Peak Adventures complains about permit process

COEUR d'ALENE - Peak Adventures backcountry skiing and snowboarding, of Cataldo, says it's concerned it might not get a required permit in time to resume commercial use of public land this winter because of wolverine habitat.

Carey Stanley, who owns Peak Adventures with her husband Ryan, said they are seeking a permit from the federal Bureau of Land Management to haul skiers and boarders into the Rochet Divide in the St. Joe Mountains using tracked vehicles. The vehicles would travel on and off designated routes in about 13,000 acres of land there.

Stanley, who is currently living in Bozeman, said the bureau has identified potential wolverine denning habitat in the area Peak operates, south of Cataldo.

Bureau officials said a remote camera took a picture of one on that land, and the existing habitat is typical of what wolverines choose for denning. The animals are a sensitive species, officials said.

Stanley said she is concerned that if they don't get a permit at all it could set a public land-use precedent that could hurt other businesses.

She said, "This decision and interpretation of potential wolverine denning habitat may also affect the greater ski industry in the United States, as virtually every slope desirable to ski can be seen as a potential wolverine denning area."

Stanley sent out a press release earlier this month saying the bureau intends to close the family ski business and limit access in the St. Joe Mountains.

Stephanie Snook, a spokeswoman for the bureau in Coeur d'Alene, said, "Until a decision is issued on the permit - there is no decision."

Snook said the bureau would like to have a decision made in the next few months.

"We're not going to waste time," Snook said.

Snook said the public-access issue the Stanleys raise is actually a non-issue.

The roads going in and through the property are well established and frequently traveled, Snook said.

She said a permit would be issued if the bureau finds that Peak's desired use is appropriate for the public land.

"It all has to do with commercial use on public land, not closing a family business," Snook said.

Stanley said she and her husband have invested $350,000 into the business and were prepared to invest another $100,000 on marketing and improvements this year. The Stanleys acquired Peak in the fall of 2009. Steve and Terri Matthews were the previous owners, and they operated in the St. Joe Mountains for 17 years, Stanley said.

She said they employ three people seasonally, and they expect to operate from December to April. Last winter was a slower year for business because of snow levels, but they anticipate between 400 and 500 customers in a typical skiing season.

Snook said the permit the Matthews had for the land expired at the end of 2008, making the current permit review necessary. The Stanleys operated last winter with a temporary permit that took them through the spring of this year, Snook said.

The bureau has completed a review of a land use plan for the area.

The bureau has started an environmental assessment, through which it will evaluate Peak's plans and some alternatives, Snook said. The environmental assessment will reveal the effects of issuing a permit or allowing alternatives, a range of which will be considered, Snook said.

The bureau owns thousands of acres where Peak operates.

The bureau acquired another 700 acres in late 2008 in a land exchange with the state of Idaho, Snook said.

Federal regulations, such as the National Environmental Policy Act, now apply to the land, Snook said. The Matthews had a lease on the land when it was state owned.

"We have a process to follow, and we're going to follow that process," Snook said. Following the process will allow the bureau to make a sound decision, she said.