Routt County panel recommends special-use permit for Apexx MTN Adventures snowmobile tours

The Routt County Planning Commission on Dec. 18 recommended approval of a Special Use Permit for Apexx MTN Adventures to operate guided snowmobile tours north of Hayden, saying staff conditions and proposed safety measures make the seasonal operation acceptable with limits.

The recommendation, which the commission approved 9–0, forwards application PL20250076 to the Board of County Commissioners with 49 conditions. The permit would allow guided on-trail and off-trail tours, limit operations to a daily cap of 24 trips and 100 people, and set guide-to-client ratios of 10:1 for on-trail tours and 6:1 for off-trail tours. The Planning Commission accepted staff’s proposal to cap outdoor storage at 40 snowmobiles and to require the permittee to secure valid leases and a Forest Service permit before using specified parcels.

Why it matters: commercial snowmobile operations have generated complaints in the past at this site, and the prior operator’s permit was revoked in 2025. Commissioners said the recommended conditions are intended to reduce trespass, manage visual impacts, and ensure emergency response procedures are in place while allowing a new operator to demonstrate safe operations.

Applicant presentation and safety commitments Attorney David Maris, representing petitioner Jesse Riddle and Apexx MTN Adventures, told commissioners the application is intended to continue a long-established guided operation with no increase in intensity and "designed to minimize impacts while improving safety." He described requirements for guides—CPR, Wilderness First Responder training, GPS trackers on guide sleds—and said the operator will provide shuttles so clients do not drive to the staging facility.

Maris said the applicant requested a ratio measured by machines, asking for "8 client machines per guide," and described separate formats for on-trail (allowing passengers) and off-trail (single riders only) tours. He said the operation would use the existing Thunderstruck facility and additional leased private land when available.

Staff review and Forest Service condition Staff planner Greg Jaeger reviewed the application, including a proposed season (Dec. 1–May 1), tour types, vehicle and trip caps (24 trips, 100 people per day), and environmental and operational conditions. Jaeger told the commission staff supports a limited increase in ratio flexibility but recommended person-based counts to align with county standards. He also read a Forest Service comment and proposed a condition that the permittee submit a valid Forest Service permit before using Parcel 917354001 (Babson, Farrington & Carpenter); if a Forest Service permit is not submitted, that parcel and Forest Service land may not be used.

Public safety and emergency planning Ben Wasmund, director of operations for Lake Regions EMS, told the commission his experience with event staffing supported the requested guide-to-sled ratios and did not, in his view, present an unmanageable public-safety risk. The applicant also described emergency equipment and on-site response plans, including a dedicated rescue snowmobile, toboggan, spine board, AED, radio systems, and identified helicopter landing zones.

Debate over snow depth and liability Public commenter Jason Cobb, who operates a large guided recreation business, asked the county to adopt a minimum snow-depth requirement and to consider limits expressed as "user days" (one person per machine) instead of machine ratios. Commissioners debated whether the county could or should adopt a 12-inch minimum for off-road tours as a protective measure. Commissioner Linda Miller argued for a recommended 12-inch guideline to protect clients; Commissioner Andrew Benjamin and others raised concerns that a hard minimum might create legal or enforcement complications and that Road & Bridge already manages road-level conditions.

Key permit terms and operational limits - Season: Staff drafted Dec. 1–May 1 with some staging-area limits (Staging Area 2 limited to Dec. 1–Jan. 15 unless Road & Bridge authorizes otherwise). - Ratios: Commission agreed to 10:1 clients-to-guides for on-trail tours and 6:1 for off-trail tours; staff and the commission emphasized record-keeping so ratios and impacts can be reviewed after one season. - Storage and visibility: Outdoor storage was capped at 40 snowmobiles; commissioners rejected an applicant request for higher outdoor storage in view of past visibility and enforcement problems with the prior operator. - Employee housing: The commission accepted off-site employee housing (Hayden) as reasonable for a seasonal operation and required proof of housing arrangements as a permit condition. - Forest Service parcel: Permittee must submit a valid Forest Service permit before using the Babson/Nottingham parcel; otherwise that land is excluded from the SUP.

Motion and findings Commissioner Jim DeFrancia moved to recommend approval of PL20250076 with the revised conditions (including Condition #29 referencing the Forest Service permit and clarifications to Condition #10 and #12). Commissioner Bill Norris seconded. The commission voted 9–0 to forward the recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners. The motion included findings that the proposal complies with the Routt County Master Plan and the Unified Development Code and that conditioned limits will minimize visual and wildlife impacts.

What happens next The Planning Commission’s recommendation goes to the Routt County Board of County Commissioners, who are the decision makers for issuing or denying the SUP. Staff will require the permittee to submit required leases, proof of insurance, the Forest Service permit where applicable, and the post‑season report of trip counts and user totals.

At the meeting’s close, staff noted the commission will re-evaluate performance data and that administrative renewal provisions may allow limited extensions if no major concerns are identified.