SAM Magazine--May 8, 2006, Missoula, Montana--It's back to the drawing board for the proposed Bitterroot Resort in Montana. According to published reports, the Forest Service rejected, for the second t ime, a proposal by rancher Tom Maclay to develop Forest Service land above his ranch into a ski resort.

Last year, the resort submitted a proposal for 11,000 acres. This time around, Maclay sought to gain use of 1,680 acres for ski runs on Lolo Peak. However, the Bitterroot National Forest land use plan only allows for added skiing at nearby Lost Trail/Powder Mountain should the need for more downhill terrain arise. As far as building something new, the Forest Service supervisors cited resource and environmental concerns as the reason for rejecting the proposal.

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