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May 2009

Getting It Right

When it comes to planning at your resort, it pays to be thorough.

Written by Bill Granger and Pete Williams, SE GROUP | 0 comment

There is a logical and chronological progression to every project you undertake. It begins with concept planning and continues through site-specific planning and design, permitting, and eventual construction. And you can apply the common-sense notion “do it right the first time” throughout this process, no matter the size or scope. In all cases, the smart and cost-effective approach is to follow the process and “do it right” through each step.

Below are several examples of projects done the right way and the wrong way. We have revealed the identities of the success stories to give credit where it is due. We have obscured the identity of those who went the wrong way, to prevent embarrassment.


1. GET YOUR CONCEPT RIGHT
Spend the time to analyze the site, do your homework, and have a well-designed plan. Even when time is of the essence, it is always important to remember that it is much easier to change the location of a lift, or re-grade a trail on a piece of paper than it is on a piece of ground.

The Wrong Way: Crusty Mountain had never really been marketed to the snowboard or jibber community. After losing significant market share to its competition, GM Joe Twoboard initiated the construction of an earthen half pipe. Joe (not a snowboarder!) picked a location for the pipe, and hired a consultant to get the necessary approvals and prepare a stormwater pollution prevention plan (SWPPP) for the Forest Service.

However, the location was ill-suited for a pipe—the entrance to the pipe was too steep, and the gradient was not consistent—and as such its was not well-received by the public. This summer, Crusty Mountain intends to tear out the earthwork and restore the ski slope. In addition to its construction costs, this “restoration” project will require additional approvals and another SWPPP for the Forest Service.

The Right Way: The renaissance of the Spruce Peak terrain was an integral part of the Spruce Peak at Stowe development project. The Big Spruce lift was old and slow, and prone to closures due to high winds at the top of the lift. The Main Street trail, while an old favorite, was seldom open due to the lack of coverage.

Over a two year period, plans were developed for the relocation of the lift to a more sheltered location and the re-contouring of Main Street to smooth surface conditions and improve snow surface management. Plans included upgrading of road access for terminal and tower placement and on-going maintenance access. Detailed drawings of revegetation areas and erosion prevention and sediment control techniques facilitated the difficult Vermont permitting process. The plans were rigorously followed through the construction process. Today the Spruce Peak area is once again a favorite destination for Stowe guests.


2. COMMIT TO PERMITTING
Don’t take shortcuts for short-term financial savings, and don’t get caught without a permit.

The Wrong Way: Crusty Mountain is located on one of the most prominent trout streams in the region—a trout stream that has issues relating to sediment. Surface water management had been very “back of the napkin,” and there were many landslides and other sources of sediment into the river, some in plain sight within the ski area and others in remote locations away from the ski area. The state and federal regulatory agencies pointed their fingers at Crusty Mountain as the primary contributor and threatened a violation if the drainage issues were not taken care of. In addition, both the county and the state asked for a resort master plan, so that future development at the resort could be included in any solution to the river’s problems.

Because of financing concerns, the area was reluctant to commit to any big picture plans and, instead, installed several drainage improvements to eliminate some, but not all, of the landslide danger and subsequent erosion. At the same time, improvements to the ski area were initiated based on immediate needs, including a key base area road project. The road is currently under review by the county, which is again asking for a resort master plan that addresses development and surface water management. The project is stalled, and funding is in danger because the road designs have no master drainage plan to which the road drainage can be tied.

The Right Way: Persistence and attention to detail will pay off, even in the most challenging of environments. Just ask the folks at White Pass, Wash. In 1984, Congress removed more than 800 acres of land from consideration for Wilderness designation in Washington state, as it provided the only land available to White Pass for expansion. Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, White Pass worked with the Forest Service to initiate the NEPA approval for the expansion. Both the Agency and the ski area management saw the NEPA as a slam dunk (“Hey, we got the word from Congress!”), and as a result White Pass agreed the NEPA process would be carried out by the local Forest Service staff.

Unfortunately, the environmental and backcountry skiing communities did not see the situation in the same way. Twenty years, three NEPA processes, three appeals and one lost court case later, White Pass had still not received approval. So much for the fast-track idea for the NEPA process.

Still, White Pass was confident that with the right presentation, the public would view its expansion in a more positive light. Backed by a newly assembled team of consultants, White Pass initiated a four-year NEPA process that ended with success. Because of the ski area’s commitment to the process, the record backed up the expansion, and the Forest Service won summary judgment. After 25 years, White Pass is finally installing two new lifts and cutting 80 acres of trails.


3. COORDINATE
Lack of coordination can lead to project delays and duplication of effort.

The Wrong Way: Several years ago, Crusty Mountain decided to develop a new trail complete with snowmaking and night lighting. Problems began when the loggers showed up ready to start clearing the trail. The permits were not yet in hand, so the loggers moved on to another project. When the permit was obtained, the loggers were unable to return for several weeks, during which time the grading contractor sat idle. Eventually the run was cleared, graded and revegetated, and erosion control measures were put in place.

At this point the snowmaking contractor showed up, and proceeded to rip out all the newly established vegetation and erosion control. The project was well over budget and barely completed before the snow started to fly.

The Right Way: As a part of the approval process for the Jeff Flood Express lift, Timberline committed to a rigorous implementation program that was written into its SWPPP. Timberline, the Forest Service and the logging contractor all worked together getting to know the site, developing the plan for timber removal, conducting the environmental monitoring and protection, and protecting the highly erodible ground. Each team had the same set of paperwork, points of contact were established for any “last minute” issues, and a process was developed to allow for change.

The agency, the ski area, and the loggers worked in unison to complete the project in one summer, despite numerous on-the-ground revisions and several significant rain events. This project is viewed as a success by the ski area, the Forest Service, and most importantly, Timberline’s guests.


4. DEVELOP AND FOLLOW A SWPPP
Unexpected rain events can set a project schedule back weeks if the correct control measures are not in place. Lack of stabilization on the finished product can lead to unacceptable sediment loads in adjacent waterways, which if monitored could lead to big fines.

The Wrong Way: Crusty Mountain regraded its beginner terrain several years ago. Late in the season, it prepared a thorough set of plans, got its permits, and had a consultant develop a SWPPP. However, due to a short construction window, a desire to save money, and a belief that it was not important, the area chose not to implement the SWPPP. Toward the end of the construction, torrential rains washed huge amounts of sediment into waterways, which caused sediment loading to exceed the established water quality standards described in the SWPPP. Crusty Mountain was fined $150,000—far exceeding the cost of implementing the plan.

The Right Way: The Summit at Snoqualmie needed to replace its rental facility. A SWPPP was required by the Forest Service prior to construction. It was determined that all excavation and construction had to be completed in one season. That meant site preparation and earthwork had to be started in April, with four feet of snow on the ground.

The SWPPP provided for snow removal and earthwork to be done during the snowmelt. The site was prepped and excavation proceeded without incident. All diversion dikes, silt traps, and filter socks were working smoothly.

Just as forms were being set for the foundation, excavators uncovered a layer of fine, white material—old ash from a burn pile many years ago. A large rain event then washed these white fines into the stormwater treatment system. Neither the filter socks nor the silt traps were sufficient to trap the milky water, and the turbidity standard was exceeded. This led to a shut-down of site work until the turbid water could be controlled.

The SWPPP provided for the types of work that could continue during a stoppage, so some productive work continued. Also, the SWPPP clearly identified the responsible parties from the ski area, Forest Service, and the consulting team. The parties responded immediately. A pump-back and duplicate treatment train were quickly established and approved. By the next day, the water was within standard, and work was allowed to continue.

The old adage of “do it right the first time” proves itself true over and over again. In many cases, trying to save a few dollars in the short term hurts a project’s overall budget and schedule. Up-front costs (planning and permitting) are comparatively small and in the end result in significant savings in time, effort and—yes—money.