Inside an old courthouse in San Juan County, the adage “all politics is local” rings true.
Sitting and standing shoulder-to-shoulder inside a small room in the county courthouse in Silverton, surrounded by historic wood-framed windows and doors, an energetic audience discussed a proposal by the owners of Silverton Mountain to diversify terrain for helicopter skiing on federal land. Interest was so high that even when the room filled, onlookers attentively peered in from an outside hallway or sat on the floor.
Residents and regular visitors of Silverton are divided. Opponents worry about limiting backcountry terrain, and supporters point to economic benefits.
“These are our public lands,” said Nicole Bellman, a property manager, who acknowledged having problems with Aaron and Jen Brill, owners of Silverton Mountain, after she was prohibited from using their facilities.
Jackie Kerwin, the library director for Silverton, said her library budget would have disappeared without revenue from Silverton Mountain.
“I really don’t like hearing from people who don’t contribute to our economy and say that this is their backyard,” she said.
San Juan County commissioners, who hosted the meeting on Wednesday, supported the proposal 2-1, but they asked that federal officials dig deeper into their analysis.
The BLM’s Tres Rios Field Office is charged with assessing the proposal. The office quickly moved a deadline for feedback on the first phase of the analysis from July 17 to Aug. 17 after people demanded more time.
The Brills have requested a change in their helicopter-access permit to swap northern terrain in exchange for adjacent areas. Silverton Mountain’s base is off County Road 110. The biggest swath under consideration would be on the east side of County Road 2.
Concerns were initially raised when the BLM released a map including terrain in Prospect Gulch, Minnehaha and Corkscrew. But the Brills have not asked for that to be included in the exchange.
Connie Clementson, field manager for the Tres Rios Field Office, said her office decided to use the 2008 map because of a previous terrain review.
After the initial input phase, officials will continue through the environmental analysis, which would include a 30-day comment period.
For the Brills, the issue is about safety. They want to exchange high-risk avalanche terrain for low-risk avalanche areas. It’s also a business decision, because the operation faces less snow over the years. Without additional terrain, the Brills say they may end helicopter operations and cut staff.
Chris George, the owner of St. Paul Lodge and Hut and a backcountry ski operator, worries about handing over environment to tourists.
“What I have witnessed in 40 years in the county is a steady degradation by motorized recreation to the backcountry experience,” he said.