Friends of Lolo Peak is not against skiing or ski areas. We are, however, concerned that the massive scale of the proposed Bitterroot Resort places local communities and the public land environment of the Lolo Peak area at risk. Traditional public uses of the area such as hunting, backcountry skiing, hiking and angling will be directly affected, as will the unique rural lifestyle currently enjoyed by residents of Missoula and the Bitterroot Valley.
As concerned citizens, we must ask ourselves an important question - Is the development of the Bitterroot Resort worth the impacts?
From our first public meeting, it became apparent that public concerns focused on three major categories:
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Public Lands Issues: Loss of access and decrease in quality of lands for hiking, fishing, hunting, and backcountry skiing; loss of wildlife habitat for game, non-game, threatened and endangered species; loss of viewshed for the Missoula and Bitterroot valleys; increased pressure on the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness. More |
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Community/Lifestyle Impact Issues: Impacts to rural lifestyles from increased crowding, pollution and traffic; economic impacts of increased property taxes and cost of living; influx of seasonal, minimum wage workers; reality of new jobs as menial, low wage opportunities. More |
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Water/Soil Issues: Impacts to fisheries, water quality and supply. More |
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