VAIL —The U.S. Forest Service approved a Vail Mountain proposal Thursday to upgrade Chairs 4 and 12.
The proposal to upgrade the Gopher Hill Lift (Chair 12) from a two-seater to a three-seater and the Mountaintop Express (Chair 4) from a detachable quad to a six-seater was submitted in late February and has since been under review by the Forest Service.
The public comment period ended March 29, however Thursday’s approval is not the final decision. The approval means the proposal has now entered a 45-day appeal period.
“I have decided to approve these projects within the Vail Mountain Ski Resort Special Use Permit Area in order to enhance the guest experience as well as improve the circulation and distribution of skiers and snowboarders at Vail Mountain Ski Resort,” wrote White River National Forest Supervisor Scott Fitzwilliams in his decision memo.
The Forest Service received a total of four formal responses during the public comment period, “two of which were supportive of the projects.”
“One comment was received regarding wildlife impacts but stated that due to the location of the lift and current use patterns there should not be any additional impacts to wildlife,” wrote Fitzwilliams.
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