The U.S. Forest Service announced the acceptance of Arapahoe Basin ski area’s 2012 master-plan upgrades Wednesday, including lift-served skiing in the Beavers backcountry area.
The acceptance kicks off the permitting process, requiring ski-area officials to complete an environmental-impact study.
“Our intention is to initiate the environmental-impact study and the rest of the process early in 2013,” said Alan Hence-roth, the ski area’s chief operating officer. “We’re working with the Forest Service to get this completed as soon as possible, but there are always variables that come up — it could take a couple years, maybe less but maybe more.”
Once the permitting and environmental- impact study have been completed, the four upgrades could take about five to 10 years to complete, Henceroth said.
The plan went public Aug. 29. Proposed changes include the addition of new intermediate and expert terrain.
“That area currently operates as if it is part of the ski area — it’s no secret that adventurous skiers go there,” Henceroth said. “We want to formally add that area to inbound, accessible terrain and develop trails and intensive avalanche mitigation.”
