The U.S. Forest Service has released a draft environmental impact statement for new recreation opportunities at Snowmass ski area. The proposed projects would significantly add to summer recreation on the mountain.
The planned activities are in the Elk Camp area and include a mountain coaster, a canopy tour and zipline, ropes course, climbing wall and new hiking and biking trails.
The environmental impacts could include damage to wildlife habitat, erosion and noise, among other factors. Roger Poirier, Forest Service mountain sports manager, said the agency is rethinking how to use ski areas to attract a wide variety of users, rather than just skiers and snowboarders.
There will be an open house at the Treehouse Kids Adventure Center on Dec. 13, and the public can submit comments until early January. A final decision is expected in the spring.
