I am not a backcountry snowboarder (yet) as I have yet to take my avalanche safety classes nor have I cut my spare board in half. However, this below alert by Save Our Canyons still intrigues me for a couple reasons.
Why would the Powderbirds or any organization be given such a long permit? Why not have a necessary annual renewal measuring impact?
This is the third time within the last 2 weeks that I have received an email along the lines of possible negative environmental impact, but for some odd reason I only have a couple days to respond. WTF? Is this a lack of organization on the non-profit side? A break down in communication between the parties involved? A marketing tactic to try and get people to respond since the deadline is looming? Seriously… why are these issues not thoroughly addressed to the people who will be affected?!
Here is the info from Save Our Canyons about the Wasatch Powderbird Guides.
The Forest Service is seeking comments regarding the renewal of Wasatch Powderbird Guides (WPG) permit. The renewal would allow WPG to operate until 2020 without the requirement of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). We feel that there are significant impacts that should be considered in the decision of permit renewal. We are asking for you to submit your comments.
The deadline for comments is this Friday, December 19th. PLEASE let your friends and skiing buddies know that they should send their comments in too! This is a critical decision, and it will affect the future of the central Wasatch for decades. Make sure your friends don’t miss this deadline!
Your comments don’t have to be lengthy or complex – they just need to be written and sent. The suggestions below should help you write an effective comment.
SUGGESTIONS FOR COMMENTING ON WPG’S PROPOSED 10-YEAR PERMIT
The way to make comments more persuasive to a government agency is to clearly address them to the questions the agency must ask itself when considering an action that might affect the environment.These questions mainly revolve around a) whether the agency must analyze the impacts of a proposed action and document these in an environmental impact statement (EIS), and b) what the analysis in an EIS should include, if the agency decides it must prepare one.
The questions the Forest Service (FS) has before it in this case are:
1. Can we use a categorical exclusion?
The FS wants to use a new Bush regulation, called a categorical exclusion (CE), that allows it to avoid doing an environmental impact statement (EIS). But the agency can’t use the CE if a) impacts from WPG’s operation are “significant” or b) impacts have increased significantly since the 1999 EIS, or will increase significantly before the end of the new 10-year permit (2020).So the number one thing anyone could say is to the effect of “based on the growth in BC use I have observed over the last _____ years, the 1999 EIS could not reflect the impacts occurring today, and there is no way that impacts will not increase dramatically before the end of the term of the proposed permit.” Focus on noise and safety impacts, since, arguably competition for ski terrain is not an environmental effect, so not something the FS has to care much about.Remind the FS that it did not do any new analysis of impacts on other backcountry users in the 2004, so the most recent analysis of these impacts is already nine years old and, under the new permit, WPG would be operating TWENTY-ONE YEARS after the last analysis.
2.Should we prepare a new EIS?
Urge them that the backcountry has continued to get more crowded so they need to take another look at noise and safety impacts because, with increased congestion in the BC, these impacts are significantly greater than they were during the 1999, or even 2004, EIS.
3.What should a new EIS analyze?
Suggest what effects of WPG’s operations you think the FS should consider before it decides whether to issue a permit to WPG or what limitations to impose on it.Examples: perform noise measurements/mapping, perform backcountry use measurements/mapping, require WPG to provide number of individuals served, determine presence of and effect on sensitive, threatened, or endangered species.
4.Should we continue to issue these permits to WPG, or tighten restrictions on it?
Argue why heli-skiing is an inappropriate use of public lands, or appropriate only with certain operational restrictions, etc.On this point, regarding claims that WPG’s operations are “elitist,” keep in mind that the FS tends to see non-heli backcountry skiers/riders/snowshoers as just as elitist (“physically endowed” vs. “financially endowed”).Good points to make in favor of eliminating or restricting WPG are that the overall benefit of the permit to the public is disproportionate to the adverse effects, and that the adverse effects to the public are asymmetrical—experienced only by one group, non-motorized forest users.
For information about this issue and commenting, please contact Carl Fisher, Executive Director of Save Our Canyons, at carl@saveourcanyons.org or at 801-363-7283.
My Thoughts
Since I am not a backcountry snowboarder I have very little to opine on this subject. My initial response is I don’t care if everyone wants to play in the backcountry as long as it can still be safe for everyone and that the terrain isn’t being ruined. I do think that such a long permit is a poor idea as the Powderbirds will know they are locked in and can become complacent about how they treat the environment and locals who bust their butts hiking up the hill.
Is this an ignorant way to think? If so, please comment up and let me know.
Shaft and I cruised up to Solitude in celebration of St. Patty’s for half a day of skiing. The snow conditions were pretty good (meaning a little fresh powder only in the trees), but it was just nice to escape the city for a bit and take a break from the stresses of life.
No matter the ski day, the picture always looks the same. =)
We randomly stopped at a little lodge on the hill and to our surprise a porcupine was waddling around in search of food. I have never seen a porcupine in the wild, let alone at the resort.
I headed up to Solitude for a half day of riding with Triznut and The Tobin James. The conditions were better than expected when we started to ride, but as the day progressed a storm blew in. Next thing we knew we were riding up the chair lift, surrounded by thunder and lighting and were told that the mountain was closing down. It was dumping snow, so we slowly made our way down from the summit, enjoying all the fresh lines. By the time we made our way to the bottom the lifts had re-opened for one last run. W00T! We took it, smiling all the way down. We finished out the great day with a classic Garlic Burger and beer at the Cotton Bottom.
The EPIC Partner’s Meeting was held on the 8-9th of February. I thoroughly enjoy our Partner’s Meeting as it is just another chance to rub shoulders with our CEO’s and talk with our investors. This year was especially exciting as we boasted our 2007 six exits, Josh Coates entertained the dinner crew with the funniest PPT of the Mozy life cycle and Tim Draper managed to embarrass everyone at the lunch table.
The meetings were again held on a Friday with Saturday spent skiing at Deer Valley. I have always foregone the skiing, as snowboarders are barred from Deer Valley, but this year I thought I would give the two planks a go. Shaft came up for the day to give me support on the green circles and take video.
Me and Shaft on the lift at Deer Valley.
Deer Valley = tourist picture. Yep, I am heading in the direction of the green circles and lodge. =)
I surprisingly loved the two planks. It wasn’t a direct comparison to the board as the two sports seem to have a completely different feel. On the skis I just wanted to try and go fast for some reason, even while still rocking the snowplow. On my board I don’t really love speed, but like to do little spins and try to land jumps, though never very successful. I think mostly it was just fun to try something new, to be scared to tumble down the hill once again. I actually would be pretty jazzed to give it another go.
Third time up in this year of powder was spent at Snowbird with Shaft and later joined by Dr. M. Snowbird has been my resort of choice for the past three or four years and feel like I know the mountain well. However, Dr. M. had a whole handful of excellent beta of chutes and tree lines I had never skied. Poor Shaft had already done a 5mile snowshoe walk / race that morn and remained cheerful as we drug him all over the mountain. Good times!
Me real smiley on The Road to Provo.
Dr. M joined Shaft and I half way through the day. Even though he has skied for years, he insists on always have the bar down on the chair lift. =D
Shaft also captured the Snowbird boogie, a staple for a good day of riding. H.I.P. #2, this is my equivalent of the “Going to the Burren” dance.
I haven’t really hit up the snow this year. Seems funny to live in Utah, especially this year and not “slide on snow”. I think I just needed a break for a year. I usually have a season’s pass and take snowboarding a little too seriously. So, I didn’t make the investment and have only gone out a handful times, though our snow has been phenomenal. I think this year I just wanted to climb more than board. And the rarity of the days has made riding real fun. One powder day in January Triznut, BW, Shaft and I decided we were heading up because we were slammed with powder. We waited two hours (Triznut and BW in one car and Shaft and I in another) by the 7-11 at the base of the canyons. We were hoping to get up Big Cottonwood for a day at Solitude, yet when the 2 hour wait mark hit, Shaft and I headed up Little Cottonwood to Snowbird. It was my first time to snowboard with Shaft and it was such a great time. The powder was fantastic, the lifts were not too busy and the alpenglow on Superior at the 4 o’clock hour was stunning. I had taken pics, but unfortunately they were erased. No pics, but still great memories.
Gunner was patient enough to take me out for my first time on ice. As a newbie we hit up the popular Great White Icicle, four out of five of the pitches as the fifth was looking a little thin. However, unlike a newbie we started climbing at 6pm as Gunner was called into work during the day.
Unfortunately blurry, but still a pic from one of my first climbs.
Gunner hanging out at one of the belay stations.
Me real excited to be on the ice, even if at night.
The Gunner and I (for some odd reason) decided to go snowshoeing one day. I think the snow quality on the slopes wasn’t super fab and I wanted to get the dog out. Otherwise I have no idea how we came up with this idea. =)
We took the lil’ Cb-Gbers up Millcreek and stomped around on the snow for a couple hours. CB, sporting her little booties and two sweaters, did excellent, hiking the whole time until we got onto fresh snow where she unsurprisingly started disappearing into the snow drifts and had to be carried.
I have purchased a season pass to Snowbird for the past four or five years, loyally riding at least every Saturday and Sunday plus more while I was in school. Last year I started to burn out on being specific resort bound and just on snowboarding in general. As a result I decided to forego the pass this year and thought I might expand and check out some other resorts, or even considered just climb all winter long.
My first day out for the season was with Gunner and one of his orthopedic surgeon friends, Kubiak, at Snowbasin. Sure I had heard of Snowbasin, but I had yet to ride there. To my surprise the terrain was phenomenal and the crowds at least half of that at Snowbird. Huh… who would have known? To top it off, riding with Gunner and Kubiak was a blast as we all loved to swerve through trees and the day even ended with Kubiak’s pass being revoked. =D
My work day today has been spent plugging away on an extensive spreadsheet in a windowless cubicle. I stop at one point to check my email, only to see these pics from my friend’s mobile phone sitting in the inbox.
