Heli-Free Wasatch

The Wasatch Powderbird Guides supposedly keep records of many things (wildlife, explosive duds, etc.) but one of the only documents they are required to actually submit to the Forest Service each year is their Usage Statistics.  This probably has more to do with the Forest Service wanting to make sure they aren’t getting cheated on their permit fees than anything.

Courtesy of the Freedom of Information Act, here are the 2008-09 stats:

2009-09 WPG Usage Statistics

Some lowlights…

• Number of Explosives Dropped in Tri Canyons Area – 44
• Number of Explosives Dropped in Periphery Areas – 28
• Total flights – 1,619
• Number of skier tourers/snowshoers seen in the year – 408
• Number of snowmobiles seen in the year – 54
• Total number of guests – 907
• Total number of skier days – 730.6
• Total number of Alpine Touring excursions – 0

Brought to you via a formal request under the “Freedom of Information Act.”

This is the document that the Wasatch Powderbird Guides gives to the Forest Service every year to outline how they will (or more likely, won’t) be behaving.  In turn, the Forest Service often defaults to this whenever there is a complaint.  For example, if you were out skiing and the WPG landed close by or dropped bombs right in front of you on a dawn patrol, the WPG Operating Plan says they will try, whenever possible to avoid doing that, but leaves the option open to do so at any time.  Sorry Charlie.

Wasatch Powderbird Guides Operating Plan  2009 – 2014

The Operating Plan also contains details like Rusty, Kevin and Olie’s cell phone numbers, as well as the WPG radio frequencies and the names of the helicopter companies (and pilots) they work with.

I thought they had to update this every year, but it appears they are now allowed to do it in five-year chunks.  Awesome.

As part of the Wasatch Powderbird Guides typical disinformation package, they claim to follow the Helicopter Association International “Fly Neighborly Guide.”  Since I’d never heard of this (and WPG obviously doesn’t know much about it either), I found a copy on the internet.

Fly Neighborly Guide

It only takes reading a page or two to realize they don’t follow any of these suggestions, ie, not flying the same routes, flying 2,000′ above the ground (ha – try 20′ in the WPG case), avoiding people and many other infractions.

This was a typical Wasatch Powderbird Guides maneuver…

Since it looks like they are losing their helibase at Snowbird, WPG quietly applied for a business license in Summit County and made plans to relocate their operation to The Canyons ski resort in Park City.  They were basing the move on the premise that their permit from 5+ years ago when The Canyons was Park West was still valid and they quitely tried to get Snyderville Basin’s permission to establish a “low impact” “temporary” heli-base right in the middle of one of the most densely populated areas in Summit County.

Everything was going great until they applied for a permit to build three helipads and a storage shed on their chosen lot, which triggered a Conditional Use Permit (CUP).  Unfortunately for them, CUP’s require a public hearing which in turn generated 100′s of letters of opposition and heartfelt pleas from nearby home owners not to allow it.

In a rare instance, the Snyderville Basin Planning Commission actually denied the permit, which effectively shut them down, at least for this spot.  I’m sure WPG will try to appeal this or look for another home in Park City, which is not great, but good to know.  Forewarned is forearmed.

Click here for The Snyderville Basin Planning Commission Staff Report on the WPG application.

A classic bit of Wasatch Powderbird Guides propaganda from WPG owner Rusty Dassing who was trying to weasel his way into heliport in the middle of The Canyons ski resort.

Some selected humor:

In WPG’s 37 years we have seen how the sizzle of a heli-ski operation draws many visitors to the area who hope to one day achieve skiing’s most exciting challenge…

Local lodging, dining and retail businesses will enjoy increased sales due (sic) the high spending habits of heli-skiers.

The many visiting skiers who are excited by the sound of the ski patrol using explosives to minimize avalanche risk will likely find the presence and sounds of the ski helicopter exciting as well.

Read the full letter here.

Link to the Summit County staff report on the Wasatch Powderbird Guides application for a heliport in The Canyons Ski Resort

There are some classic lines in here!

“The many visiting skiers who are excited by the sounds of the ski patrol using explosives to minimize avalanche risk will likely find the presence and sounds of the helicopter exciting as well.”

“In WPG’s 37 years we have seen how the sizzle of a heli-ski operations draws many visitors to the area who hope to one day achieve skiing’s most exciting challenge…”

A public meeting will be held on December 8th at 6:00pm at the Sheldon Richins Building (the Summit County Library just off of the freeway at the Kimball Junction exit #224) to discuss WPG setting up a new heli base at the canyons.  This meeting will allow for public comment, so if you have something to say, please show up.

At issue is the amount of noise and impact WPG will create, especially as they want to set up a heli base near homes and condos which will clearly be impacted by their arrival.  It is not like some coffee shop or ice cream parlor is moving in next door, we’re talking jet fuel, explosives and lots and lots of noise.  Hard to imagine property values will do anything but sink with all of that going on next door.

Should be a good one.

Happened in NYC, but could easily be in the Wasatch as well. Continue reading ‘Helicopter midair collision’

No big surprise here as the Forest Service didn’t even need to go through the public hearing process (not that that even matters when it comes to the WPG).  This little travesty was brought to you by the Bush administration’s decision that renewing permits every few years was too demanding on private profiteers like the WPG, so they allowed them to streamline the process by making it once every ten years.  Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest Supervisor, Brian Ferebee eagerly sent out a memo saying that he had renewed the permit.  Way to go Brian – may your neighbors take up chainsaw art as a family hobby.

The Decision Memo

Save Our Canyons comments

Yes – they both have anti helicopter websites!  You might expect this in a highly populated area like New York City, but the snowcapped mountains of Utah..?!

It is interesting to see that New York City has the same issues and concerns – noise and safety.  I wonder if the NYC helis get to drop bombs, cut down trees and blow stuff up at will?  Probably not.

HeliFreeNYC.org‘s logo – same idea, different state.