News > Spokane Washington Parks Commission approves expansion of downhill skiing at Mt. Spokane UPDATED: Thu., Nov. 20, 2014

The Washington Parks and Recreation Commission today approved expansion of downhill skiing at Mount Spokane State Park. By a 5-2 vote, commissioners approved a land designation for the mountain’s northwest face that will allow alpine skiing. In a separate vote, commissioners approved Mt. Spokane Ski and Snowboard Park’s request to develop a new chairlift and seven new runs in that area. The decision came after 3 1/2 hours of passionate testimony Wednesday night, and years of meetings and studies. The issue has been divisive for the community. Officials from the nonprofit ski resort said Mt. Spokane needs to expand its intermediate terrain and gain access to better snow. Opponents, which include the Spokane Tribe and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, said the expansion would disturb 279 acres of pristine subalpine habitat. “It’s a damn tough decision,” said Mark Brown, a commissioner from Lacey. The State Parks and Recreation Commission has a dual mission of preserving natural resources and providing recreational opportunities. He and other commissioners pointed to the long history of alpine skiing on Mount Spokane, and requirements to mitigate for the ski runs, in voting for the expansion. “The mountain has been an active use playground for the people of Spokane for decades,” Brown said. Lucinda Whaley, a Spokane resident who chairs the commission, was among the five votes for the expansion. The two dissenting votes came from Patricia Lantz and Ken Bounds, who said the mountain’s natural values should be protected. But all of the commissioners praised the mitigation plan, which requires the resort to leave large islands of trees between the runs. Only about 74 acres of land will be cleared. “We’re excited about making these improvements to the mountain,” said Brad McQuarrie, Mt. Spokane ski resort’s general manager. “It was a huge compromise.” The resort doesn’t have a timeline for developing the new runs. There’s still a lot of work to be done, he said. At the minimum, it would take 18 to 24 months to develop the new runs, and that’s dependent on permitting, said Jim Meyer, president of Mount Spokane 2000, the nonprofit that operates the ski resort. Developing the runs will also require a community fundraising effort, he said. Meyer is the husband of Betsy Cowles, the chairwoman of Cowles Co., which owns The Spokesman-Review.

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