December 2008: We want to give you an update on the issues surrounding the public lands in the Lolo Peak area and the development of the proposed Bitterroot Resort. This November, Friends of Lolo Peak entered its 4th year of working to protect the unique public lands on and around Lolo Peak from commercial development, a job that appears far from over.
The Bitterroot Resort’s Applications for a Special Use Permit (SUP)
This summer the Bitterroot Resort applied in two separate instances for a SUP, once in April, and when that failed, again in August. In the first application, the Resort sought to shuttle guided skiers via 5 snowcat trips per day into the Carlton Lake basin, to create “gladed” ski conditions on 212 acres to the west of the Carlton Ridge Natural Resource Area, and to reopen 16 miles of re-vegetated logging roads and construct an additional 19 miles of new trails for Nordic skiing and mountain biking. The application requested a 99-year period of use.
In response, Friends of Lolo Peak submitted detailed comments on the SUP application.
In July, the Forest Service denied the Resort’s SUP application on the grounds that it did not meet the criteria for Canada lynx conservation, which calls for no net increase in acreage of groomed snow in habitat considered to be occupied. The agency was also concerned about the impacts to elk wintering habitat and the visual impacts resulting from the construction of gladed ski terrain.
In early August, the Bitterroot Resort returned with another SUP application, basically asking for the same plan, with the exception that the 16 miles of re-opened roads and 19 miles of newly constructed trails would be used for mountain biking alone, not Nordic skiing. Friends of Lolo Peak drafted yet another set of comments, delving deeper into the reasons the Resort’s proposal was inconsistent with forest management guidelines. In addition, FOLP met with Forest Service rangers to discuss our concerns in more detail. Once again, Friends of Lolo Peak submitted detailed comments on the SUP application.
In September, the Forest Service refused to consider the application without further information.
In November, the Bitterroot National Forest approved the preliminary screening of the resort’s latest proposal. The permitting process requires another level of in-depth screening to determine whether the proposal meets the specifications of the current forest plan, whether the proposal is in the public interest, and whether the resort has the financial resources to execute the plan and make it financially viable over the long run. A part of the screening process will be an environmental impact analysis, which makes any final granting of a permit years away. The public will still have the opportunity to say whether they want to grant the resort exclusive commercial use of an area that is currently used by the public for free.
In short, the Bitterroot Resort continues its plan to develop the public lands on and around Lolo Peak. Though the two applications for Special Use Permits reflect a plan that is scaled back from the Resort’s Master Plan, there can be no doubt that its larger aims have not been abandoned. The new proposals are merely a foot-in-the-door strategy to someday develop the original 12,000 acres of public land. Friends of Lolo peak remains committed to protecting these lands, and will stay active in the agency process and in building grassroots support for an undeveloped Lolo Peak. We continue to watch for the release of the Draft Management Plan, to stay in touch with local elected officials, and to keep you all informed.
NEW Analysis of public comments reveals 80% oppose Bitterroot Resort.
Download the analysis >>
A Forest Service study based on a review of national, regional and local trends in the ski industry, population levels, and climate data revealed a lack of demand for additional skiing on the Bitterroot and Lolo National Forests. Titled “Downhill Skiing Needs Assessment for the Bitterroot and Lolo Forest Plan Revisions”, the study concludes that current and projected trends “argue against the need to increase ski area capacity to accommodate growth in potential destination visitors to ski areas on the Lolo and Bitterroot National Forests.”
Forest Service Draft Management Plans for Lolo and Bitterroot National Forests
To view the Draft Manangement Plans, click below:
Other Issues:
Alleged Illegal Logging on Public Land:
In February 2006, the USFS filed suit against Resort CEO Tom Maclay alleging illegal logging and road clearing. The complaint claims that MaClay cut 400 trees on public land, including valuable larch in the Research Natural Area on Carlton Ridge. It further alleges that 7 new roads on public land were constructed illegally. Read news coverage >>
Download the Complaint (pdf)
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