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t' rJ r, /."" I Ull' f.) -:; ..;1: skiing for approximately 350 acres. This pod was described and analyzed as part of FEIS Alternatives F and G. There will be three fully cleared ski trails extending from the top of Burnt Mountain to the base of the lift, averaging 150 feet in width" The upper eastern face of Burnt Mountain or "corn'ice" area will be available for skiing; however, skiers will have to take a traverse back to the west to get back to the main part of the pod and the base of the lift. Four short trails will be built from the western edge of the pod (Burnt Mountain ridge) back to the Bull Run trail of Elk Camp. Ski trail development will entail approximately five acres of full clearing with grading, 115 acres of full clearing without grading, 195 acres of glading, and 35 acres of natural openings which require. no treatments. The pod will be accessed by the Base Village-to-Burnt Mountain. gondola (assuming ASC chooses to build this alignment) and a catwalk/skiway from the Cafe Suzanne area to the base terminal. If the Elk Camp gondola is built, the pod will be accessed by a short transport lift which extends from the top of the Bull Run trail, a catwalk/skiway from the top of the Bull Run trail, and a catwalk from Cafe Suzanne. Egress trails from the bottom terminal down to the east side of East Village will serve to relieve skier congestion on the Bull Run trail and around the Cafe Suzanne area during afternoon egress periods. The forest cover on the upper mountain is generally sparse sapling and pole-sized Engleman spruce and subalpine fir which will not require extensive clearing for trail grooming. Forest stands in the lower half of the pod contain larger and denser mature and older saw-timber which will require full clearing with designated trail right-of-ways. DISCUSSION Upper Burnt Mountain and the western pod area contain varied topography that is highly suited for ski terrain development. The general aspect is north to northeast, which is ideal for maintaining snow conditions. Slope gradients range from 25 to 55 percent for intermediate to advanced skier ability levels. Terrain in the upper half of the pod (with the exception of the northeast face -- .. cornice areal!) is well suited for low- intermediate to intermediate skiers. There is a natural break in slope near the 10,SOO-foot elevation and from this point down the terrain steepens to the higher-intermediate to advanced level. Therefore, a ,trail or catwalk will be constructed back to the Bull Run trail above the 10,500-foot elevation to provide lower-ability level skiers an opportunity t9 leave the pod before the terrain gets more difficult. The lower half of the pod contains a variety of ridges, draws, and pitches that will provide exciting opportunities to advanced-intermediate and expert skiers. Overall, this pod will provide over 2,000 feet of vertical and over 1.5 miles of nearly pure fall-line skiing, with a mix of terrain unmatched on the existing Baldy Mountain portion of the permit area. CONDITIONS The Western Burnt Mountain quad will be operated in the winter only. No summer activities will be staged out of the base or summit terminal locations. No lift or trail maintenance activities will be allowed between May 1 to June 20 (potentially adjusted to annual snow and weather conditions). Human activity near the summit facility and upper mountain trails will be minimized during the summer months. Except for catwalks/skiways, tower, and terminal sites, vegetation removal will be limited to flush cutting (i.e., no grading or stump removal). No clearing will occur until site-specific inspection and approval by appropriate Forest Service personnel of flagged clearing boundaries. The Forest Service will ensure design and mitigation specifications have been completely followed. RECORD OF DECISION Page . 13