New law helps resort activities

A new law may make it easier for ski

areas leasing federal land to expand off-season activities.

The Ski Area Recreational Opportunity

Enhancement Act of 2011 signed into law last week amends the

National Forest Ski Area Permit Act of 1986. The original act

allowed only nordic and alpine skiing on U.S. Forest Service

lands.

Under the 2011 law, ski areas can offer

ziplines, mountain bike terrain parks and trails, Frisbee golf

courses and ropes courses.

Whitefish Mountain Resort, which is

located on part of the Flathead National Forest, offers year-round

activities, but most are located on the resort’s private land.

The bill is a good thing, resort

spokeswoman Riley Polumbus said.

“It’s a really good thing for the

industry — it provides consistency and uniformity from hill to

hill,” she said. “We’re fortunate in that we own the land at the

bottom of hill. We own a decent amount of acreage on our own, but

we continue to work to create a lively and thriving fun place to

visit in the summer.

“In the future this could make that

process go more smoothly.”

The resort offers a number of summer

activities including mountain biking trails, zip lines, the Walk in

the Treetops tours and alpine slides.

The resort continues to work on plans

to expand those activities, noted Polumbus. An additional zipline

is in the works and expanded activities for younger children on the

resort’s land are also being discussed.

The resort is currently working to add

three new mountain biking tails and expand it’s lift service during

the summer. The trails would run downhill only starting at the

summit and ending at the base area. The resort is in the midst of

working with the Forest Service to develop those trails.

The bill does prohibit facilities such

as tennis courts, water slides and water parks, swimming pools,

golf courses and amusement parks to be constructed on Forest

Service land.