Your Letters Needed By June 12 As if its influence did not cover enough of Summit County already, Keystone Ski resort is trying to expand its snowcat-served terrain onto Independence and Bear Mountains in the White River National Forest. This expansion of an already huge resort is not needed and would reduce the quality of backcountry skiing. Keystone is a sizable resort in eastern Summit County. Over the last 20 years, it has greatly expanded its lift-served territory. In early 2004, the Forest Service approved snowcat access to Erickson Bowl and Little (or Bergman) Bowl, which are just above timberline and are adjacent to the area now proposed for snowcat access. Read the Forest Service's Draft EA. Draft Comments are Now Available: Downlaod keystone_comments.doc as a MS Word File Download keystone_comments.pdf as a PDF

From this vantage point near the Spring Dipper trail, much of Keystone's proposed Independence Bowl cat-serviced and hike-to ski terrain is visible on either side of the broad saddle, extending from the ridge down to the fringe of the tree line. Bear Mountain is the prominent peak on the left. The Bowl encompasses the head of the Jones Gulch drainage, whose lower, densely forested reaches have been idenified as a potentially important movement corridor for threatened lynx and other species that rely on forest cover.

The proposal

If approved, snowriders would be allowed to access a 278-acre area on the southwest flank of Independence Mountain and the west-southwest side of Bear Mountain with snowcats. Snowcats would pick up guests at either the Outpost or the Summit House, and return them there after snowriding. People who wished to hike to and from the area for snowriding would be allowed to do so.

Why this should concern backcountry snowriders. With easier access, many more people would use the area, allowing quick track-out of powder after snowfalls. All or parts of the proposed expansion area may be groomed for safety reasons or to otherwise facilitate snow riding. Before approving snowcat skiing in Erickson and Little (Bergman) Bowls, the Forest Service stated that grooming would sometimes occur there. Snow fencing might also be installed to help retain adequate snow in the proposed new area.

How much territory will Keystone be allowed to control? 

Is the addition of snowcat-accessed snowriding really the best use of this area of national forest?  Undeveloped backcountry areas suitable for snowriding in Summit County are steadily decreasing; for example the recent approval of lift-served skiing on Breckenridge’s Peak 8 has allowed development of an area that was formerly accessible only to those willing to hike to it. The proposed expansion of A-Basin into Montezuma Bowl would, if approved, degrade yet another such area.

The expanded snowcat-accessible area would put skiers right at the top of Jones Gulch, an important wildlife corridor, most of which is not in Keystone’s permit area. Allowing snowcats to access this area would irresistibly tempt some skiers to ski or snowboard down Jones Gulch, degrading the value of the wildlife habitat there.

The Forest Service wants to quickly approve this proposal. In doing so, it would not take a hard look at the trade-offs between additional snowcat-accessed terrain and undeveloped backcountry areas, nor at the possible adverse effects to wildlife from increased use.

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