Pillage at Wolf Creek update

[homerjay]

Friends of Wolf Creek Update
November 22, 2006
Court Suspends “Village” Construction – Another Wild Winter at Wolf Creek


Hello Friends,

I’m writing to share great news. In response to the lawsuit we filed in October, US Federal District Judge Kane issued a 10 day Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) last Thursday ceasing road construction and other activities related to the proposed Village at Wolf Creek. After negotiating with the other parties, we reached an agreement this week converting this Order into a Preliminary Injunction (PI) prohibiting construction and permitting activities from going forward until the Court can rule on our case sometime next spring.

This is a huge victory for our efforts, ensuring that the Village is essentially held at a standstill until our concerns are heard by the court. As a result, we’ll all enjoy another winter at Wolf Creek without any Village activities.

Specifically, the agreement bars road construction, application for highway access permits from CDOT, or any other ground disturbing activities. The Forest Service had refused to delay road construction for even a few days, so we were forced to seek the court's intervention. Thankfully, you and I can now rest assured that the developer and the Forest Service can't continue to rush this project forward.

Meanwhile, thanks to our successful lawsuit last year which overturned Mineral County’s approval of the Village development plan, McCombs can’t go back to the County for approval until after receiving a permit for access from CDOT. Thanks to our injunction, that won’t happen anytime soon.

Once the court takes a close look at the Forest Service's flawed decision, we believe that the agency will have to go back and consider all of the impacts associated with its decision to allow access from US Highway 160 to the proposed Village site, not just those arising from the footprint of the access roads themselves. Beyond the substantial delay, we believe that this would result in major changes to the access granted, and the proposed Village itself.

As 2006 draws to a close, McCombs still needs permits from CDOT, the Army Corps of Engineers, the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment, Mineral County, and others before he can legally begin construction of the Village. With your help, ongoing FOWC efforts will scrutinize and, if necessary, challenge every one of these processes to ensure that the project remains at a standstill until all of the government agencies involved take a hard look at the project and its thus far unregulated impacts.

Thanks again for making all of this possible. Together, we are well poised to make 2007 a victorious year for Wolf Creek, and for everyone that has done so much to see it protected.

[sanjuanworm]

fuck texas.

[Mcwop]

Have the Friends of Wolf Creek approached the developer to work with him on the project, to have it done it a way that will have less impact on the natural surroundings? Just in case he eventually gets the permits he needs for the project.

Just curious.

[tijuana bass]

Thanks for the update, which I thought was particularly interesting to see on the same day that I first saw this on Wolf Creek's web site:

Regrettably, after 30 years of continuous public use, Wolf Creek Ski Area has been ordered to cease and desist from grooming the Cross Country Nordic Track System by demand of the Leavell-McCombs Joint Venture (The Developers of The Proposed Village at Wolf Creek)

Will the cease and desist order be affected by the preliminary injunction?

[homerjay]

Thanks for the update, which I thought was particularly interesting to see on the same day that I first saw this on Wolf Creek's web site:



Will the cease and desist order be affected by the preliminary injunction?

It's probably a direct result of it....something like "you're messing with us, fine, we'll make you stop providing a wonderful public recreation opportunity."

[Rontele]

Good on you, Senior Judge Kane.

[beaterdit]

Have the Friends of Wolf Creek approached the developer to work with him on the project, to have it done it a way that will have less impact on the natural surroundings? Just in case he eventually gets the permits he needs for the project.

Just curious.

McCoombs is not ammenable to any way but his way. This guy's a real nasty fucker and he wants sue Wolf Creek into forclosure, TO HIM. For the hard cores around here, Wolf Creek might not be anything special, but it's one of the last Family owned and operated resorts in America and still has one of the cheapest tickets around too. As a five year employee of the mountain, I know the Pitchers aren't perfect but I also know all they want is for people to have fun in the most snow in the state. They've got a vastly different philosophy from the bloodsucking ski corps of America. It's all about the skiing there. If the village went though and Wolf Creek went down, it would be the end of an era.

The cross country track was groomed and provided 100% free to the public. Unfortunately, due to the original fucked up land trade aggreement of a corrupt forest service, most of it, as well as the bottom terminal of the Alberta lift are on Red's land. Hopefully he can't stop the lift from turning. What an asshole.

Fuck you Red.

[Mcwop]

McCoombs is not ammenable to any way but his way. This guy's a real nasty fucker and he wants sue Wolf Creek into forclosure, TO HIM. For the hard cores around here, Wolf Creek might not be anything special, but it's one of the last Family owned and operated resorts in America and still has one of the cheapest tickets around too. As a five year employee of the mountain, I know the Pitchers aren't perfect but I also know all they want is for people to have fun in the most snow in the state. They've got a vastly different philosophy from the bloodsucking ski corps of America. It's all about the skiing there. If the village went though and Wolf Creek went down, it would be the end of an era.

The cross country track was groomed and provided 100% free to the public. Unfortunately, due to the original fucked up land trade aggreement of a corrupt forest service, most of it, as well as the bottom terminal of the Alberta lift are on Red's land. Hopefully he can't stop the lift from turning. What an asshole.

Fuck you Red.

Thanks Foxy. That sucks. I don't understand some developers, and why they cannot try and do things "right". Hopefully, he does lose.

I skied at Wolf Creek, and loved it. What a fun place with some fantastic tree runs.

[FreakofSnow]

With your help, ongoing FOWC efforts will scrutinize and, if necessary, challenge every one of these processes to ensure that the project remains at a standstill until all of the government agencies involved take a hard look at the project and its thus far unregulated impacts.

Thanks again for making all of this possible. Together, we are well poised to make 2007 a victorious year for Wolf Creek, and for everyone that has done so much to see it protected.

What can a guy do to help out if we aren't local?

[Lane Meyer]

I'm not sure that I'm a "hardcore" but if i was, I would say that the days I had at Wolf Creek in college were some of the deepest, most wonderful, most SERENE experiences I've ever had on skis. That place is magic when the conditions are right. So what if it's small and a little 'less steep' than other places. It has a soul, and that's what really matters.

Fuck that guy and his development plans. Glad you guys get one more quiet winter.

[truth]

Hopefully Red has a major fucking stroke and spends his last years of life drooling all over himself. Wolf Creek is a true Gem, and one that will always hold a special place in my heart. My first true pow day was at the Wolf and many more followed. Hopefully the govt. can see wtf is going on and make this a win win for everyone as totally stopping the development is probably not a realistic outcome.

[mn_teleswede]

I can add my .02 on two fronts (shortest first):

1. Being from MN, i have had the unfortunate experience of suffering under his tight-wad control of the VIkings and his unwillingness to see anything other than his own way. He cut his teeth selling used cars and runs his whole life in the same way- anything to make a $$, without a care for anything in his way.

2. Sad to say that i lived for 3 years in texas right out of college, but with Wolf Creek being a long days drive away- I had the opportunity to experience some of the best snow that i have ever tasted (yes it was that deep). I remember solo hiking the 1/4-1/2 mile along the ridge & up to the top of the peak above the waterfall area time and time again to lay down tracks just 10 feet further than the last set, avoiding bomb holes on the way down. Plus, one cannot mention Wolf Creek without mentioning the snowcat shuttle service at the bottom of the waterfall area with the long rope that towed everyone back to the base area.


Definite props to the family owned ski areas for trying to make a go of it amongst increasing pressure to sell.

[Cyber Cop]

fuck texas.

ditto.

87654321

[hutash]

I just heard about Wolf Creek today from a link on the Mammoth forum about Silverton. It sounds like the same place, developer wants to sake over the hill and turn it into private ski resort. If it is, glad to stopped the dicks.

http://travel2.nytimes.com/2006/11/1...tml?ref=travel

[RootSkier]

What can a guy do to help out if we aren't local?

You can burn down all things related to the Bitterroot Resort, for starters.

[beaterdit]

What can a guy do to help out if we aren't local?

http://www.friendsofwolfcreek.org/
Friends of Wolf Creek

Thanks man.