Sun Valley Resort flunked.
The Ski Area Citizens' Coalition, which issues annual environmental evaluations of ski areas, has released its 2007-2008 Environmental Scorecard for ski areas in the West, and Sun Valley slipped from a D last season to an F this year.
The criteria given the most weight by the coalition's annual study include current and proposed plans to increase existing ski area terrain, real estate development, water conservation and protecting and maintaining threatened or endangered species and their habitats.
Given that Sun Valley is in the midst of a long-term master planning process that includes construction of new ski terrain and ski lifts, as well as commercial and residential development, it's not surprising that it didn't make the grade in this year's review.
Sun Valley scored perfect marks for preserving environmentally sensitive areas and wetlands, maintaining unique geology and road-free areas, not opposing green policies and promoting mass transit. Those categories were lightly weighted, however.
Real estate endeavors, including the base area master development plan, development of the 67-acre Sun Valley Gun Club parcel and construction of 443,000 acres of commercial and residential space contributed prominently to the resort's failing grade.
Expanded snowmaking coverage also received a large deduction in the grading mechanism.
Sun Valley spokesmen Jack Sibbach said it is important to "look at Sun Valley Co.'s track record over the years."
"We have been very sensitive to the environment," he said.
Sun Valley's scores have fared better in the past, when expansion plans were not as prominent.
Sibbach said the coalition's scorecard makes it difficult to see exactly what Sun Valley Co. is doing right because the resort is not afforded the opportunity to comment on areas where it met criteria.
"We question their methodology, that's for sure," Sibbach said. "We question the number of points they put toward each category. We think it's pretty flawed, the whole process."
Sun Valley was listed among the "Worst Ten" resorts, ranked as fourth worst. Whitefish, Mont., Copper Mountain, Colo., and Breckenridge, Colo., filled out the top three worst. Brundage Mountain Resort near McCall also made the "Worst Ten," coming in at No. 6, with a D.
The "Top Ten" included Aspen Mountain Ski Resort, Buttermilk Mountain Ski Resort, Park City Mountain Resort and Aspen Highlands. Bogus Basin Mountain Resort near Boise, a small not-for-profit ski area, also received an A.
According to the Ski Area Citizens' Coalition's Web site, the scorecard is the only non-industry, independent mechanism that gives skiers and boarders a way to assess the environmental performance of resorts.
"The Ski Area Citizens' Coalition works to ensure that ski area management decisions, either by the Forest Service, the ski companies, or local governments, are responsive to the needs of real environmental protection, local communities and the skiing public," the Web site states.
To view the Ski Area Citizens Coalition Scorecard, visit its Web site at www.skiareacitizens.com.
Bald Mountain is the crown jewel of Sun Valley?s ski offerings. Proposed expansion of ski terrain and snowmaking are among the issues dropping Sun Valley?s environmental scorecard grade this year.
