Carson National Forest Is Modernizing Taos Ski Valley While Protecting Values

Forest Supervisor James Duran has drafted his decision to approve the proposal for several improvements within the Taos Ski Valley, Inc.’s, special use permit area on the Carson National Forest. As part of this action, he’s spelled out dozens of requirements to increase transparency and protect natural resources and cultural values that must be met in order to begin projects and continue their operation.

• Public comments prompted over 35 changes to the analysis and helped create requirements, which are called project design criteria in documents.
• Changes included additional analysis of the ski company’s water rights and a requirement for it to submit and use a water conservation plan.

Why Tentatively Approve?

It is important to allow for the modernization of Taos Ski Valley so it can stay competitive and continue supporting the local economy.
At the same time, it’s important to ensure improvements do not negatively affect downstream and neighboring communities, many with cultures and traditions tied to the land and water.

Proposed Improvements

• Base-to-Base Gondola
• Replacement of Lift 2 and Lift 8
• Water Tank and Booster Station
• Nordic and Snowshoe Trails
• Lift 7 Restaurant
• Whistlestop Cafe Replacement and Relocation
• Lift 4 Hiking Trail

Water Rights

The Carson National Forest does not oversee water rights, which falls under the New Mexico Office of the State Engineer. But community concern over its use and quality prompted Supervisor Duran to apply water-related requirements within his authority. More information is below under Project Requirements.

Wilderness Access

The public expressed concerns about maintaining access while mitigating potential visitor increases to the adjacent Wheeler Peak Wilderness. The draft approval requires several actions:

• To manage how new facilities could be used to access the wilderness and for the ski area to participate in maintaining; and
• To improve the visitor experience on the Williams Lake Trail.

Current access to the Williams Lake Trailhead will not change because of the draft decision.

Project Requirements

TSV, Inc., is required to fulfill numerous project design criteria to proceed with construction and operate new facilities for guests. The below highlights select criteria related to subjects of high public concern. The complete language and full list is available in the draft environmental assessment on pages 13 thru 18 (link below).

Water

Water use and quality was the most common concern shared among submitted comments. While the Carson National Forest does not oversee water rights (the state engineer does that), leadership takes such concerns seriously and added criteria for transparency.

More here