Thank you for your support, and thank you for being the kind of person who makes this valley the friendly, great place that it is. You can help by continuing to contact the USFS Sean Wetterberg swetterberg@fs.fed.us Winter Sports Specialist, Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.) regarding your concerns, which may include the slated development for Alpental's legendary backcountry, and the inherent conflict of interest which arises when the authors of said plan engage in "grading their own homework," as the SE Group is doing. You might also want to say a word about private land use fees (taxes) for using public land at Alpental in the upper lots, and continued access to traditional routes in the valley. Once again thank you.

Thanks for the info. I'm definitely interested.
I'm a ski instructor at Alpental and I know a lot of
other instructors who use the backcountry and aren't
very happy with the new policy. I try to spread the
word about misuse and abuse of our public lands every
chance I get. Please feel free to link to my trip
report. I'll add your site to my links as well.

-Peter

http://www.alpenthyme.org/alp/snowshoe121504/snowshoe121504.htm

Thanks for your support Peter. We will be sure and spread the word about how dedicated Alpental ski instructors are to conservation of our pristine areas.

Hey,

I just stumbled upon your website, we are fighting their developments
in California as well. They build and develop without regard to the
environment or social equity. Theirs is a world of real estate and
resort services catered to a narrow, wealthy few.

God bless your organization and I support you!

Sincerely,
Gavin

Thank you Gavin. Let's hope they don't try and acquire the public land in the upper lots.

I was reading your web site about development activities at Alpental. Do you have any updates?

Thank you for your public service. Alpental is currently in the phase between the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), and the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS). These days, this this process is fast-tracked by combining the Record of Decision (ROD) with the FEIS (FEIS/ROD). The DEIS was written by the SE Group, authors of the Master Development Plan (MDP). They basically graded their own homework by doing the environmental review of their own proposal in a no-bid contract with the USFS . Can you say "conflict of interest?"

Thanks for posting the pictures of the trees cut down between the creek and the road to the upper lots. I was concerned also when I saw this cutting and wondered what's going on. Several years ago while working for the state I made an environmental complaint about lubricants contaminating the creek from the equipment fueling and maintenance area which the Fish and Wildlife followed up on.

Thank you for your support, your dedication to preserving the environment for future generations, and for not being afraid to speak up. If all law enforcement personnel were as diligent and mindful of conservation as they were private interests, justice would be better served. The funky old maintenance building in the first lot to the left past the unnecessary gate (open in the winter, closed in the summer) has been polluting the South Fork Snoqualmie, since it was built in the late 60's. According to mechanics we have talked to over the years, there is nothing between the oil pit drain and the river but a few feet of sand. Thank you once again for your service and efforts.

I don't know who you are, but you have lots of mis-information (sic.) on your site. First, the so called 'trash left by destruction crew' is leftover skier trash that is frequently found as the snow melts. Second, there is no old-growth at Hyak. All of Hyak had been logged in the 1940s and those slopes were barren. The oldest trees there are only 50-60 years old and that is not old-growth by anyones (sic.) standards. The trees cut at Alpental to help increase parking are just trees near the road, but your angles you shoot your photo's are done in a way to hide this fact.

I would bet that you are against ski areas in general, and would not agree with any ski area expansion and/or improvements anywhere. Skiing and ski areas in general are far less destructive or nature disturbing then the thousands of snowmobiles that roam through the forests. Why not go after something a little more worthwhile, your 'free alpental' (sic.) stuff is pretty pointless.

Jack Leeper

The trash in the photos appears to contain both an orange parking cone, as well as a coffee cup balanced in a recently used upright position.

Old and second growth both exist in the area between Hyak and Ski Acres. This is the area SE Group/Booth Creek want to build yet another "cross-over trail for alpine skiers/boarders." Many people are upset about this including the Sierra Club.

The trees cut at Alpental were right where the Master Development Plan calls for new building. Coincidence or co-incidents? Where did the logs go? This happens to be a riparian zone. The proximity to the road has nothing to do with this and the EPA has expressed concern over building here.

Freealpental.org is not against the ski area at all, we all benefit from the ski area's prosperity. However, we are pro-stewardship, access, and conservation, and that means saying something when we notice that Booth Creek is not playing by the rules, or when we notice that the rules seem unfair.

Thank you, and we encourage you to think about the kind of place that Alpental is, and also think about what you would like to see preserved in this valley for future generations. We wish the ski concession much luck and wealth, operating their business within their Special Use Permit SUP with the USFS, and also on their own private land. We only want to keep what is public, non-commercial, so we can all enjoy a more pristine wilderness experience fairly. Thank you for your interest in this issue

Freealpental.org has been so successful at getting the word out at Alpental, and effective at preventing building in riparian zones, that there are those who have become quite maliciously jealous of our work. Someone has become so obsessed with our site, that they have been falsely posting on the web as though they represented this site, as well as signing our mailbox up for spam. Our technicians have nipped this problem in the bud so to speak. Authorities have been contacted in this case of identity theft, and legal action is being taken. The response to the bogus posting has however, been overwhelming, and has garnered quite a bit of additional support for our cause. Thanks for getting the word out! The more people aware of what is going on, the better!