Famous Sun Valley Resort Ski Area Gets a facelift | Idaho News

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KETCHUM, Idaho (AP) – A multi-year project to improve forest health in and around one of the nation’s top ski destinations has started in central Idaho.

The 10-year Bald Mountain Stewardship Project aims in part to reduce the risk of forest fires at the Bald Mountain Ski Area of ​​Sun Valley Resort, which operates on US Forest Service lands .

The Idaho Mountain Express reported in an article Friday that work began on the Forest Service’s plan to reduce fuel, restore forest health and improve recreational opportunities.

The ski area is a formidable economic engine. But mountain pine beetles, dwarf mistletoe and white pine blister rust are killing trees on the ski-carved mountain that forms a scenic and much-photographed backdrop for the resorts of Ketchum and Sun Valley.

Experts say the aging forest long protected from wildfires is under threat, which has led to the project which will also clear debris in the ski area.

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“Some of these thinned areas will provide fabulous skiing,” said Peter Stearns, director of operations for Sun Valley Resort.

The 9-square-mile (23-square-kilometer) project includes the nearly 5-square-mile (13-square-kilometer) Sun Valley Resort ski area, of which approximately 4 square miles (10 square kilometers) is ski terrain.

Authorities say wildfires in 2007 and 2013 surrounded the 2,789-meter (9,150-foot) bald mountain with burnt forest, creating an island of green trees and increasing bark beetle attacks.

Miller Timber Services gets the job done, using special equipment for the steep terrain that avoids building roads and other traditional operating methods.

Company owner Lee Miller said his goal this summer is to work on about 21 acres (8.5 hectares) in the project area. He said the total cost is $ 210,000.

Douglas is the dominant tree species, experts say, and it is susceptible to insects and pests in hot weather and drought conditions. It is not economical to operate the area due to the difficult terrain and the limited value of Douglas firs.

The project is supported by the Forest Service, the Sun Valley Resort, the National Forest Foundation and the Bureau of Land Management.

The non-profit foundation partners with the Forest Service to promote national forests. It aims to restore and improve national forests and grasslands through collaboration with local groups. The foundation serves as the project sponsor for tax-deductible donations.

Dani Southard, the director of the foundation in the Northern Rockies, said Tuesday that seven people each donated $ 10,000, which will be multiplied by the partner organizations five-fold and will add $ 350,000 for additional work on the Mountain.

She also said the foundation was considering a federal grant of $ 2.3 million to speed up the work.

“I hope this project will be completed in less than five years,” said Southard.

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