LEAVE RIB MOUNTAIN ALONE

We, the people of Wisconsin, love our Rib Mountain State Park. We have listened to the proposal for the expansion of Granite Peak Ski Hill and have some major concerns. Let’s think about snow run-off and how this impacts the load to our sanitation system and local homes. Let’s think about the increased traffic and impact to our roads and quiet neighborhoods. Let’s think about the ground water impact as more and more water is taken from the Rib River.

We would like proof that expansion will not produce “glade skiing” where the hill removes undergrowth and coats the forest floor with snow so patrons can ski through the trees at reduced risk. Cutting down trees, removing underbrush and undergrowth means removing aspects of the natural environment that help take up water and reduce erosion. This creates the potential for having the storm water or snowmelt running down steep slopes and damaging the soil. We worry about coating the trees near the runs in thick ice sheets so much that the trees bend and have to be cut, or they die.

Lastly, we are aware that throughout the country there are dropping numbers of ski resort patrons in part due to the aging Baby Boomers, the generation that helped build the ski industry. Why not work with what we have to engage younger skiers and see how that goes before we destroy our environment and spend way more money than anyone can afford at the public’s expense?

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