SILVERTON, Colo. (AP) — A proposal by the owners of Silverton Mountain to diversify terrain for helicopter skiing on federal land has neighbors debating whether the economic benefits outweigh a possible lack of access.
The town of about 630 people is divided over a plan by Silverton Mountain Ski Area owners to modify helicopter skiing access.
San Juan County Commissioners voted 2-1 last week to support the proposal. But they asked that federal officials dig deeper into their analysis.
The Bureau of Land Management is assessing the proposal.
Some say the modification would boost tourism. But others say the change would add more motorized access to pristine backcountry.
The Durango Herald reports (http://bit.ly/1U0Spwg ) that ski resort owners requested the modification for the 2015-16 ski season.
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Information from: Durango Herald, http://www.durangoherald.com
