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<br />nrlGt,,'58 <br /> <br />USDA FOREST SERVICE <br /> <br />RECORD OF DECISION <br /> <br />SNOWMASS SKI AREA MASTER DEVELOPMENT PLAN <br /> <br />ASPEN RANGER DISTRICT, WillTE RIVER NATIONAL FOREST <br />Responsible Official: Veto J. LaSalle, Forest Supervisor <br /> <br />Pitkin County, Colorado <br /> <br /> <br />I. INTRODUCTION <br /> <br />Since its ope~ing in 1967, the Snowmass Ski Area has been administered through <br />a variety of special use permits and master development plans (MOPs). Special <br />use permits are issued by the Forest Service to private parties to construct and <br />operate for-profit facilities on national forest system lands (NFSL). Permittees <br />are required ;to prepare and submit for Forest Service approval a MDP when <br />significant changes are proposed in the authorized uses of permit areas. <br /> <br />Currently, the snowmass Ski Area is operated through a Special Use Permit issued <br />by the Forest Service to Aspen Skiing Company (ASC). The permit area encompasses <br />approximately 5,400 acres and includes Baldy Mountain and a portion of Burnt <br />Mountain. Development to date has been limited to the Baldy Mountain portion. <br />The location of the permit area in relation to the Town of Snowmass village <br />(TOSV), City of Aspen and other key landmarks is depicted in Figure 1: Vicinity <br />Map. <br /> <br />The existing MOP authorizes use of the Snowmass Ski Area to a maximum capacity <br />of 10,000 skiers-at-one-time (SAOT). ASC now operates 16 lifts, serving 1,550 <br />acres of ski terrain, of which 1,320 acres are on NFSL. Four on-mountain <br />restaurants provide a total seating capacity of 2,104 persons. Summer uses <br />consist of minor amounts of hiking and mountain biking (the Government Trail is <br />the only designated trail), a very limited jeep tour operation (through separate <br />special use permit), and incidental amounts of dispersed camping. <br /> <br />In August 1991, ASC submitted a proposed concept for a new Snowmass Ski Area MDP <br />for review and approval by the White River National Forest (WRNF) , Aspen Ranger <br />District. The proposed MOP is intended to replace that authorized by the Forest <br />Service in 1983. This proposal was analyzed through processes directed by the <br />National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other laws and regulations. A Draft <br />Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) was released in May 1993 for 60 days of <br />public and agency review. The Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) has <br />been issued concurrent with this Decision. These environmental analyses are the <br />basis for the r:;election of the MOP components described in Part II of this Record <br />of Decision (ROD). <br /> <br />My decision authorizes facilities and activities that will enhance the area's <br />recreational potential, consistent with environmental, economic and social <br />factors. <br /> <br />Page . 1 <br /> <br />RECORD OF DECISION <br />