Grand Targhee Wants to Build Three New Lifts and Expand Terrain
The Caribou-Targhee National Forest has released a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) regarding several improvements and expansions proposed by Grand Targhee Resort, Wyoming, marking a significant milestone in the approvals process that invites public comment.The "Future Vision" page of Grand Targhee's website provides a streamlined description of the resort's proposed improvements.The new Crazy Horse Lift would enhance access south of Fred's. The new North Boundary Lift would improve access to Targhee's northernmost terrain. A new platter lift is aimed at supporting ski team development. Both the Shosone and Dreamcatcher lifts would be upgraded, and two new on-mountain restaurants would be constructed.Keep reading for more about Targhee's big plan.Want to keep up with the best stories and photos in skiing? Subscribe to the new Powder To The People newsletter for weekly updates.
Other parts of the MDP include adjustments to Grand Targhee's Special Use Permit (SUP) boundary in the Mono Trees and South Bowl areas. Together, the development of these areas would broaden the resort's SUP boundary by approximately 850 acres.According to the "Proponent Objectives" section of the draft EIS, the improvements at Grand Targhee are "needed in direct response to evolving consumer demands and the competitive regional and destination skier markets."A 90-day public comment period on the draft EIS has begun, and Grand Targhee and the Forest Service will hold an open house on April 17 in Driggs, Idaho, to discuss the planned expansion. Public comments on the draft EIS can be made here and read here.
Public comments shared this week appear to be mixed so far."I understand the idea for expanding and wanting to get bigger, but I love it just the way it is. I would keep it just the way it is," reads one comment. 'The small town vibe is one of the reasons grand Targee quickly became our favorite and we will continue to go back.Others expressed their support."Big beautiful plans. Would be super fun to see this happen," reads another comment. "That being said, please figure out how to incorporate Teton Valley infrastructure improvements to accommodate the increased traffic and demand this would create."Once the public comment period concludes, the Forest Service will prepare and release a final EIS before making a decision on Grand Targhee's plans.The 625-page draft EIS features the Caribou-Targhee National Forest's environmental analysis of Grand Targhee's wide-ranging proposals and notes the potential impacts of five alternatives. The second alternative involves the resort moving forward with every improvement while others reduce the project's scope."Grand Targhee greatly values our partnership with the Forest Service," said Grand Targhee Resort General Manager Geordie Gillett in a press release shared by the resort. "We've been in discussions with the Caribou-Targhee National Forest for several years about how to ensure GTR continues to provide a refuge for skiers and maintain our status as the premier powder skiing destination in the United States."
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E&E News
21 hours ago
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Senate considers Michael Boren to lead Forest Service, despite clashing with agency
President Donald Trump's nominee to oversee the U.S. Forest Service has a history of clashing with the very agency that he soon could be leading. On Tuesday afternoon, the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry began the confirmation hearing for Michael Boren, an investment consultant, Idaho ranch owner and founder of a billion-dollar tech company. A bipartisan committee will assess Boren's qualifications and vote on his nomination. Boren, 62, has brawled with the U.S. Forest Service in recent years. One recent conflict involves building a cabin and clearing land within the Sawtooth National Forest near Stanley, Idaho, E&E News reported, citing agency correspondence and individuals familiar with the situation. He co-founded Boise-based tech company Clearwater Analytics and owns a 480-acre ranch, some of it within the Sawtooth National Recreation Area, according to the Idaho Mountain Express. The work on the property began before Boren was nominated, but the matter has not yet been resolved, according to the publication. Other disputes include diverting a stream, disputes over how Boren manages land within and around the national forest and disagreements about the precise locations of mining claims made by Boren's corporation, according to E&E News. A small airstrip on Boren's ranch also stirred uproar among neighbors who claim he was using it to land small planes before he was granted a conditional-use permit from the Forest Service, according to the report. Attorney Thomas Balducci, who represented Boren for the 2023 lawsuit regarding the airstrip, declined to provide a comment to ABC News. Boren's brother, David Boren, has also clashed with the Forest Service over a trail the agency built near his ranch. If confirmed as the undersecretary of Natural Resources and Environment, Boren would be responsible for day-to-day operations at the U.S. Forest Service, which manages more than 200 million acres of public land. Boren would report to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins. The Senate Agriculture Committee reviews presidential appointments to the Department of Agriculture's cabinet positions. After Tuesday's hearing, a full Senate confirmation will be required to complete Boren's appointment. Current members of the committee include John Boozman (R-AR), Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN). Boren was a donor to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign. On Jan. 16, Trump announced Boren's nomination on his social media platform Truth Social, describing him as "a successful businessman, who has founded six companies." "Michael will work to reinvigorate Forest Management at a time when it is desperately needed," Trump wrote. The nomination comes at a time of turmoil within the agency. On April 3, Rollins issued an ordered to remove environmental protections from about 112 million acres of national forests, and thousands of Forest Service employees have been fired in recent months. The Forest Service did not immediately respond to ABC News' request for comment. In a statement to the New York Times, the Forest Service wrote that Boren would "implement President Trump's America First agenda and ensure our forest system is properly managed, productive, and resilient. We look forward to his swift confirmation by the Senate."
