Arapahoe Basin stepped closer to realizing its four-year plan to add adjacent expert terrain on Wednesday, when the White River National Forest released its final environmental review of its plans, largely approving the expansion.
The agency’s Final Environmental Impact Statement and Draft Record of Decision expands the 958-acre ski area’s operational boundary to include a new lift and 338 acres of intermediate-level bowl skiing, and expert-level cliffs, tight trees and rock-choked chutes in the areas known as the Beavers and Steep Gullies.
The proposed project, which is now open for public objection, includes a new fixed-grip chairlift, one new surface lift and the replacement of two 35-year-old chairlifts. The proposal also includes adding a canopy zipline tour and challenge course to help Arapahoe Basin bolster its warm-weather business.
The plan stems from Arapahoe Basin’s 2012 master plan, which asked the Forest Service to approve expansion within its special-use permit boundary into the Beavers and Steep Gullies so the ski area could mitigate avalanche hazard in the steep-and-deep terrain. Since 1982, six skiers have died in avalanches in the easy-to-access area. Having ski patrollers working to mitigate the avalanche hazard could improve safety back there.
The area is zoned for skiing under the White River National Forest’s 2002 land and resource management plan, which outlined support for ski area expansion at ski hills with growing demand in the most heavily trafficked national forest in the country. And demand at Arapahoe Basin is soaring, with both visitation and revenues climbing in recent year.
If approved, the expansion at Arapahoe Basin will be the largest since the area’s 400-acre push into Montezuma Bowl, which nearly doubled the area’s terrain in 2007.
The final statement closely resembles the draft review the Forest Service released in February. That draft drew about 100 comments. Most of those were from users who wanted the expansion.
“I’d say there is more support for developing this project than opposition,” said Matt Ehrman, the Forest Service’s project leader.
The Forest Service will be taking objections to the project for the next 45 days. Copies of the Final Environmental Impact Statement, the Draft Record of Decision and how to file an objection are available at http://bit.ly/2au92kg.
