A few years ago, E. Wade Muehlhof, deputy national press officer for the U.S. Forest Service, provided a detailed map of ski areas operating under U.S. Forest Service (USFS) leases in the United States.
This document was invaluable, given its elusive nature, shedding light on the distribution of ski areas across USFS land.
However, the journey to fully understand which U.S. ski areas operate on USFS land has proven complex and fraught with inconsistencies.
Along with the map, Muehlhof also sent a list itemizing USFS ski areas.
Yet, discrepancies arose between the dated material: while the map was from 2013, the list was from 2022, leading to mismatches that puzzled those trying to navigate the ski landscape.
For instance, three ski areas appeared on the map but were missing from the list: Sunrise, Arizona, which resort officials claim is not even on USFS land; Homewood, California; and Squaw Valley, California, now known as part of Palisades Tahoe.
Conversely, three areas listed as USFS ski areas did not appear on the map: Hiawatha in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, also known as Chatham Ski Hill; Beartooth Basin, a summer-only ski area in Wyoming; and Meadowlark, Wyoming.
Moreover, some ski areas that have been inactive for years still appeared on either the map or the list.
Ski areas such as Elk Ridge, Arizona; Big Air/Green Valley, California; Kratka Ridge, California; Mountain High North, California; Stover Mountain, California; and Spout Springs, Oregon are notable examples.
While the fates of several of these areas are known, the inclusion of Kratka, which has not operated in two decades, raises further questions regarding its presence on the list.
Additionally, several ski areas are incorrectly located on the map, further complicating the situation.
For instance, Cedar Pass in California is listed more than 600 miles south of its actual address, while Elk Ridge, Arizona, has been mistakenly placed in Nevada.
The Aspen ski areas are also scrambled relative to their actual location.
These inconsistencies suggest that stakeholders should exercise caution, as the map cannot be relied upon as a definitive guide.
Initially, these discrepancies were not addressed when the documents were received in August 2022.
However, The Pass Tracker 5001 has now evolved into the U.S. American Lift-Served Snosportskiing Masterchart, aiming to compile all relevant information regarding these ski areas into one convenient location.
This effort is not merely about documenting ski areas; it is also an attempt to understand the proportion of U.S. skiing that takes place on USFS land.
In a speech given at the National Ski Areas Association convention in 2017, then-USFS Chief Tom Tidwell claimed that the agency’s 122 ski areas accounted for approximately 60 percent of the total capacity for downhill skiing in the United States.
He stated that these ski areas saw around 23 million skier visits, which amounted to half of all skier visits nationwide.
However, those figures have not aligned with the current data being collected.
Currently, there are 116 active ski areas on USFS land and 12 that are inactive.
These areas together comprise a total of 150,340 acres, representing 63 percent of America’s skiable terrain.
However, it’s crucial to note that not every mountain that holds a USFS lease operates entirely on USFS land.
For example, according to a resort representative, only a “very small acreage” of the approximately 3,000-acre Olympic Valley side of Palisades Tahoe is actually on public land.
Furthermore, using the figures provided by the NSAA, it is evident that during the 2016-17 ski season, the total number of skier visits in the United States reached 54.7 million.
Tidwell’s stated figure of 23 million skier visits would then reflect only about 42 percent of that larger total, raising further questions about the earlier claims.
This moment is also significant for establishing a baseline list of USFS-tied ski areas, especially considering that federal layoffs have affected up to 3,400 Forest Service employees and could impact 7,000 more in the coming months.
The USFS, a branch of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is known for various roles, particularly in firefighting during seasonal wildfires.
The potential ramifications of these government efficiency efforts on ski area master plans and project approvals will be worth monitoring as the department navigates its evolving priorities.
For now, the data compiled below will serve as a foundational reference, necessary for clarity as the future of ski areas on USFS land remains uncertain.
image source from：https://www.stormskiing.com/p/a-complete-list-of-ski-areas-on-united
