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Show messin EDITORIAL Forest Service on Little Cottonwood Volume aad Canyon Safe Than Rather Sorry During the 1980s, the U.S. Forest Service gained a pro-development reputation for working hand-in-glove with the private sector. Most of this surrounded the clear-cutting of huge tracks of public forest land in the northwest and elsewhere around the country Private industry profited. The price of lumber remained low. But the public forests were decimated — their fragile and complex ecology irreparably harmed Those who read the February Wasatch Mountain Times cover story on the dispute between Snowbird and the Forest Service over resort expansion in Little Cottonwood Canyon might have been surprised to see the Forest Service in a different light Salt Lake area Forest Service officials. are taking seriously their responsibility of stewardship for the public forest lands in this area. And that is a difficult task when you look at the physical relationship of the urban population along the Wasatch Front with public forest lands. Big and Little Cottonwood Canyon are natural wonders that sit literally at the back door of a large and mobile urban center. This is somewhat unique in this country, where most urban dwellers must travel for hours to reach similar destinations. That makes Salt Lakers, and northern Utahns in general, very lucky. It also means that areas, like Little Cottonwood Canyon, endure huge impacts — impacts similar to those seen in places like Yosemite and Yellow Stone National Parks during the peak of the tourist season. During our ski season, the Utah Department of Transportation has counted up to 10,000 vehicles per day traveling up and down the narrow Little Cottonwood Canyon road. Those cars and buses, as much as anything else, create a significant environmental impact — one that still isn’t completely understood. And that is why the Forest Service has now established a limit on parking within the canyon. While Snowbird’s CEO, Ray Gardiner, holds the view that a lack of more parking could dampen his corporation’s ability to remain profitable, other long-time residents might feel that there is already 1995 1, No. Fo) Eee Wolf Mountain: ParkWest was too much parking and too much automobile traffic in Little Cottonwood developer, Canyon. bors. The Only months Wolf on Game, verge Kenny — a ski questions Olympic is: can he he heart really surgery, space, Space: like fast-paced future of Garden and are Essay Griswold a deal to remake world the class, place like as its neigh- it? skied medal. Nature we by Page 10 screenwriter, turned a flamboyant become Geutschow a is important But life? — can Is All Heart and shot her In the 15K Women’s of Protecting parks, society. quality The together do Joan Championships. Open and until but claims 1995 ES Gamble, of extinction Griswold resort she finished only seconds out biathlon program in Park City Open Uork The Biathlete Joan after North American The the named Mountain V1N March Christopher Smart If the old journalistic adage is true — If everyone is mad at you, then you must be doing something right — then the U.S. Forest Service must be doing its job along the Wasatch Mountains. Rather than grant Snowbird a permit to install its Baby Thunder chairlift, on the western edge of the resort, the U.S. Forest Service wants further environmental assessments to make sure that an increased skier population won't harm the environment. The new twist here is that the Forest Service wants to study the cumulative impact that a new chairlift, which attracts more skiers and more cars, would have on the entire canyon — not just Snowbird. This “cumulative impacts” view makes sense, particularly because we are talking about public, rather than land. private With our natural resources — especially wonders like Little Cottonwood Canyon — its better to be safe than sorry. That doesn’t necessarily mean Snowbird won't eventually get its new chairlift. And although the resort is left in a bind for now, the Forest Service is prudent to ensure the fragile canyon ecology is protected and preserved for everyone, @ | 3 to Now In Our soothe Pat works to Midst our preserving Mary Page 7 to the top way of the Biathlon in Lillehammer, she create Page psyches enough in open Matheson, a junior 12 this mechanized space director to of the ensure Red a Butte Arboretum Love In The Time Of Powder Page 8 So, your darling took you skiing. Now, you're on the verge of breaking up. Why is it that your inches? other half changes It just could be one personas of Nature’s when the snow Want To Save The Animal Kingdom? Well, Get Out Do you ever get those little things gets deeper than 12 Constants. Your in the Page 17 Checkbook! mail, asking if you would like to save the whales or the spotted owl? Do they have you pegged for a soft touch? Or do they send save the these things to everyone? How much of your money does it take to animals? T Neos mm MARCH PARK CITY REPORT Gov. Mike Leavitt's fast track process to appease Utah's Congressional delegation sets the stage for a reduced Wilderness bill. Did the Summit County Commission pull a fast one Engineers by on land trust magic of the Willow is Cottonwood kills a Salt What tateda Canyon Lake really Stateswoman, In The Frances avalanche City skier. happened? “Page A Voice of 14 Ph el Big Senior Corps Snyderville’s 140 Million years old Page 4 Utah's Army putting for protection? Page SPECIES OF THE MONTH The the not Ranch Place open space into a Page 3 15 Farley Wilderness Page 5 tt Avalanche beacons — a necessity for everyone the winter life-saving who travels Sh tel ae Will the city of Midway allow the 156-unit townhouse Hamlet project on the Provo Page backcountry River? 16 Page 6 RAPPIN’ RAPPAPORT The King of Sweden has insulted the Olympics, Not Motherhood necessarily and Vodka. in that order. Page 9 BODY Recognition of individual effort, performance and personal development is key to healthy recreation for kids. ge LANGUAGE You can still have Caesar Salad but save on the fat! And four steps to a better high-altitude Page experience. 13 Environmental news capsule and roundup. Page 19 ‘ |
