Keystone, CO (Monday, July 8, 2002) - Forest Service and Keystone Resort officials claim a proposed lift and portal in the Ski Tip area, east of River Run Village, would help reduce overall congestion at Keystone’s existing base areas. But some watchdog groups say there are other ways to achieve that goal with less impact to the environment. Scoping comments from the public and from referral agencies will help determine how the Forest Service evaluates the proposal.

Forest Service officials say if scoping raises no significant issues, the agency could complete a draft Environmental Assessment within a few months, but environmentalists say the agency should consider a more exhaustive Environmental Impact Statement.

Previous development proposals in the Ski Tip area have become mired in controversy. Biologists – including Keystone’s own wildlife consultant – have identified a forested area crossing the Snake River Valley near the resort that could provide a sheltered movement corridor for lynx and other sensitive species.

Summit County is located in a critical juncture in the greater Southern Rockies ecosystem, and letters from state and federal wildlife agencies indicate the corridor provides a landscape-level linkage, allowing wide-ranging animals to move north and south between larger areas of suitable habitat in the region. Such linkages could prove crucial to sustaining biodiversity in the region over the long-term. Acknowledging those concerns, the Board of County Commissioners last year rejected plans for a residential subdivision in the area.

"The science of conservation biology is still evolving," said Currie Craven, a Breckenridge-based wilderness and wildlife advocate who said he remains wary of Keystone’s latest lift proposal. "Data on animal movements is improving. Until we know more, we should continue to follow a policy of no regret," Craven said, adding that the public has previously made its concern for the area known during public comments on the planned residential development.

Some conservation advocates have already raised red flags with regard to the proposal, calling on the Forest Service to fully evaluate all potential impacts and to consider other ways to relieve base-area congestion that might have fewer impacts on the environment.

The newest proposal may still be too close to the corridor for comfort, Craven said. "People should challenge Keystone and Vail Resorts to reveal all their potential plans for that area, and the Forest Service needs to consider the cumulative impacts when it looks at the proposal for this lift," he said.

It’s not yet clear whether this latest proposal for the Ski Tip lift raises similar wildlife concerns. Craven said he would be watching for the comments from state and federal wildlife biologists to gage their reaction.

Though deserted in this early season photo, Keystone’s River Run base area can be crowded during certain times on peak days in high season. The resort has proposed a controversial new lift about one-half mile east of River Run, where critics say it will do more to enhance the value of private real estate than to relieve base area congestion. Some Keystone skiers say the resort should improve service and capacity of existing lifts before building new lifts. (Photo: Bob Berwyn)

Other ski industry and Forest Service watchdogs like the Land and Water Fund’s Ted Zukoski and Colorado Wild’s Jeff Berman are concerned that the Forest Service may rely too heavily on a skier-flow study that originated with the resort. Studies done by industry consultants – in this case, SE Group - can be skewed toward supporting the result sought by the proponent, they warned.

The Forest Service is obligated to consider other options, Zukoski said. "The law requires the Forest Service to look at a range of reasonable alternatives. The Forest Service can't just take Keystone's word that nothing besides a new portal will get the company what it wants. That's especially important where land that belongs to all Americans is at stake," Zukoski said.

"If the problem is crowding at the base facilities or at particular lifts, there are clearly alternatives to explore, for example, increasing the speed at which people are moved from the base to the mountain from existing portals. And there may be a variety of ways to do that," Zukoski said.

Craven said it’s hard to overstate the significance of the wildlife corridor and asked Summit County residents to step forward once again and raise these concerns. Becoming involved in the public process is the best way to raise awareness of potential issues, he said.