Alterra's Planned Route for Gondola Linking Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows, CA Rejected

Squaw Valley, alpine meadows, gondola, placer county, Sierra watch — Granite Chief wilderness and the original proposed route of the gondola. Credit: Sierra Watch

Placer County and the US Forest Service have released its final Environmental Impact Report for Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows base-to-base gondola that would connect the two resorts.

Alterra Mountain Company’s proposed route along the crest of the Sierra Nevada and through land designated to be part of Granite Chief Wilderness was rejected. They instead chose ‘Alternative 4’ – the eastern-most route under consideration, and the route most distant from designated wilderness lands. This is considering a substantial conservation victory by Sierra Watch who have been campaigning for years against Alterra developing land that Congress designated to be part of Granite Chief Wilderness back in 1984.

Related: Debating New Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows Gondola

Image showing where the Base-to-Base Gondola would travel. It would travel directly over the Rock Garden and Dead Tree areas of KT-22 and there would be a unloading station at the Saddle of KT-22. image: squaw magazine

The gondola would begin at Squaw Valley, traverse over privately owned property and end at the Alpine Meadows base area, writes Sierra Sun. The project includes two base terminals and two-mid stations. The report outlined four possible options for construction of the project, in which the gondola length would range from 11,700 feet to 13,000 feet and require 33 to 35 lift towers.

The first alternative in the report is a “no action” alternative and would be the least environmentally harmful.
The second, the original plan proposed by Squaw Valley Ski Holdings, would run 9,700 feet across private land and 3,300 feet over National Forest Service land totaling 13,000 feet of cable with 35 chair towers. This was identified by the report as the most environmentally destructive.
The third alternative would measure 12,600 feet, with 10,200 over private land, 2,400 feet over Forest Service land and 34 towers.
The final alternative measures 11,700 feet with 2,300 feet over Forest Service land, 9,400 feet over private land and 33 towers.

Squaw/Alpine’s proposed Base-to-Base gondola. image: squaw magazine

The report concluded a fourth alternative would have “less of an environmental effect” than other other alternatives as it occupies the least amount of land. This alternative would remove an estimated 38 trees, while alternative three would remove 104 trees. According to the Tahoe National Forest, construction of the project would take around six to eight months which would involve the use of a helicopter to place the towers with 30 to 40 workers during peak construction periods.

Placer County has yet to give any formal indication concerning which of the proposed alternatives it prefers but will likely continue to follow the Forest Service’s lead. Because construction of the gondola would require a General Plan amendment, the County’s decision will ultimately be made by the Placer County Board of Supervisors.

The report will be heard at a Squaw Valley Municipal Advisory Council meeting on May 2 and a North Tahoe Regional Municipal Advisory Council meeting May 9. The report is expected to go in front of the Placer County Planning Commission on May 30.

Original The Base-To-Base gondola plans.

And you can review and assess both the documents and the Forest Service’s draft decision here: https://squawalpinegondola-eis.com/project-library

If you sent in a comment letter on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement, you’ll find a response. And if you have any further comments, you have until Monday, May 20, to send them to the Forest Service.