Gondola on the Stawamus Chief. NOT!!

[edcooper]

 

I urge all of you to oppose this proposition for a

Gondola next to the Stawamus Chief. For those of you who have climbed on the Chief or nearby areas, I urge you to become active in the effort to stop this gondola. I am giving the following information on persons to contact to express your opposition to this gondola. Ed Cooper

There is a new proposal to build a tourist gondola through the heart of Stawamus Chief and Shannon Falls Provincial Parks (the “Parks”), at Squamish. It is by The Sea to Sky Gondola corp. The proposal would have substantial impacts on the Parks. It still needs some government approvals, in particular for removing a significant amount of land from the centre of the Parks. Please take a few minutes to learn about the proposal, and express your opinion. There’s still time for you to make a difference.

 

The reasons that I believe this proposal is not in the public interest, and the interest of the climbing, hiking and conservation communities:

 

1. Land should not be taken from provincial parks for private development, with rare exceptions. What’s the point of parks, if they’re not truly protected? The Chief and area has outstanding natural, scenic and recreational values. The priority should be protecting those values.

 

2. There is nothing in the master plan for either of the Parks that would allow such a development. The Parks are well-established, with hundreds of thousands of annual user-days already, and make a huge contribution to the culture and economy of the area.

 

3. The impacts on the Parks and their users will be substantial, and greater than the developers claim. The benefits will likely be less.

 

4. There is a superior location nearby. A gondola to Goat Ridge, a few km south, could be based either in the established tourist centre of Britannia, or perhaps off the highway a few km north of Murrin Park. It would have better views, more room, still give access to the upper Shannon Creek basin, offer equal or better recreational opportunities, spread out development in the Squamish area, and not conflict with existing users or values, or the Parks. It may also fit better with the developer’s long-term plans. That location should at least be thoroughly considered before a proposal to cram a gondola into the Parks is considered, let alone granted.

 

5. If the project proceeds, and fails, who will clean up the mess? What financial guarantees would the developers provide?

 

This is much more than a local issue, and those who come after us will have to live with the consequences. Now’s the time to say what you think about this. Please write to the governments with your views, and forward this to your friends and associates.

 

How You Can Help

 

At this point the most effective thing to do is to write, and to inform everyone you know about what’s happening. You can write to:

 

· Premier Christy Clark premier@gov.bc.ca or (604) 775-1003

 

· Terry Lake, Minister of Environment env.minister@gov.bc.ca or (250) 387-1187

 

· Joan McIntyre, MLA joan.mcintyre.mla@leg.bc.ca or (604) 981-0045

 

· Chief Ian Campbell, Squamish Nation chief_ian_campbell@squamish.net or (604) 982-8646

 

· Mayor Rob Kirkham rkirkham@squamish.ca or (604) 892-5217 (see http://www.squamish.ca/city-hall/mayor-and-council/meet-your-councillors for contact information for councillors)

 

· Chair Susan Gimse, Squamish-Lillooet Regional District sgimse@telus.net or (604) 894-6371 (see http://www.slrd.bc.ca/siteengine/activepage.asp?PageID=20 for contact information for councillors)

 

State your views, the reasons you have them, why you’re interested in this issue, who you are, and where you live. Remind them that government’s job is to protect and manage parks, in the public interest.

 

You can also write to:

 

· Vancouver Sun: sunletters@vancouversun.com

 

· Squamish Chief (newspaper) dburke@squamishchief.com

 

· Globe & Mail letters@globeandmail.ca

 

· Georgia Straight letters@straight.com

 

· Vancouver Province provletters@theprovince.com

 

Please forward this to anyone you know who’d be interested. Number count!

 

The Proposal

 

Seat to Sky Gondolas website is at http://www.seatoskygondola.com There’s lots of information there about its proposal, naturally presented in as positive a manner as possible. Its owners are from Whistler. The proposed gondola would go from a base at the gravel pit between the Parks, through the middle of the Parks to a knoll in upper Shannon Creek, at about 900 m. For it to go ahead, it has to get a substantial strip of land taken out of the Parks. The only way that can happen is if the provincial government allows it.

 

Background

 

The Stawamus Chief (Siyám Smánit) and area was made a provincial park in 1995, after decades of lobbying, and years of study and discussion. It’s a heavily used park, with over 100,000 annual hiker-days, a similar number of climber-days, a popular climbers’ campground, and innumerable viewers and tourist visitors. Shannon Falls Provincial Park, just to the south, was created decades ago, and is primarily a viewing attraction, but offers some climbing. The Parks are contiguous, and both are bounded above and to the east by a line of bluffs and cliffs, below upper Shannon Creek basin. They are iconic natural features of British Columbia and Canada, and the Chief is an international climbing destination.

 

There is a gravel pit between the Parks, just off Highway 99. In 2004, a Whistler developer proposed building a gondola from the gravel pit to the second summit of the Chief. The Climbers’ Access Society of B.C. helped lead the successful opposition. After our success, and with help from Mountain Equipment Co-op and others, the Land Conservancy of B.C. (“TLC”) bought the gravel pit, for $900,000. We wanted to ensure the Parks could never again be threatened by inappropriate development, such as a gondola. The gravel pit was rented to the highway project, to help pay for it, and the agreement was that the land would either go to the Parks, or possibly to a private buyer for some suitable, low impact purpose. Either way, it would have a restrictive covenant on title, to legally prevent unwanted developments such as gondolas.

 

That isn’t what happened, and now we have to deal with the consequences.

 

From what’s known, TLC tried to get Squamish to rezone the land to protect it, without success. BC Parks didn’t have the purchase price for the land. (Chronic underfunding of BC Parks is an ongoing scandal.) TLC put a covenant on the land, which “..prevents a gondola going up the face of the Chief or ending in either provincial park..”, and eventually sold the gravel pit to a buyer who “..proposed a low key commercial use”. The price was $2 million. He resold the land to Ground Effects. There may, of course, be more to the story.

 

The proposed gondola would avoid the restrictive covenant on a technicality. First, the top station would be outside (above) the Parks. Second, Ground Effects wants a strip of land taken out of centre of the Parks, to connect the gravel pit to the top. (It was quoted as saying a 20 m strip, but it seems likely to be wider.)The gondola would then neither be in, nor end in, either of the Parks. An unfortunate bit of legerdemain, and a nightmare for those who thought we’d dealt with this for once and for all in 2004.

 

(For more, see http://www.straight.com/article-634541/vancouver/gondola-split-chief-park)

 

Perhaps Ground Effects would say that it worked within the letter of the law, and blame (or credit) TLC for the covenant’s inadequate wording. If it is prepared to advance its plans by such tactics, it does not bode well. Complete transparency in these matters is in public interest. Any dealings between the various governments and Ground Effects, and any proposed agreement between it and the provincial government, should be entirely public. Also, just because it’s public, the land isn’t “free”. Ground Effects should pay a fair and public price for it, if it’s allowed to proceed. That’s no compensation for the impacts the development would have, but is the least to be expected.

 

Hopefully TLC is taking steps to enforce its rights, both legal and moral, against the intermediate buyer and against Ground Effects. It’s the least one would expect it to do. TLC should stand up for the public’s rights, even if it may not succeed. It seems to have made enough money on the sale to pursue the matter, and a court might see things differently.

 

Required Approvals

 

The required government approvals are:

 

· District of Squamish.

 

· Squamish-Lillooet Regional District.

 

· B.C. Government.

 

· Squamish Nation.

 

Ground Effects plans to obtain the remaining approvals, including possibly legislation to remove land from the Parks, by summer 2012, and then begin construction. Now’s the time to send your comments, especially to Premier Clark and the provincial government. They have an election coming up soon, and apparently haven’t decided yet what they’ll do. They advertise B.C. as “super, natural”, and should live up to that claim.

 

Impacts

 

Despite the vague, rosy claims on Ground Effects’ website, the gondola would have substantial impacts on the Parks and existing users.

 

Visual: Ground Effects claims that “.. our initial analysis shows there will be very little view impact from downtown Squamish, the Sea to Sky Highway or the Stawamus Chief.” What nonsense! The development would be highly visible from the Chief, Squamish, and the highway. The company probably wants it to be – good advertising for it, an ugly intrusion to most. The cleared strip, the trams (no doubt brightly coloured), and development at the upper station will be unmissable. There are photos on their website showing the view from different points, and if the Chief, the highway and Squamish are visible from the gondola, the reverse is also true. Isn’t the view half the point of the thing?

 

Clearcut: The clearcut strip would likely be 60 - 80 m wide or more (not 20), through the middle of the Parks. The area is bluffy, but heavily treed. The trees are up 30 to 40 m high. Squamish is a windy place, and trees often fall – especially at the edge of clearcuts. It is standard practice to clear a strip on both sides of such developments at least equal to twice the height of the adjacent trees. Just look at any gondola or powerline. The result? An 80 m (or more) wide clearcut. Instead of the claimed two hectares, probably closer to eight or ten. “Only” 8 - 10 hectares out of 517, but in a key location.

 

Noise: There would be much increased noise at both Parks, due to vehicle traffic, base operations, and an overhead gondola. Visit the base of an existing gondola, to hear for yourself. The noise would probably most affect the Chief campground, the lower part of the backside trail, and Shannon Falls. The base area is within a few hundred m of the campground, and the gondola would pass near the campground, and the start of the trail.

 

Facilities: Ground Effects makes vague statements about what will happen at the upper terminal. What would it actually build, when? It talks about a “first phase” – what’s the “next phase(s)”? Does it know that there’s a band of cliffs and bluffs below the proposed top station, making suggested hiking and mountain bike trails linking up with those at the Chief improbable?

 

Benefits to the Parks: None. You’d think that Ground Effects would at least promise that it would contribute to badly-needed trail work at the Chief, or something of the sort, whether or not it meant it. The Parks don’t need any more development – there’s already more than enough happening there. Why cram more in?

 

Precedent: The provincial government has a long history of allowing commercial and industrial development in parks, and of land withdrawals from parks for the benefit of developers. It is rarely of any benefit to the parks, or the public. Perhaps the most conspicuous example of this is Garibaldi Park. Allowing this proposal to go ahead would be an appalling precedent. The government needs to show some backbone when faced with these proposals.

 

A Better Alternative – Goat Ridge

 

Luckily, there is a superior alternative location for a tourist gondola, close by. (Assuming, that is, that a tourist gondola makes sense anywhere in the area.) That location would be from a base at Britannia Beach to an upper station on Goat Ridge, between the Parks and Britannia. (An alternative base would be off Highway 99, a few km north of Murrin Park, with the same upper terminal.) The advantages include:

 

· Existing room, tourist infrastructure and traffic at Britannia – parking, B.C. Museum of Mines, restaurants, gift shops, etc. Parking and a base area at the second ‘level’ of Britannia may be most workable. A tourist gondola might even kickstart redevelopment at Britannia.

 

· The gondola would be on mostly undeveloped private land, owned by the successor to the Anaconda Company and sitting for decades, or provincial government forest land.

 

· The gondola and upper station would have much better views. The terminus would be 2 -3 km south of the proposed location, at about 900 m on an open shoulder of Goat Ridge, instead of in a valley with dense second growth forest.

 

· A Goat Ridge gondola could still link into a trail network in upper Shannon Creek, and there’s lots of room for a hiking and mountain bike trail network west and south on Goat Ridge, in the Petgill Lake area. It’s less bluffy, and Goat Ridge is more open than upper Shannon Creek.

 

· The gondola and facilities would be less visible from Squamish and area.

 

· No impacts on the Parks, and no need for cutting the heart out of them. A respectful separation would promote respect, and neighbourliness.

 

· Few conflicts with other users – there are trails to Petgill Lake (popular) and Goat Ridge (not often hiked), perhaps some mountain bike trails in upper Shannon Creek basin, possibly traditional uses by the Squamish Nation, but that’s all.

 

· Spreading out recreation and tourist development in the Squamish area in a reasonable manner – not everything has to be crammed into the same place.

 

· Good will, for being reasonable.

 

· Lots of room to expand, if it’s ever desired. (The history of private developments within parks is often messy, as they grow and increase their demands.)

 

It should not take long to properly examine this alternative, and the provincial government should require it. That is, similar studies and planning as were done for the Squamish proposal, and similar discussions. Not a cursory review, but a genuine detailed consideration of a better alternative. Ground Effects, or at least the investors behind it, must be in it for the long term, 20 – 50 years anyway. They say they’ll spend $15 - $20 million, just on the “first phase” – whatever that is. But however much they and others may be emotionally committed to their proposal at the Chief, it’s in their longer-term business interests to carefully look at a real alternative, and how their public and private plans might better work at Goat Ridge. They might also make more money.

 

As for the gravel pit? It should be bought by the provincial government, as it ought to have been all along, and added to the Parks. It would provide much-needed parking, and possibly room for camping.

 

Conclusion

 

Thanks for reading this, and please send in your comments as soon as possible. Your priority should be to write to the governments, asap. Of course, I welcome comments and feedback.

 

Anders Ourom

 

Vancouver, B.C.

 

(604) 228-1798

 

(I’ve been a member of the B.C. and Squamish climbing communities since 1971, and written and spoken about climbing at Squamish in a wide variety of contexts over the years. I was a member of the public planning team that led to the Stawamus Chief becoming a provincial park, and which developed a master plan and rock climbing strategy for the park. I’ve climbed and hiked extensively in the Parks and area, and contributed to their stewardship. I am a past president and honourary member of the B.C. Mountaineering Club; past president of the Climbers’ Access Society of B.C.; past chair of Mountain Equipment Co-op; and have held other offices in large and small mountain-related organizations, and others. I represent only myself, but believe I am speaking for many, both those who now use and cherish the Parks, and those who will come after us.)

 

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[edcooper]

Here is the reply I sent to all the parties in my opposition to the gondola. Use your own words and experiences.

THE SEA TO SKY GONDOLA, AGAIN?

 

A TERRIBLE IDEA WHOSE TIME SHOULD NEVER COME

 

 

 

My name is Ed Cooper. In 1961 I--together with Jim Baldwin--made the first ascent of the Grand Wall of the Stawamus Chief. What an epic it was at the time, with almost daily newspaper reports. On one weekend 12,000 cars jammed what is now called the Sea to Sky Highway in order to watch our progress. Sadly, Jim is no longer with us, but I am sure he would have been even more vociferous than I in opposing this egregiously flawed project that totally contravenes the public interest in favor of a commercial enterprise—the Sea to Sky Gondola Corporation.

 

 

 

In 2004 the citizens in British Columbia rose up against, and defeated, a proposal to build a gondola in the heart of the Stawamus Chief and Shannon Falls Provincial Parks near Squamish. They were supported in their efforts by citizens of other provinces and the United States. We all thought that put an end to the project. BUT NO, it’s back again.

 

 

 

The Sea to Sky Gondola Corporation wants to build a gondola that will clear a 20 meter strip of land between the two parks for their gondola. Actually, the strip will be much wider than that because of the terrain, perhaps up to 50 or 60 meters wide as is the custom for power transmission towers. The gondola and cleared strip will be highly visible, and the gondola will be close to the hiking trail up the Stawamus Chief, as well as the campground. Both climbers and campers use this trail. This project will also require the Provincial authorities to hand over the land to this private commercial interest

 

 

 

Although I live in the U.S., I compare this atrocity to building a gondola from Happy Isles in Yosemite Valley to the top of Half Dome, an idea that was once proposed but quickly (and rightly) shot down. I have returned to the Squamish area many times over the last 50 years including in 2011, when I gave a presentation at the Squamish Mountain Festival. I hope to have many more return visits sans a gondola!

 

 

 

Ed Cooper, March 2012

 

 

 

Note: I have prepared two versions of this email, one with images attached, and the other with no images attached, because many recipients may have filters that prevent any email with attachments. One of the images shows the Stawamus Chief. The gravel area at the base of the Chief, right next to the road, is where the base of the gondola will be located. I have also included two images taken on the original climb in 1961 and a card sent to Jim and me after the climb was completed. You have my permission to use and/or publish these photos.

 

 

 

Your message is ready to be sent with the following file or link attachments:

T-902903-Jim,Ed,end of Chief climb, BC.jpg

1M2926-Chief,Mt.Garibaldi, BC.jpg

Chief Victory Card,1961, BC.jpg

T-302902-cars on hiway,Squamish, remake,BW, BC.jpg

 

Note: To protect against computer viruses, e-mail programs may prevent sending or receiving certain types of file attachments. Check your e-mail security settings to determine how attachments are handled. NOTE: for whatever reason, I could not figure out how to post photos to this particular posting. Maybe someone could enlighten me. I haven't posted anything to this wedbiste in over 6 years.

Ed Cooper.

 

 

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[Plaidman]

Right ON Ed!!!!

[JayB]

Thread regarding the 2005 proposal, and its subsequent opposition and defeat....

 

http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/383361/Re_Gondola_on_the_Chief

[Plaidman]

Here is the running thread on this issue on SuperTopo.com

http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=1783675&msg=1788465#msg1788465

[Don_Serl]

Ed, I have to respectfully disagree. The Stawamus Chief park is primarily a recreational mecca, and the gondola offers a plethora of new recreational opportunities, not to mention the just plain 'touristy' benefit of riding into the alpine, which will appeal to those less fit, or with children, etc.

 

The gondola does not impinge upon the Chief itself, as is obvious from the attached photo:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, there will be a swath cut beneath the tram (as there is beneath the Grouse Mtn Skyride, for instance), but the line lies several hundred metres south of the climbers campground, and roughly half a kilometre from Shannon Falls. The Chief trail comes close to the tram-line only when it traverses south of the campground, then it quickly climbs away from it as it follows Oleson Creek. The traverse trail from Oleson Crk to Shannon Falls will pass thru the swath, for sure, but 20m (or even 50m) is hardly an eyesore in a non-wilderness setting. There is one small (but pleasant) climbing area left of the tramway, above Oleson Crk, but it's in the trees and faces north and I don't think there will be any intervisibility at all.

 

As for the positives, I think anything that gets people into 'the mountains' is good, even if it's just a 'resort' setting. Those sorts of people tend to be more sensitive to 'our' issues when it comes down to logging or mining vs. recreation. The tram will re-open easy access to the superb rock on Habrich and the wonderful introductory mountaineering on Sky Pilot, both of which have been nearly lost to us in the past decade with the deterioration and closure of logging roads. Mountain bikers will be ecstatic, and I can imagine several challenging new downhill runs being developed. Hiking (including loops) on Goat Ridge and across to Petgill Lake will be attractive. I can imagine backcountry skiing in the basins north of Sky Pilot and Goat Ridge. Heck, I can even imagine walking DOWN to climb 'A Scottish Tale' when it freezes, then riding the gondola back to civilization.

 

 

I respect what you say about the importance of protecting our parks, but they are cultural and social creations, and as society changes I have no problem with 'evolution' of purposes and boundaries. By far the most popular parks in the Vancouver area are Mount Seymour and Cypress Bowl, both of which are heavily 'industrialized' with downhill skiing facilities, yet both offer excellent hiking and wilderness skiing opportunities - and both 'remote' enough to kill people now and again. I love the time I spend on Seymour, for instance - one of my very favorite places!

 

So, overall, I see far more potential for postive outcomes than for problems, and I hope the gondola proposal receives the support necessary to have it go ahead.

 

I'll pop over to supertopo too, to see what's shaking there...

 

Regards,

Don

[CascadeClimber]

All the folks who fawn over the webcam and other structure and planned structure at Camp Muir, and are against this sort of thing should, I think, take a careful look at the slippery slope you're on.

 

You might think you can get just more of the sort of structure that appeals to you, but it doesn't usually work that way. More leads to more leads to more.

[Don_Serl]

More leads to more leads to more.

 

that'd be a fine outcome. won't be long, I suspect, till someone builds a fitness trail up thru the nearby forest, to provide an alternative to the Grind. and the divide back towards Habrich begs for a super-scenic crest trail... not to mention that a few of the nearby crags might see a route or two go up... get enough recreational activity, and the valley, which was completely obliterated by logging in the '60s-70s-80s, might even re-grow and gain park status itself!

[Pete_H]

I can think of better places for a gondola but I definitly agree with the sentiment articulated by Don. More recreational opportunities and trails in this part of the world is a good thing.

 

Ed Cooper is a bad ass, BTW.

[Choada_Boy]

I was up there this weekend and they have started to remove most of the large trees off of the Chief in preparation for the tram:

 

[glassgowkiss]

Don, I must disagree- more is not necessary better. There are already opportunities both in Whistler and above Vancouver for gondola rides, lift supported skiing and mountain biking. The impact of this venture is going to be painful for everyone and far reaching. Think about the constant helicopter noise for one. Habrich and Pilot already have access, the gate has been open and you can drive in with 4x4, also I made that hike 2 times and it is not that bad. I think this project is a horrible idea over all. The worst (I predict) are going to be consequences, when it goes tits up- who is going to clean all the rusting shit up?

I mean where do they get the numbers? 500 000 riders/a year? Dream on (particularly $30/ride). For that price I predict more like 50 000.

[jon]

People seem gladly willing to pay $54 to ride up Grouse. I don't think it's unrealistic to see those numbers especially after Brittania Beach and the Squamish waterfront get developed.

[Tennessee]

Thank you Ed for bringing this issue to light. I thought it was finished years ago. I personally don't mind some development in the mountains, ie. trails, well placed huts, signage, markers, logging road access or even trams in the right places, like ski areas. But this is not a ski area. It's a hiking/climbing/biking/nature area. What purpose is this project fulfilling? Just so you don't have to hike 2000 ft? Is it about money and jobs? Just build a really really really nice trail up the same swath of land and let local climbers carry tourists up on their backs or on litters or those old school chinese two person carriers. Charge $30 and give some young, strong, homeless climbers a job.

[Whatcomboy]

Yup, that gondola website is a slick one. I'm sure many of the locals will support it. Tourism, progress, jobs, etc. Heck I'd probably ride it except it will cost too much. Every time we climb Ranier my buddy from Europe says if this was the Alps we'd ride a gondola up to Muir Hut, drink beer and then start walking. Beautiful British Columbia, where we cut it, drill it, mine it...

[glassgowkiss]

People seem gladly willing to pay $54 to ride up Grouse. I don't think it's unrealistic to see those numbers especially after Brittania Beach and the Squamish waterfront get developed.

good one Jon! Seems that not too long ago same logic was used in selling $450K homes in Las Vegas. Well, you can pick the same house for under 100K now. Grouse is near Vancouver, Whistler has a whole tourist infrastructure. Squamish is a toilet pit stop between the two. The same logic was regarding Kicking Horse, which is hardly able to pay the bills at the moment.