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<br />Aspen Highlands Sk.i Area <br /> <br />The buildings will be constructed of native materials commensurate with the Forest Service building <br />standards and color schemes, and will comply with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA). Non- <br />reflective glass must be part of the design to prevent visual degradation from wilderness areas. The design <br />of the buildings will be energy efficient and will take advantage of the latest technologies. I strongly <br />recommend that both water and sewer utilities be extended to these structures. However, the option <br />remains available to install either the low flow traditional toilets or composting toilets. The powder <br />magazine facility will comply to the standards for storing explosive materials. <br /> <br />HIGHLAND BOWL AND MAROON BOWL <br />The Aspen Skiing Company is given approval to continue their snow safety studies for the Highland Bowl <br />area. This area will remain within the Special Use Pennit boundary as long as ASC continues its studies. <br />The Maroon Bowl area will, however, be removed from the penn it boundary and will no longer be the <br />responsibility of the Aspen Skiing Company to maintain a closure for this area. <br /> <br />DISCUSSION <br />The Aspen Skiing Company has spent a considerable amount of time and money to understand the <br />avalanche and show dynamics of the conditions within Highland Bowl. Prior to and after the time of <br />death of three (3) ski patrol members, it has been an interest of the operators of Aspen Highlands Ski Area <br />to understand and make the bowl areas safe. The Aspen Skiing Company has requested to develop lift <br />service in the bowls. The EIS has indicated at this time that there is not enough infonnation available <br />to proceed safely with lift service skiing. However, I do believe that because additional time and <br />infonnation is needed, the Aspen Skiing Company will need to control access to the area. Therefore I <br />am leaving the Highland Bowl within the Special Use Penn it boundary. I am not allowing lift service <br />into Maroon Bowl due to the infonnation disclosed in the EIS. Construction of the lift as proposed by <br />the Aspen Skiing Company would involve spanning approximately 1,200 feet in order to avoid placing <br />towers in the main avalanche path. Therefore, Maroon Bowl area will be removed from the penn it area <br />because sufficient progress has not been made in understanding the dynamics of the area concerning the <br />protection of skiers. <br /> <br />CONDITIONS <br />Studies within the Highland Bowl will be allowed to continue with the provision that the Aspen Skiing <br />Company meet annually with the Forest Service to review the findings of the past year's study and set <br />the next years goals and objectives. The annual plan will describe the studies to be undertaken and the <br />operation plan for implementation, the hazards to specific areas, how the GOfNO-GO decisions to enter <br />the bowl will be detennined, and the estimated personnel and dollar commitments expected from each <br />decision. <br /> <br />LOGE BOWL CATWALK <br />The Aspen Skiing Company is authorized to extend the existing Olympic Catwalk approximately 1,876 <br />feet as identified in Figure 1. 1 am also authorizing in concept an additional 1,100 feet of catwalk <br />extension provided that no additional environmental impacts beyond those disclosed for the approved <br />portion of the catwalk are found to occur. This will require additional analysis and approval by the Forest <br />Service. <br /> <br />DISCUSSION <br />The extension of the existing Olympic Catwalk will allow for additional use of terrain within the Loge <br />Bowl area. No glading or tree removal is expected except for an occasional tree within the catwalk <br />alignment. While the additional 1,100 feet of catwalk had not been reviewed on a specific alignment, the <br />environment is similar to that studied for the approved extension. Therefore, this additional length of <br /> <br />10 <br /> <br />Decision. and Ralionale <br />AUlhorized Masler Developmenl Plan Componenls <br />