Help Stop the Pillage at Wolf Creek

In 1986, Red McCombs, the Texas billionaire developer and co-founder of Clear Channel Communications, swapped 1631 acres of poor grazing land for 287 acres of Forest Service land adjacent to the Wolf Creek Ski Area, which rests near the Continental Divide on Wolf Creek Pass, between the South San Juan Wilderness and the Weminuche Wilderness and in the Rio Grande and San Juan National Forests in Mineral County.   His plan is to create “The Village at Wolf Creek,” a resort community which would hold a potential of over 2100 residential units and over 220,000 square feet of commercial space.  The current population of Mineral County is less than 1000 residents.  The “Village” would require two access roads through National Forest land, which the Forest Service approved in April 2006.  These approvals are key to the development’s progress.  Colorado Wild is currently appealing the Forest Service’s decision to grant access to McCombs’ property.  Part of the decision to appeal is based on the fact that the Forest Service’s Final EIS of the area simply looked at the ecological impacts of the roads themselves, and gave little regard to the ecological impacts of a massive development located at a high-altitude, sensitive site.  There have also been viable concerns, raised by both conservation groups, as well Congressional and state representatives, that the Forest Service EIS decision may have been influenced by McCombs and friends.  Undersecretary of Agriculture Mark Rey met many times with proponents of the development.  In late May of 2006, Senator Ken Salazar requested that USDA Inspector General Phyllis Fong conduct an investigation into McCombs' influence over the Forest Service EIS process.  McCombs also faces challenges at the local level.  The Wolf Creek Ski Area, owned by the Pitcher family, opposes the development, as well as a majority of the local residents.  Although Mineral County has approved of the proposed “Village” development, in October 2005, Colorado District Court Judge John Kuenhold dismissed the approval.  McCombs will therefore have to again ask for development approval from the County, as well as a road development permit from the Colorado Department of Transportation.  Currently, Colorado Wild is awaiting a response by the Forest Service regarding the appeal.