Irwin looks to extend snowcat route

Council to consider request January 3

Like the issue of snow banks along Elk Avenue, the subject of snowcats in Crested Butte keeps hanging around. The town council will revisit the issue at the January 3 meeting after a request to expand the permitted snowcat route by a few blocks.

C.S. Irwin Mountain Manager Alan Bernholtz came before the council Monday, December 20 to ask for the route extension. While that normally could be done at the discretion of the town manager, Bernholtz, a former mayor of the town, wanted it to come to the council to make sure there was no perception of impropriety. Town Manager Susan Parker said the staff did not have any problems with the request.
While the C.S. Irwin downtown office remains under construction, the company is based in the West Elk Center business building at the corner of Fifth St. and Belleview Ave. The new office will be located at Fourth and Belleview and Bernholtz had hoped he would be staging the trips up to Irwin out the permanent office by this time.
But construction is taking a bit longer than he anticipated so he asked the town council to allow the cat to legally come down Belleview to the current office. He also asked to be able to go around the block on Fifth, over to Red Lady Avenue and back onto Fourth to make it easier for the vehicle to smoothly drive a route.
“Our vehicle is not out of line with other vehicles in town,” Bernholtz told the council in conjunction with photographs of semi trucks hogging the streets of Crested Butte. “We shouldn’t be discriminated against because we look different. Our vehicle is not unsafe and in fact is probably safer in these types of conditions. We won’t slide through stop signs or get stuck. It is street legal.”
Bernholtz said while some people have commented that they don’t like the way it looks, “I don’t like the way a Honda Element looks,” he said. “As long as it doesn’t impact the health, safety and quality of life in town, it should be fine.”
“We are a ski town,” said councilperson Reed Betz. “I don’t have a problem with it.”
“What I have a problem with is coming in tonight with the map of the proposed change,” countered councilperson Jim Schmidt. “The public should have a chance to see it, consider it and comment on it if they want. I’m not ready to vote on this.”
“Frankly, I’m not even sure why we have an ordinance dealing with a street legal vehicle, but we have one,” said Councilperson John Wirsing. “But I agree with Jim that there should be more opportunity for public input. This seems to always be changing and I think it has caused more brain damage than was needed.”
“I have no problem with it either but can’t vote yes until the community sees the route you are asking for,” added councilperson Phoebe Wilson.
“If it was up to me, I’d say you should let it be allowed for the whole town,” responded Bernholtz. “We’ve tried to minimize it to appease those people who have voiced concerns. All we want is to be able to drive the thing where we need to drive.”
“I have sympathy for a new business but agree with Jim that I’m not comfortable changing it tonight,” said councilperson Dan Escalante. “The public should have the chance to weigh in.”
“I think we’ve addressed all the real concerns. What are the council concerns,” asked Bernholtz.
“We sat in front of a room full of people opposed to it,” said Mayor Leah Williams. “You’ve been up here. It was a heated debate.”
    “And we agreed to the route in front of those people,” said councilperson Roland Mason.
Bernholtz agreed to come back January 3. In the meantime, he invited any of the councilmember’s to take a ride in the state-of-the-art snowcat to gain firsthand perspective.