SAM Magazine-Pagosa Springs, Colo., Sept. 21, 2006-Wolf Creek is replacing its venerable 34-year old Dickey lift with a Doppelmayr-CTEC detachable quad. The new "Raven" lift will have an initial capacity of 1,200 skiers per hour and should be operational by the start of the the coming season. The lift, which will serve approximately the same terrain as the Dickey lift, will allow downloading of beginner skiers, thus decreasing congestion at the base of the mountain and giving mountain operations and ski school the ability to move the beginner teaching area uphill, away from the base. The resort has also applied to the USFS to for approval to increase the maximum uphill capacity of the lift to 2,400 skiers per hour.

The resort is also installing two water-free restrooms at the top of the Treasure Chairlift and the new Raven Chairlift. At 800 square feet each, the facilities feature composting toilets with zero discharge.

The installation of the new bathrooms marks a continuing commitment to the environment. The resort is purchasing the equivalent of 100-percent of its electricity usage from Tri-State Generation and Transmission, a green power supplier.

Future development plans at Wolf Creek include a 14,000 square-foot, two-story multi-use building in the base area to house ski and snowboard rentals, lift ticket sales, restrooms and warming and seating areas, and shuttle bus transportation for easier backcountry accessibility along the western boundary run-out of the Wolf Creek Ski Area Special Use Permit. The free bus would run on the west side of the Wolf Creek Pass Summit and stop at several locations between there and the base area. \