A flurry of appeals is flying over helicopter skiing in the Wasatch Mountains.
Save Our Canyons and other environmental groups launched an appeal earlier this week over the U.S. Forest Service's Oct. 1 decision to allow a local helicopter company to continue flying skiers in the Wasatch backcountry. Even the company, Wasatch Powderbird Guides, along with a group of heli-skiers who aren't happy with its new permit, filed appeals as well."We're glad we have a five-year permit," said Rusty Dassing, a veteran of Wasatch Powderbird Guides. "It's just too restrictive."
But to Save Our Canyons it's not restrictive enough. And four other environmental groups have signed onto the appeal.
Alexis Kelner, a board member of Save Our Canyons, said the permit doesn't adequately protect mountaineer skiers and wildlife on the Wasatch-Cache National Forest.
"We have an ankle bracelet mitigation," Kelner said at a press conference Wednesday. The Forest Service placed fewer limits on the helicopter company and left it up to the company to monitor itself.
That's not so, say heli-skiers.
Wasatch For All, a group of heli-skiers who also appealed the permit, say there are more restrictions placed on when and where they can ski.
"Heli-skiers are one of the few groups who have user limits," said Rob Reese, a member of Wasatch For All. "There's a lot of snow out there to share."
In general, the special-use permit issued to Wasatch Powderbird Guides limits the days of operation, closes off access two days a week in the Tri-Canyon Area -- an area that covers Big Cottonwood, Little Cottonwood and Mill Creek canyons -- and increases public notification.
Kelner is pleased with the restriction that prevents the company from doing any business in the Northern Powder Circuit areas on Sundays and Mondays.
But it doesn't help the golden eagle and other legally protected birds, added Ellie Ienatsch of Save Our Canyons. It's like telling the birds, "You can fly only on Sundays and Mondays."
She said the Forest Service's environmental study on the impact of heli-skiing is shallow and didn't respond to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife's concerns on "no-fly" buffer zones around known golden eagle nest sites.
Of concern to Kelner is taking out the two safety measures that were in the company's original permit: no landing within 300 feet of backcountry skiers and no heli-skiing above them.
The Forest Service said it was too difficult to monitor that, added Kelner.
Forest Service officials weren't available for comment.
Heli-skiers say there's never been an accident. "It's safe. It's fun," said Reese.