Why HMH can only take 65 people skiing in the WSA.

The Forest Service issued its Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) and Record of Decision (ROD) on HMH’s operations in November of 2004. That decision, after having been appealed and upheld, in 2005 was litigated by local green groups, Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance, Greater Yellowstone Coalition, Sierra Club, Wyoming Wilderness Association and individuals Tom Turiano, Debra Patla and Merlin Hare. Federal Judge B. Lynn Winnmill of Boise, ID sided with plaintiff’s argument that the FS should not have allowed our use within the Palisades Wilderness Study Area to increase over 1984 levels, the year it was set aside for study by congress. That order was regardless of our use there predating the 1984 Act, it being designated as a motorized use area in forest plan and also it remains a heavily traveled snowmobile area in winter. That 1984 level of use, based on incomplete data and false assumptions, limited us to only 65 skier days (1 skier, any part of a day on the forest).

The Department of Justice, who represents the Forest Service, promised an appeal of the decision but after filing two extensions, dropped the case. Last fall we pleaded with the Bridger-Teton Forest Supervisor Kniffy Hamilton to produce a supplement to the EIS, to correct the issues the judge pointed out with it. We were refused. This left us with few options and has forced us to move most of our use to the Idaho side of the Palisades with the potential of expanding into new terrain.
New for 2011, HMH will be moving a portion of our operations into the Big Hole Range and Big Elk Mtn., Blacks Mtn. and Caribou Pk. to the south. We hope to incorporate the new terrain into our special use permit by winter 2012. We are committed to doing everything we can to continue providing the high quality powder skiing experience you are accustomed to while assuring protection of Forest resources.

Thank you for your continued support,

It is interesting to note that Bridger-Teton Supervisor Kniffy Hamilton retired from the FS this past spring and joined the board of the Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance.

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