YAKIMA – The U.S. Forest Service has issued a decision allowing the White Pass Ski Area to add lifts and other amenities in a roadless area long defended by conservationists.
The popular ski area on U.S. 12 west of Yakima in the southern Cascades would nearly double in size under the government’s selected alternative, released Wednesday. Even with the expansion, White Pass would still be smaller than Washington’s largest ski resorts.
An appeal period for the decision should begin next week. Only those who commented earlier in the process can appeal.
The idea of expanding White Pass to the southwest has been around for two decades. Expansion supporters, primarily the White Pass Co., have argued the project is needed to accommodate growth. The ski area has seen an annual average of nearly 110,000 skiers over the past five years.
A spokesman for ski areas in the region said the expansion will make White Pass more economically viable by allowing access to higher areas with more snow.
“The proposed chairlifts would allow White Pass to open earlier in the winter and work under more optimal conditions during ski time,” said Scott Kaden, president of the Pacific Northwest Ski Areas Association.
Previous efforts by ski area owners have been thwarted by lawsuits that centered on road-building in the Hogback Basin, a pristine area favored by backcountry skiers and snowshoe enthusiasts.
Conservation groups expressed disappointment with the decision.
Mark Lawler, of the Sierra Club’s Cascade Chapter, said the group would have preferred that the Forest Service focus on improvements within the ski area’s current 800 acres.
“It allows quite a lot of opportunities to improve downhill skiing without have to enter the pristine area of the Hogback,” Lawler said.
He said the organization plans to review the decision before determining whether to appeal.
Under the proposal, the ski area would expand to 1,572 acres and add two chairlifts and 18 trails. The proposal was one of five considered, and Forest Service officials said it strikes the best balance between meeting the needs of the ski area and protecting the environment through mitigating measures.
“We have done our best to balance the needs of additional skiing opportunities with the effect on the environment,” Randy Shepard, Naches Ranger District ranger, said Wednesday.
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