December 8 opening of ski area and San Francisco Chronicle article on environmental rating
So far Mother Nature has not exactly helped to cover our beautiful mountain and ski runs with snow. But our new and "best in class" snow making crew has been working tirelessly to make snow whenever temperatures allowed. The result is that we will open this weekend, Dec, 8 for the 2007/2008 season. While man-made snow allows for only limited operations, we will have some interesting and fun activities for all family members. Please check the website for details.
I am inviting you to join
Many of you might have seen the article in the San Francisco Chronicle "How green is your mountain? Ski resorts rated on environment". The article is based on an annual evaluation by the Ski Area Citizen' Coalition.
Protecting and improving our environment in a sensible way is of key concern to us. We have, and will continue to increase our efforts to improve our practices in this area.
As to the SACC evaluation we believe there are some inaccuracies and have invited the coalition to visit with us and assess first hand our current status. This will provide us with accurate and valuable input (for improvement) while assuring that the public is being properly informed.
I am copying my letter to the coalition as I thought you would be interested in this. So here we go:
Sierra Nevada
To whom it may concern:
Thank you for your comments. It is efforts, commitments and comments like yours that make us more aware of the details of our business.
We reviewed your report on
For example you should know that we are supporting green policies, do not do any ground disturbing activities from October 15 to July 15 to observe spring birthing rituals including but not limited to fawning and calving. We observe all best management practices issued by the USFS for erosion control and vegetation management. We have car pool incentives, encourage public transportation to the mountain and provide employee and public bus services.
We take the environment and climate changes very serious. For this reason we have programs in place, ranging from educating our guests on how to reduce emissions to supporting PG&E in developing renewable energy sources ("ClimateSmart").
We are very interested to understand our shortfalls so we can continue to improve our environmental practices. To do so however we also want to make sure your information is accurate so it provides input of value to the customers and us. Therefore I am inviting a delegation of SACC to visit
I am looking forward to your positive reply.
Sincerely,
Martin Wegenstein
CEO, Bear Valley Resort Group
I hope you will visit
More on Gemutetlichkeit in my next blog.
Martin
posted by Martin Wegenstein @ 4:45 PM
15 Comments
15 Comments:
Dear Martin,
I expressed my concern about last year's environmental scorecard for Bear Valley. A prominent member of our community told me (curtly) that no one pays attention to that sort of thing. Since we are relatively new vacation homeowners in Bear, I reserved additional comment.
I am glad to see that you have noticed Bear Valley's poor grade on your blog for this year. I can assure you that people DO notice in the Bay Area and that Bay Area residents make spending decisions based on a green factor. I am convinced that "green" spending will become ever more prominent, especially in the SF Bay Area among the demographic and socio-economic groups attracted to skiing.
My husband and I have our heart and our modest investment dollars invested in Bear Valley. We anticipate some growth in keeping with the Master Plan, but it is time to do it cautiously, legally, and sensitively. I am not suggesting any illegalities, but the fur is already flying in the Village over the reconfiguration of the snowmobile trail! Imagine what transgressions on the mountain could do! Bear Valley has a golden opportunity to repackage itself and market the evolving resort and Village expansion to a pool of educated outdoor enthusiasts with an interest in energy efficiency, sustainability, and environmentally sensitive design.
Your blog suggests that the Resort has taken some early steps along this path. I must confess, I cannot downhill due to a high coward factor and only one ACL. But, my husband has been a Mt. Reba skiier since childhood. I am in the meadow and exploring on snowshoes. In our 4 years as BV condo owners, we have never heard a whisper from anyone associated with the Resort about an environmental concern. The only comments in this regard have been at meetings at the lodge by investors in the development and staff members who have used very general terms regarding "environmental sensitivity". The only specific comments have come from audience members. Worth noting were building design and thermal energy usage ideas by a local realtor (perhaps this has something to do with his Bay Area childhood)!
I see that the only resort to receive a lower grade is also in Alpine County. Alpine County is led by many warm, helpful, and courteous people who have answered my many questions as we have purchased homes in the Village. However, I have seen small counties overwhelmed by the sheer enormity and scope of developers' plans and the scope of their projects (I lived in Stanislaus County before the Boom). Also, an informed citizenry is key to any sensible development and land use planning, especially in the application of CEQUA. Alpine County is geographically separated and bifurcated by the closed Pass for much of the year. Many homeowners are part time residents, and the full time voter residents may not be aware of environmental issues that are scrutinized elsewhere. After all, what is growth in a county of less than 2000 people? Furthermore, local residents on the Village side are finding their home to be increasingly unaffordable. Thus, local residents may not be as aware of their opportunities to monitor growth and environmental impacts in their county.
In short, the growth and expansion of Bear Valley Resort and the Village may be largely monitored and scrutinized by non-residents. Why not do it "right" and genuinely incorporate all of the cutting edge sustainable technologies and public education campaigns available? Part of the investment group consists of South Bay area residents. Where else in the world could we look to find a locus of more innovative and creative genious than the Bay Area? Bear Valley has a chance to make the Resort and Village a sustainable community that can be bragged about. Wouldn't this be special?
This is not a time to placate or do lip service to the environmental report card published in the SF Chronicle. This is an opportunity for Bear Valley to make a change in current practice and procedures and incorporate sustainable development into the planned expansion of the Resort and Village.
(While you are at it, please include mitigations to wildlife habitat and migratory routes.)
Dear Martin,
looking at the webcam I only wish I could share your optimism. What runs are you planning to open?
Thank you,
- Eugene.
Hi Martin,
Thanks for the update. Happily, the storm door is open and I think we can look forward regular snow cycles.
I read the article in The Chronicle and was taken aback by what I read. My first thought was, have these people ever been to BV? Upon some more research of the group, Sierra Nevada Alliance, it seems as their heart is in the right place but their principles and actions seem a bit unrealistic. This group is against ANY development outside of already existing boundries, no matter how well thought out. They are young and idealistic. ( I remember those days). Martin, I applaud your reaching out to them but I fear it will all be in vane. I say let them have their 5 minutes of fame, then move on.
Anyone who thinks that Squaw Valley is a stewart to the environment, over Bear valley, has got to get a mental check-up!
BobR.
Martin, Thank you for following up on the environmental report so promptly. I was very concerned about it and thought the new leadership was committed to good stewardship of the land. I hope that the association will visit the mountain and find that the environmental practices are much better than they used to be. Mary Lou
I'm glad to see your response to this issue. As a season pass holder, it is important to me to know that Bear Valley is working toward a sustainable operation. I have a question for Martin: You mentioned PG&E's "ClimateSmart"...does that mean that Bear Valley is offsetting carbon emissions through this program? If so, How much of your operation is offset?
I believe that carbon offsets are a bit weird, but are probably a good way to address carbon emissions...for now.
Martin-
I appreciate your interest and awareness in the need for Bear Valley Mountain Resort to become more environmentally sound. I look forward to the response of the SACC and hope they do visit the mountain.
Have you considered purchasing only renewable energy for the mountain, rather than just supporting Climate Smart? I know that Alpine Meadows has recently done this and it makes a huge positive environmental impact. Colorado-based Renewable Choice Energy is an option in this department.
I hope the snow continues to fall and the season develops successfully. We all know and understand that revenue is needed to "go green." Thanks!
Jamie Davey
Keep up the good work with helping out the environment. Many snow dances are occuring in southern california and Im sending all the good vibes your way!!!
hey martin-
how much coverage/depth will you need to open more then one run on sat. w/ this storm. are you guys even willing to do that?
thanks
Hello Martin,
Glad to see that this issue has caught your attention and that Bear Valley Mountain Resort “take(s) the environment and climate changes very serious”. Regardless of the reports inaccuracies, according to the scorecard there are still a lot of areas that the Bear Valley Mountain Resort could improve. As skiers and local business owners we would support and appreciate the opportunity to work with you to “raise the grade”.
Thank you,
Aaron & Kimi Johnson
Mountain Adventure Seminars (MAS)
It is great to hear the opening has come. Hopefully mother nature will bring some much needed snow. This year to help us reach BV, I was hoping BV will support its riders by providing a shuttle to the mountain. I know, Calaveras County Transit already does so. On weekends, BV should supplement this. It could be marketed and be realized as a GREEN marketing tool. Providing a shuttle, runing on propane of courcs, would really boost the image of BV temendously. It would reduce the amount of cars on HWY 4. The bus would also lighten the load on parking resources, both human and structure. Finally, marketing this would be a huge bonus. Please consider a shuttle to the mountain.
Thank you
Dave Celeste
Martin,
Great opening day weekend. Fantastic snow, blue skies, and it feels like there is a lot of new energy at the staff level. Still a few bugs to work out on the systems but we had a great weekend. My whole family enjoyed the weekend and I'm looking forward to more changes in the future. Good luck with all the changes and improvements you are driving.
John Jennings
Martin, I admire your extremely tactful letter responding to the coalition's rating (my gut reponse would have been to tell them to take their rating and shove it)and your interest in working to continue to keep BV green, at all levels.
i was wondring why this blog is updated until the 13th of december and the previous blog only upto the 7th of december? how hard is it to spend 5 minutes reading the comments and posting them daily so people feel that they can contibute not having wrote and not getting replys for 2 weeks?
thanks
p.s. please post this blog soon
martin-
great opening day!!!very happy with the first turns of the season looking forward to going next weekend with all the snow in the forcast. Will you open polar express if you get another big storm like the one on opening day week?
thnx
why isnt polar or koala open?? there is enough coverage but i guess that you are probably just waiting to the weekend so u can say we are opening more terrain resh just for u guys. if it ready to be opened just open it
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