WSP07593 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Aspen Highlands Ski Ar~a - Draft EnvirolllUnlallmpact Stal~menl Table 3/ . J)escl"iotion of new iikiliftS fur A1te~na:tiveB:.... .c........<c....c....... Length V crL Rise Ride Time Capacity Skiable Tcrmin Ski Tcrmin Lift Type' (feet) (feet) (minutes) (Pph)' (acres) Capacity (skiers) Thunderbowl D4C 4000 1350 4 1600 96 962 Stccp\cchasc FlC 4400 2200 9 1600 209 2027 Highland Bowl FlC 4500 1950 9 1200 152 1441 Maroon Bowl FlC 3900 1850 8 1200 189 1849 D4C = detachable quad ehairlift; FlC = douhle fixed-grip chairl1ft l'roh ~ ocrsons oer hour Much of the ski terrain that would be accessed from the proposed Thunderbowl and Sleeplechase lifts is already being used, thereby reducing the need for tree clearing. In lerrain serviced by the Highland Bowl and Maroon Bowl lifts, tree removal would also be limited because much of the new terrain would occur in natural bowl openings. Where new ski lerrain crosses limbered areas, panial tree clearing (glading) rather than total clearing would be used where possible. Low intensity clearing would focus on the removal of dead and leaning trees, while increasing intensity of tree removal would represent progressively greater cbanges 10 the tree stands and habilats. Trees would be lagged prior to removal and would focus on avalanche-damaged trees, snags, and slanding and leaning dead trees where possible. The Steeplechase Catwalk, from mid-mountain 10 the base of the Steeplechase Lift, would service the Deep Steeplechase area and provide a backup rou1e for skiers to reach Loge Peak via the Steeplechase Lift in the event that the Loge Peak Lif! is out of service. It would also greatly facilitate evacuation of injured skiers from the Steeplechase and Highland Bowl areas. The average grade of Steeplechase Catwalk would be about 8 perceot but the grade along the middle section would be less than 5 percent. The average grade of the Highland Bowl Catwalk would be about 15 percent, although it would be about 10 percent for a significanl portion of its length. New buildings would include the reconstructed Merry-Go-Round restaurant and the new PHQ. Upgrading the Merry-Go-Round restaurant would not only improve the visual quality of the facility but would provide a range of high quality dining services and four separate cuisines. Relocating the PHQ to the south of Loge Peak would improve ski patrol throughout the Aspeo Highlands Ski Area, including the new terrain. The new snowmaking facility would require one control building (about 5,950 square feet in area) with air compressors and water cooling and pwnping equipment, three pumphouses (each about 1.360 square feet in area) located at quanerway, Midway, and at the top of Cloud Nine area, and each of which could have one or more extemaI cooling towers (174 square feet in area). This facility could provide 12 to 18 inches of anificialsoow over a tDlal of 303 acres (227 acres more than current coverage) of the most commonly used terrain between the Aspen Highlands base area and Loge Peak, particularly during the early ski season. The ASC and Hines jointly own a water righl in Maroon Creek that could be used to supply the necessary water. The independent Aspen Highlands base area development would not affect Alternative B differently than the No Action A1lernative. ALTERNATIVE C . PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE Under Alternative C, the Steeplechase and Highland Bowl lifts and reconstruction of the Merry-Go-Round restauranl, included under Alternative B, would be retained without modification. The replacemem Thunderbowl Lift would be realigned and extended to serve additional ski terrain. In addition, Alternative C would include the Highland and Ridge surface lifts, an extension of the Grand Traverse Catwalk (the Temerily Catwalk), an access road from Caslle Creek Road to the base of the Steeplechase Lift (Lower Temerity maintenance road), an additional restaurant at Loge Peak comaining the new ski patrol headquarters and an inlerpretive center, and a 10 Section II A1ternaljv~s C01Ujd~r~d in Detail