Wow

“If you’re hunting ducks, you have to go where the ducks are.”
        —Texas proverb

The first reaction after hearing about Snodgrass being rejected, no matter what side was favored, is… “Wow.”
Then the questions: “You’re kidding? What does it mean now? Is the mine more likely? Will they downsize and not open Third Bowl? What is Chuck Shaw going to do with all his free time?”
The Forest Service and Charlie Richmond have put a stake through lift-served skiing on Snodgrass. Wow. Has it put to rest one of the most controversial issues in our community? Doubt it, at least for the short term.
The second reaction is usually a comment on what is suddenly perceived as a shrunken ski area… and all that goes with it. There has never been a Snodgrass, and we’ve always made due with the current mountain, but the minds-eye view of CBMR suddenly seems smaller. More Monarch than Telluride. All day Monday and Tuesday, a lot of people voiced concern over future ramifications such as fewer jobs, lower property values, less opportunity to work as a builder, or that there will be fewer places to eat because the winter tourist numbers will continue to decline, and this decision doesn’t help shore up what the company says is critical—intermediate ski terrain.
Will less be more?
Less Aspen and more Eldora? Less Steamboat and more Ski Sunlight?
That’s where the Texas proverb comes in. If you can’t find a duck here, you have to eventually go someplace else to hunt ducks.

Many people are certainly pleased with the decision. They feel a “wild” mountain has been saved from the rapaciousness of man. They may celebrate with a hike up the road to the top of the mountain while the weather is still nice. Those who fought against the proposed expansion are rejoicing. There was a sincere, emotional attachment to their cause and I respect that. They outsmarted, outworked and outflanked CBMR. They were relentless and they accomplished their goal. They ran a sophisticated campaign and treated it as such. Even though they don’t want it viewed this way… they kicked ass.
CBMR did not engage in the public aspect of the expansion. As the Friends of Snodgrass molded the public comment rules of the pre-NEPA game, CBMR ignored the campaign. They gave up on the town. They did not lobby the public, and in turn the public did not strongly lobby the Forest Service for approval. Even though they don’t want it viewed this way… they got their ass kicked.
CBMR executives feel they did everything that was asked of them, and should have at least gotten into the public review process. CBMR feels hosed. They expressed shock at the turn of events.

I spoke with Forest Service Supervisor Charlie Richmond Monday. Pleasant fellow who indicated he was sort of tired about talking about Snodgrass… like a lot of us. But reading his rejection letter a couple of times made me question some of the logic in his “rationale.”
He said he was feeling increasing “polarization” within the community over the issue. His letter says such polarization has been on the rise since the beginning of the year. Really? Heck, the most vocal anti-Snodgrass candidates in the Crested Butte election didn’t get elected, while those who expressed support or ambivalence will soon sit on the board. The topic was discussed thoroughly and civilly throughout the election.
Charlie admitted CBMR made major changes to their plan to alleviate geology concerns brought up in the pre-NEPA process, but he still used geology as a major point of rejection. “As far as I know, no one has ever seen a lynx up there,” he said—but lynx habitat is one of the points supporting his rationale.
There was no mention of the local government letters of support for the Forest Service to move the process into NEPA. “We were looking for support for the concept of lifts on Snodgrass. Not support to move to NEPA,” Charlie said. Support for moving to NEPA sort of implies no major objection for the concept, while reasonably asking to deal with details in the concept.
And while Charlie didn’t point the entire finger of blame at the town of Crested Butte or Gunnison County, his decision letter sure put those government entities on the line. While the town has certainly voiced concerns and the county has been pretty mute, neither has written anything that calls for shutting down Snodgrass forever. The incoming Crested Butte Mayor Leah Williams and the current County Commissioner Chair Paula Swenson didn’t like the corner Charlie appeared to paint them in. Both women cried foul on Monday.
But Richmond made a bold decision that surprised everyone, and he made it clear he won’t be changing his mind.

So what’s next? No matter what decision was ultimately made, most people felt an appeal or a lawsuit was possible. Look for a truck to perhaps be rolling down that highway.
Beyond that, whenever I’ve asked people at the resort if there was a Plan B if Snodgrass didn’t move forward, they expressed confidence that Snodgrass would be a part of their long-term future given their collaboration with the Forest Service. It looks like it might be time to start working on a solid Plan B (and maybe C, D, E and F).
Can the private and/or part of the public land on Snodgrass be used for something like a park and pipe complex to rival Buttermilk, Breckenridge or Keystone? Can CBMR set up a backcountry snowcat operation like Monarch and Irwin? Cross country trails? Does anything make sense over there now?
Are there enough “extreme” skiers to feed our economy? Can more intermediate terrain be developed near the East River, Teocalli or WestWall lifts to gratify the largest demographic of unsatisfied ski visitors? Can the current gem of a mountain be polished enough to get sufficient people here in the winter to sustain a viable economy? I think so and sure as hell hope so. But the size of that economy suddenly seems smaller. It is time to think out of the box. Trust the Universe to work.

Look, this is a great community anchored by a pretty well known ski mountain. Crested Butte is a ski town. Monarch doesn’t have a town. And that, if anything, is what baffles me about this Forest Service decision to not even let it get reviewed in NEPA. CBMR is a resort dependent on the influx of national and international ski traffic. The Forest Service has always allocated Snodgrass as a place for downhill skiing. Being denied even a chance for a NEPA review appears a little weird.

Let’s hope the people who need to hunt ducks…  our neighbors and friends; the people who own and work the restaurants and shops; the kids who are supposed to fill the expanding school; the enviros and the builders; you and me… don’t have to leave town to look for ducks elsewhere.
After the shock wears off, it is time to seriously think Plan B.

I will always argue for honest opportunities for the public to participate in government. It seems less than fair for the people to never have a chance to argue for or against Charlie’s reasoning…reasoning that to me (see above) seems to have a foundation based in sand.

Wow.