The forest in and around one of the nation's top ski destinations is in trouble from an ongoing combination of unusually warm temperatures, drought, wildfires, insect invaders and pathogens, officials say.
So the U.S. Forest Service is starting an environmental analysis to find ways to improve forest health at Sun Valley Resort's Bald Mountain ski area, a huge economic driver for the region heavily dependent on tourism.
The potential 7,000-acre (2,800-hectare) Bald Mountain Stewardship Project includes the entire 3,000-acre (1,200-hectare) ski area. A draft plan is expected this fall followed by public comments and a final plan in late summer 2020. "We are very concerned about the forest's health," said Sun Valley Resort spokeswoman Kelli Lusk. The ski area in recent years has drawn about 400,000 skier visits.