Alternative 4 provides for …
Acres Protected:
• 784 acres
Protected Areas:
• Ridgeline of Saddleback Mountain
• Alpine zone
• Most of subalpine zone and visual foreground zone (except in the “saddle bowl”)
• Protective corridor surrounding Eddy Pond
Reserved Rights (ski area) within the Protective Corridor:
• Timber access road
Potential Capacity of Saddleback Ski Area:
• 15 ski lifts
• Capacity of 12,500 skiers at one time
Anticipated Environmental Consequences:
• Would protect a significant portion of the foreground viewshed and the natural character of the Appalachian Trail (except in the middle of the “saddle bowl”).
• Would protect alpine natural communities on Saddleback Mountain.
• Approximately 26 acres of subalpine spruce-fir forest community and breeding habitat for Bicknell’s thrush would be cleared; another 18 acres would be fragmented.
• Would maintain the pristine water quality and levels of Eddy Pond.
• Would protect the remote recreational character along the Appalachian Trail along the southwestern ascent and near Eddy Pond, but experience would be altered to a more developed recreational setting, particularly in the western “saddle bowl.”
• Disturbance of high-elevation soils and vegetation would be minimized.
Anticipated Economic Consequences:
• Ski area could expand up to 12,500 skiers at one time (ten times current capacity).
• Could result in estimated visitor expenditures of approximately $59.31 million during a ten-year phase-in period.
• Could increase employment at the ski area by 526 FTEs, and create another 432 FTEs in other employment sectors of Franklin County.