rbw1966 Posted June 19, 2003 Share Posted June 19, 2003 (edited) Ski resort owner rethinks plan 06/19/03 WENDY OWEN In a compromise to appease critics, Mt. Hood Meadows is reconsidering plans to develop a destination resort on 620 acres of land it acquired in a trade with Hood River County. Instead, Meadows would squeeze the resort's proposed condos, homes, hotel and other amenities onto 160 acres of land it bought from a private owner. That land includes buildings at Cooper Spur, a small ski resort south of Hood River. The 620 acres the company got in a 2001 trade with the county are in a watershed that supplies 2,500 Hood River County residents. Several groups have criticized plans to develop the site, saying the resort, especially a proposed 18-hole golf course, would pollute groundwater. "We've heard loud and clear that the community wants the watershed protected," said Dave Riley, Meadows general manager. The company, which owns Mt. Hood Meadows Ski Resort, is considering three options for the 620 acres: selling it back to the county, trading it for nearby U.S. Forest Service land or making it a conservation area. County Commissioner Rodger Schock said he would be reluctant to buy back the land and wasn't sure the county could afford it. Doug Jones, a lands and permits specialist with the Forest Service, said the agency probably wouldn't approve a land trade because of the public outcry against the resort. That might leave only one option: placing the land in a conservation trust, the choice least likely to make money for Meadows. Riley remains optimistic that all options are viable, but he favors a land swap with the Forest Service. He said that was an idea developed by local residents. "What I'm hearing is, it's a great idea." The exchange would swap Meadows' 620 acres to the Forest Service for 350 acres adjacent to the small parcel that Meadows already owns. Instead of being limited to building homes, condos and small shops on the 160-acre parcel, Meadows could then expand into the new section. "The best outcome would be an exchange with the Forest Service, because of the mutual gains," Riley said. "The land (620 acres) would go back into public hands, and we would receive . . . land outside the watershed and farther away from farmland, which we could develop." But that option is the least compelling of the three, said Ken Maddox, chairman of the Cooper Spur Wild and Free Coalition. The organization is a collection of 15 environmental and watchdog groups and the main critic of the resort. "It would be even more up the slope of Mount Hood. It would be a larger piece of land, and it would be close to the wilderness area," said Maddox, whose group opposes any development on the mountain. "There is no right way to do a wrong thing." Maddox likes the idea of turning the 620 acres into a conservation area. On Wednesday, he took it a step further, saying his group would be interested in buying the land if it could find the money. "Actually, we'd like to buy the whole thing, period, if they're interested in a modest return," Maddox said, referring to the entire resort site, including Cooper Spur. Rather than developing it, the group would keep it wild, Maddox said. Riley said he was unaware of the coalition's interest in buying the land but would be willing to listen to a proposal. In retrospect, Riley said, he probably shouldn't have pursued the 620 acres. "Quite frankly, we underestimated the problem," he said in a meeting Tuesday night. The land trade quickly turned nettlesome for Meadows and Hood River County when a group of county residents, now members of the Wild and Free Coalition, criticized the move. The county traded its 620 acres and $1 million for 785 acres of Meadows land, much of it holding marketable timber. A year later, the Hood River Valley Residents Committee, a citizens group, filed a lawsuit to overturn the trade. A Hood River County judge dismissed the case, which is now under appeal. Edited June 19, 2003 by rbw1966 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursa_Eagle Posted June 19, 2003 Share Posted June 19, 2003 it's good that they're no longer trying for the large resort, but can he just give up on development on the north side? you'd think that pissing off and alienating his customer base would have made him realize it's a bad idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gapertimmy Posted June 19, 2003 Share Posted June 19, 2003 but oregon is in real need of another destination type resort, one with multiple golf courses and conference rooms Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winter Posted June 19, 2003 Share Posted June 19, 2003 Why don't we just slap a Meadows sign at bachy, dig some holes and stick some flags and around the nordic center and wait for the 16 expected customers to show up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gapertimmy Posted June 19, 2003 Share Posted June 19, 2003 my dad would be the first in line Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iain Posted June 19, 2003 Share Posted June 19, 2003 Ursa_Eagle said: you'd think that pissing off and alienating his customer base would have made him realize it's a bad idea. ever bought a lift ticket at Meadows? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cj001f Posted June 19, 2003 Share Posted June 19, 2003 iain said: Ursa_Eagle said: you'd think that pissing off and alienating his customer base would have made him realize it's a bad idea. ever bought a lift ticket at Meadows? Or waited hours for them to open the upper mountain on blue bird days? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iain Posted June 19, 2003 Share Posted June 19, 2003 or waited to ski some powder runs because Star is on "grooming hold"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbw1966 Posted June 20, 2003 Author Share Posted June 20, 2003 Or tried to burn a bowl without some snowboarder trying to get a puff? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billcoe Posted August 8, 2003 Share Posted August 8, 2003 " are in a watershed that supplies 2,500 Hood River County residents. Several groups have criticized plans to develop the site, saying the resort, especially a proposed 18-hole golf course, would pollute groundwater. "We've heard loud and clear that the community wants the watershed protected," said Dave Riley, Meadows general manager. Rod......What?!!! Does this mean I can't piss next to the trail anymore. Damn-it. Just when I get comfortable.... PS, you asked me if I knew Andrew the other day and I said no. I met him Thursday, he had moved to Colo but came back to go climbing and is at Beacon for 4 days, he'll be there or at Opdykes house for the weekend. Seems he knew all about me somehow."Couchmaster" he says when we're intoduced. Seemed like a great guy, I'd tie in with him. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbw1966 Posted August 8, 2003 Author Share Posted August 8, 2003 Its Rob. I'm gonna be out of town for a while and am sorry I will be missing Andrew. If you see him tell him I'm still expecting him to drag my ass up a wall. He owes me for all those pins I scored him. Get his email address for me if you can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr_Flash_Amazing Posted August 8, 2003 Share Posted August 8, 2003 rbw1966 said: Its Rob. I'm gonna be out in Colombia for a while and am sorry I will be missing Andrew. If you see him tell him I'm still expecting him to dress up in drag and tie me to a wall. He owes me for all those needles I scored him. Get his stash for me if you can. Sounds muy loco, ese. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erik Posted August 8, 2003 Share Posted August 8, 2003 holy shite andrew and larry!! hook me up with andrew's email too! little mike has been looking for it!!! that or forward it to m_schaefera5 at hotmail they are old skool el cap winter bitches.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbw1966 Posted August 8, 2003 Author Share Posted August 8, 2003 Kudos DFA. Erik--you ever see Andrews pictures from Space? The exposure looked absolutely sick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erik Posted August 8, 2003 Share Posted August 8, 2003 yeah mike was with him@!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winter Posted September 15, 2003 Share Posted September 15, 2003 Hey folks - We recently put out a newsletter with a pretty comprehensive update of the Cooper Spur situation. CRAG Newsletter Check it out if you're interested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winter Posted September 18, 2003 Share Posted September 18, 2003 Ok, one more plug for this stuff. There is a fundraiser tomorrow night at McFadden's Pub for the Cooper Spur Wild and Free Coalition. 6-9 pm. 107 NW Couch St. $5 gets you a free appetizer buffet, one beer and $2 drinks. Not bad. There's also a slide show at Patagucci on Sept. 25. The Coalition will be giving away free stuff, and there will also be a discussion panel after the slide show so you can all flame the participants in public. No cover. 919 NW Irving St. Eco-Trust building. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b-rock Posted September 18, 2003 Share Posted September 18, 2003 how come this is in spray? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winter Posted September 18, 2003 Share Posted September 18, 2003 Excellent. Oh yeah, get this. Meadows calls Patagonia and complains about their support of the slide show. According to Meadows, they have no plans to develop Cooper Spur. Hah!! Can't believe they are still telling these lies. That conflicts pretty directly with the invitation only slide shows they were showing in Hood River depicting golf courses, ski lifts and condos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlpineK Posted September 19, 2003 Share Posted September 19, 2003 this thread was made for freshiez Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cj001f Posted September 19, 2003 Share Posted September 19, 2003 Winter said: Excellent. Oh yeah, get this. Meadows calls Patagonia and complains about their support of the slide show. According to Meadows, they have no plans to develop Cooper Spur. Hah!! Can't believe they are still telling these lies. That conflicts pretty directly with the invitation only slide shows they were showing in Hood River depicting golf courses, ski lifts and condos. Your shitting me, right? That McFadden's gig sounds good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iain Posted September 19, 2003 Share Posted September 19, 2003 I guess they'll give me the cold shoulder if I walk into Meadows wearing a Patagonia jacket. Oh wait, they already do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cj001f Posted September 19, 2003 Share Posted September 19, 2003 iain said: I guess they'll give me the cold shoulder if I walk into Meadows wearing a Patagonia jacket. Oh wait, they already do. No, No! The current cold shoulder is because Arc'teryx is the official outerwear of Meadows! Don't you know, it's more expensive? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iain Posted September 19, 2003 Share Posted September 19, 2003 I thought the current cold shoulder was because I gave them a good chunk of my hard-earned money and now I belligerently expect to be treated nicely and ski some stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cj001f Posted September 19, 2003 Share Posted September 19, 2003 iain said: I thought the current cold shoulder was because I gave them a good chunk of my hard-earned money and now I belligerently expect to be treated nicely and ski some stuff. You expect them to actually OPEN all the lifts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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