Snowbasin intends to seek a Forest Service permit to build a chairlift to the John Paul portion of the ski area as a way to lure the national alpine downhill championships in 1995.
Chris Peterson, director of real estate for Little America, which owns Snowbasin, said such an expansion also would boost Utah's bid to host the 2002 Winter Games.If the permit is approved, Peterson said work on the lift will begin next summer and be completed in time for Snowbasin to host the U.S. National Alpine Downhill Championships in March 1995.
"The Utah Olympic Bid Committee would like to bring in as many International Olympic Committee officials as possible," Peterson said. "The downhill championships would take place about three months before the IOC meets to decide on the host city for the 2002 Olympics."
Salt Lake City is a leading candidate for 2002, and Snowbasin has been selected by the Salt Lake Olympic Bid Committee as the site for the downhill races if the Games come to Utah.
Randy Welsh, Forest Service Ogden District ranger, said the John Paul lift has been twice approved by the Forest Service, in 1982 and again in 1990. Permits for the lift could be granted almost immediately, he said, provided there are no changes in construction plans.
Approval is based on a specific alignment for the lift. A new permit would be required if Snow-basin asks for changes, Welsh said, and that would create "a very tight time constraint."
"The project would still be feasible, but a decision would need to be made (by Snowbasin) by January to proceed," Welsh said.
John Paul is a sub-summit peak just north of the existing Porcupine and Wildcat lifts. The slopes of the peak itself are now an out-of-bounds area within the Snowbasin permit area.
The area served by the John Paul lift would be for advanced intermediate and expert skiers.