The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit is asking for public input on proposed summer projects at Heavenly Mountain Resort. These projects are consistent with the improvements identified in Heavenly’s Master Plan Amendment and are intended to improve the overall quality of the visitor experience. In addition, these projects would provide for high-quality summer recreational uses of National Forest System land as directed by the Ski Area Recreational Opportunity Enhancement Act of 2011. Improvements would include a climbing wall, zipline canopy tour, adventure course, aerial challenge park and new zipline center.
The Adventure Peak climbing wall would be replaced with a larger, realistic three-dimensional rock structure approximately 30-feet high adjacent to the Tamarack Lodge. A Discovery Forest Zipline Canopy Tour is proposed for the forested area between Tamarack Express lift and the Big Easy ski trail. The Discovery Forest would provide a tree-bound zipline and canopy tour activities that would incorporate environmental education information designed for children. This would require selective tree removal. A proposed Bear Cave Challenge Course adjacent to the ski school near Tamarack Lodge would include a multi-level climbing structure approximately 40-feet high. Selective tree removal would be required. Boulder Cove Challenge Park would be built across from the base of the gondola stairs and would include a self-guided challenge activity that consists of a series of vertical wooden columns, platforms and rope walkways/bridges approximately 30-feet high. Limited tree removal and limb removal of existing trees would be required. A new Zipline Center would be constructed in the area between the existing tubing hill and the Big Easy lift and would include four ziplines approximately 1,000 feet in length. Limited tree removal would be required and low voltage electrical and communication lines would be installed. A total of 40 trees would be removed for the entire project.
Work would begin in the spring of 2013, with tree removal performed after the resort closes for the season. Work would be completed in time for the 2013/2014 season.
Comments are most helpful if received by December 21, 2012. For more information on the proposal, contact Jonathan Cook-Fisher at (530) 543-2741 or email [email protected], or visit http://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/ltbmu/Heavenly2013. A map of the proposed project area is also available at this web address.
