope will be the final chapter in McCombs’ proposed 10,000-person “Village” at Wolf Creek debacle, the Rio Grande National Forest officially cancelled the new EIS for the project on February 12, 2009. Ten years after Colorado Wild’s original objection to a proposed access route through the ski area’s parking lot, the project has ground to a halt yet again.
Crested Butte Mountain Resort (CBMR) has released a Master Development Plan as part of seeking approval for its proposed Snodgrass Mountain terrain expansion. CBMR is expected to formally request that the Forest Service begin an EIS process for Snodgrass as early as July. If the Forest Service accepts the application, the public will initially have 45 days to comment on the proposal.
Overall Trend Shows Implementation of Energy Efficiency Retrofits Boosted Environmental Grades on Annual Ski Area Score Card for Resorts across the West
Energy retrofit projects, new efficient snowmaking equipment, increased use of biodiesel, and purchasing of energy from renewable resources have all contributed to improved environmental grades for ski resorts across the west. Ten of the 16 resorts who improved their Ski Area Environmental Scorecard grades this year demonstrated significant energy saving efforts, greening the overall industry’s performance.
Project on Hold Yet Again Friends of Wolf Creek Update – November 21, 2008
Holding true to its promise to the public, the U.S. Forest Service yesterday officially suspended the Village at Wolf Creek Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process.
Colorado Wild is proud to announce another victory for lynx and water quality in Colorado’s high country. Thanks to a unique agreement between Colorado Wild and Durango Mountain Resort (DMR), approval of the Resort’s new Master Development Plan will avoid impacting known lynx habitat and a sensitive headwater creek.
