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0"'0.,"" { J _ J;...J Clwpte,2 . Tile AllerMI;.es towers (174 square feet in area and 18 feet high). These buildings would be desigoed and orientated to minimi7.e visual impact and would adbere to Forest Service standards and guidelines for visual quality. PHASING Expansion and improvement plans proposed for the permit area would be phased. The fIrst phase, which covers the 3-year period after approval, would include: consll'uction of the Thunderbowl and Steeplechase lifts; 1I'ai1 clearing and glading in the areas serviced by the Steeplechase Lift, particularly the Lower Temerity and Deep Steeplecbase areas; clearing the Steeplechase Catwalk; reconsll'uction of the Merry-Go-Round Restaurant; and relocation of the ski patrol headquarters. 'The second phase would cover proposed expansions for the permit area after 3 years including: consll'Uction of the Highland Bowl and Maroon Bowl lifts; extension of the Olympic Catwalk to the Loge Bowl area and the catwalk between the Steeplechase and Highland Bowl Lift bases; and development of the facility for the Aspen Highlands ridge. OFF-SITE DEVELOPMENTS The base area development proposed by Hines would not affect Alternative B differently than the No Action Alternative and therefore, is not discussed further in this section. ALTERNATIVE C - PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE Alternative C,me Forest Service's preferred alternative, addresses safety concerns about developing ski terrain in Maroon Bowl, facilitates avalanche control in the Highland Bowl area and egress from it, eliminates the visual impact that would result from the consll'Uction of the proposed Steeplechase Catwalk, and addresses concerns about the large increase in the snowmaking capacity under Alternative B. It would also increase the downhill sid racing terrain in the Thunderbowl area, increase and disperse eating facilities, and avail both winter and summer visitors of the spectacular views from Loge Peak. The Steeplechase and Highland Bowl lifts and reconsll'Uction of the Merry-Go-Round Restaurant included under Alternative B are retained without modifIcation under Alternative C (FIgure 2.4). The Thunderbowl Lift would be realigoed and extended to serve additional sid terrain. Alternative C would also include two surface lifts, (one 1,800 feet along the ridgeline from a point south of the Loge Peak Lift to about mid-way between Loge Peak and Highland Peak and the other 1,000 feet from the top of the Highland Bowl Lift to Highland Peak), a catWalk through Upper Temerity to the Hyde Park area (Temerity Catwalk), an access road from Castle Creek Road to the base of the Steeplechase Lift (Lower Temerity maintenance road), an additional restaurant at Loge Peak containing the new sid patrol headquarters and possibly an interpretive center, consll'Uction of an explosives make-up facility south of Loge Peak, and new snowmaking facilities (Figure 2.4). Each of these facilities is described in greater detail below. Neither the Maroon Bowl Lift nor the Steeplecbase Catwalk would be included and the size of the SUP area would be reduced by 506 acres to eliminate terrain not targeted for development under Alternative C. In addition, Alternative C would also include summer sky-rides. via the Exhibition I and Loge Peak lifts, to Loge Peak and Loge Peak Restaurant in order to allow summer visitors to take advantage of the spectacular view of the Maroon Bells Wilderness. The independent Aspen Highlands base area development would not affect Alternative C differently than the No Action Alternative. LIFTS AND ASSOCIATED TERRAIN The technical specifications of the new lifts in Alternative C are summarized in Table 2.3 and, where they differ from Alternative B, are individually described in detail. THUIIIDERBOWL The new Thunderbowl Lift in Alternative C would replace the existing Thunderbowl and Golden Horn lifts and the lower tenninal of the lift would be located about halfway between the base tenninals of the existing Thunderbowl and Exhibition I lifts (Figure 2.4). Compared to Alternative B, the upper terminal would be Allernali."e C - Preferred Allemali....e Lifts and AsJ'ociased Te"ain. 2-11