Mt. Spokane has been hoping to expand its terrain offerings for years but some natives to the area are not happy with the plan. According to kxly.com, leaders of the Spokane Tribe gathered to ask governor Jay Inslee to stop the project, citing harm to the environment as well as their cultural traditions.
Officials of the Spokane Tribe say that the area has been used for spiritual reasons for centuries and is significant to the heritage of the Spokane people. Jim Wynne of the Spokane Tribe commented on the expansion saying, “The food, a lot of it is gone now and the ceremony will disappear if they put another ski run in.”
However, resort officials are saying that the opportunity does not benefit just the ski area but will be a boon to the local economy as well. The general manager of Mt. Spokane, Brad McQuarrie said the resort has taken the environmental concerns seriously and claims, “The final plan really does balance the environmental stewardship with recreation.”
The new expansion would include a new chairlift in addition to seven trails, serving a total of 279 new skiable acres of terrain. The initial plan included 850 acres of expanded terrain.
Now, the fate of the land lies in Governor Inslee’s hands. Representatives for the governor’s office declined to comment, citing the fact that it’s a legal matter.
Mountain Stats
Vertical Drop- 2,000′
Annual Snowfall- 300 inches
Skiable Terrain- 100 acres
Lifts- 5
Trails- 47
Read the entire kxly.com article here: Spokane Tribe calls on Inslee to halt Mt. Spokane expansion
