11 replies to this topic

[Limelight]

Looking at the MDP on the Crystal Mt website, I'm trying to fiqure out which "Alternative" plan they are going with. I know there has been talk on this site of starting construction on the tram and the Northway lift this summer, and the site said they are going with "Alternative 6" Alternative 6 but I'd like to know what modifications have been made to that plan, if any.
Are they still planning on the Kelly's Gap, East Peak and the Bullion Basin lift for the future? Or have they adjusted the plan in someway?

[Lavalamp]

Limelight, on Apr 21 2006, 10:38 AM, said:

Looking at the MDP on the Crystal Mt website, I'm trying to fiqure out which "Alternative" plan they are going with. I know there has been talk on this site of starting construction on the tram and the Northway lift this summer, and the site said they are going with "Alternative 6" Alternative 6 but I'd like to know what modifications have been made to that plan, if any.
Are they still planning on the Kelly's Gap, East Peak and the Bullion Basin lift for the future? Or have they adjusted the plan in someway?

You want to look at the Record of Decision. The Forest Service approved a modified version of Alternative 6. The only substantial changes from Alternative 6 are the removal of the East Peak lift and removal of the mid mountain water-storage lagoon (for snowmaking purposes). The Kelly's Gap and Bullion Basin lifts were retained, but development of those lifts is contingent on building the Bullion Basin lodge first.

Crystal had to push everything back one year, so construction of the tram will start next summer (summer 2007) and should be finished by the winter of 2008-09 (two year construction timeframe). I haven't heard anything new on the Northway lift, but since it was supposed to start this summer as well, it'll probably go in next summer.

[Limelight]

Ah OK. I'm looking at the ROD right now. Thanks!

[Peter]

Although Northway was going to be a HSQ, it has since been changed to a double or triple.

[SkiBachelor]

I think Boyne is starting to get into some financial trouble since it seems that it's no longer fallowing its $500 million expansion project. Last year's season just killed them, especially owning 3 resorts here in the Northwest. There just wasn't enough business from its other resorts to make up the difference.

[Peter]

Even though Crystal and Cypress sucked, I think Big Sky still did ok. I went there in February to use my Crystal season pass, and it was not that empty and the snow was fine. Nothing like Crystal and Cypress who were closed from mid January to late March. All the Crystal employees were over at Big Sky too. I think by the middle of November, Crystal had passed the number of tickets sold all last year.

This post has been edited by Skier: 21 April 2006 - 03:01 PM

[SkiBachelor]

Even though Big Sky had decent snow conditions, the press just killed them and all the other resorts in the Northwest that were still open by saying that they were all closed. Then people cancelled their winter vacations to that area and booked new places, even though the resort they might have been going to was still open. I remember one news program saying that all the resorts in Oregon, Washington and Idaho were closed which was totally untrue.

[liftmech]

It's good to see Crystal stepped back from the detachable version of the Northway lift. I can see the need for a lift out there but a detachable wouldn't make sense from a skier density standpoint or for maintenance purposes. Now they can get away with not building a road to the bottom terminal by building a fixed return station and placing the footings and terminal by helicopter. I do wish they hadn't axed the Eat Peak lift, though. That would have opened up some excellent terrain. You would still have had to hike to a fair amount to most of it, but that would have made it similar to the existing chair 6.

[Limelight]

The East Peak lift would have been interesting. It would have cut over the top of the Pacific Crest Trail, which is a area I do a lot of hiking in during the summer months. Kind of glad they didn't build that lift, as well as its runs, because it would have taken much from that beautiful area, but at the same time it would have opened up some great skiing. Any ideas why the FS wouldn't allow the lift?

This post has been edited by Limelight: 22 April 2006 - 09:58 AM

[Lavalamp]

The stated reason East Peak was removed was because the Forest Service didn't see the need for additional lift-served expert terrain. The unstated reasons also included visual impacts to the Pacific Crest Trail and that the Forest Service was concerned about people using the lift to get up over the Cascade Crest and into the Norse Peak Wilderness area. Still, I also wish they'd approved the lift; there's a ton of excellent terrain up there.

[Peter]

I'm so happy that they didn't approve the Silver King chair.

[liftmech]

The Silver King lift was totally unnecessary, not to mention its base was in a wetland and its summit would have needed much of the King to be blasted off to make even a small footprint.