County urges fresh, collaborative review of Ski Cooper master development plan after Forest Service deficiencies

Lake County commissioners used a large portion of their Jan. 30 work session to outline multiple concerns about operations, community access and long‑range planning at Ski Cooper, the county‑permitted ski area on U.S. Forest Service land.

Why it matters: Lake County is the Forest Service permit holder for the Ski Cooper ski area. Commissioners said they have not been sufficiently involved in a draft master development plan (MDP) and that Forest Service compliance letters require the ski area to fix deficiencies; the county wants an active role in any MDP that will guide Ski Cooper through the next decade.

Key points from the session - Permit and oversight: County staff reminded the board that Lake County holds the U.S. Forest Service permit for Ski Cooper and therefore has standing to participate in or approve elements of any MDP submitted to the Forest Service. Staff said the ski area must comply with the permit and with any Forest Service requirements to remain in good standing. - Community access and programs: Commissioners and staff said the community’s priorities include broadening access (especially for youth), restoring or expanding ski‑school and child‑care programs, and improving transit to the hill. County staff credited a recent weekend shuttle pilot, paid by Ski Cooper this season and promoted by county staff, with an early increase in ridership. - Forest Service action and deficiencies: County staff described a Forest Service deficiencies letter and noted Ski Cooper has submitted responses and attachments. The board discussed those filings and emphasized the public interest in transparent, community‑facing planning documents. - Summer operations and economic development: County staff (and one commissioner) outlined opportunities from a formal summer‑operations strategy—mountain biking, guided trails, events, weddings and shuttle links to other regional recreation nodes such as the Tennessee Pass Nordic Center and Camp Hale National Monument. Staff said other resorts that add consistent summer programming increase year‑round visitation and overnight stays, which can spread summer visitor impacts across the county.

Actions and staff direction - County staff were asked to reengage Ski Cooper leadership and the Ski Cooper board (including the chair and the ski area executive) and to request that the county be included early in any master development plan process. The board asked staff to explore hosting Ski Cooper leaders and a Forest Service representative in a future joint session to review the MDP and discuss code and permit compliance. - Commissioners directed staff to gather the prior master‑plan materials (the last County–Ski Cooper master plan they cited dated to 1999) and share them with the board and the public, and to map a path for county‑led community input before any plan is finalized and submitted to the Forest Service.

Context and caveats County staff and commissioners described tension in past meetings between the county and Ski Cooper board members, and said long‑standing relationships and staff turnover shaped those interactions. Commissioners said the county prefers to “reset” relations with new participants and to emphasize practical collaboration rather than litigation. They also noted that Ski Cooper is a non‑profit corporation whose board governance and business decisions will matter when the county tries to align permit requirements with community access goals.

Next steps County staff will: (1) collect Ski Cooper’s draft MDP materials and related Forest Service correspondence; (2) invite Ski Cooper leadership and a Forest Service representative to a joint informational session for commissioners and county staff; and (3) draft an approach for community engagement that would allow the county to provide substantive input to any plan submitted to the Forest Service.