Lifts will remain open at Squaw

SQUAW VALLEY - Two lifts will remain open while Squaw Valley appeals a decision revoking its permit.

Squaw officials appealed Placer County Planning Commission's revocation of the permit to use the Headwall and Gold Coast chair lifts to the Placer County Board of Supervisors.

"The board of supervisors should find there is no evidence that Squaw Valley acted improperly in the construction of these lifts," says G. David Robertson, one of Squaw Valley's attorneys handling the appeal. "The evidence is overwhelming - installation of these chair lifts did not adversely affect Squaw Creek. In fact, this summer (2000) the South Fork of Squaw Creak ran cleaner than virtually any time in the last 10 years, including the last three years before the two new lifts were built.

Until Squaw Valley's appeal is heard at the county level, Squaw can continue to run the lifts until the issue is resolved.

According to Robertson, the issue "may take many years if this matter ends up in the courts."

Placer County officials say the lift plans did not disclose an intermittent drainage near the base of the Headwall chair lift.

However, according to Squaw, a Placer County building inspector testified that the department knew about the drainage at the time the county approved the revised plans for the lifts.

Squaw Valley denies having violated a stop work order for grading activities during construction.

"We have never violated a stop work notice, and we certainly didn't do so on these lifts. We stopped all grading activities that were being conducted under the permit immediately after the notice went into effect," says Alex Cushing, chairman of Squaw Valley Ski Corporation. "We are trying to cooperate with the numerous regulatory authorities that have jurisdiction over us, but we receive little or no recognition for our efforts."