Tuesday, March 5, 2024
A History of Village at Wolf Creek, RGNF - Ryan Bidwell's 2009 presentation
Wednesday, August 2, 2023
Village at Wolf Creek saga continues...Rocky Mtn Wild, News Update - August 2nd, 2023
RMW: "On July 21, 2023, Rocky Mountain Wild and our partner organizations filed a Response Brief defending both Judge Matsch and Judge Arguello's Orders and reiterating all the reasons why the Agencies actions were unlawful."
I received an update to the ongoing legal sage of the infamous "Village at Wolf Creek" land speculation, which is situated at over 10,000 feet (over 3,000 meters) elevation, where the air pressure is 10.2 PSI compared to sea level's 14.7 PSI, which makes a big difference when it comes to maintaining a healthy body.
But I digress, this issue is about speculation for profits and developers, not breathable air, or healthy living, and the reason for this post is to share Rocky Mountain Wild's recent update on the seemingly never-ending legal battle to save Alberta Park from a destructive fanciful development (that's destined to turn into a habitat destroying, business bankrupting boondoggle, if ever allowed to go forward).
For some backstory, visit: Caught Red-handed - April 4, 2019
August 1, 2023
The Village at Wolf Creek saga continues...
On October 20, 2022, Federal District Court Judge Christine Arguello once again ruled that the Forest Service acted unlawfully when issuing the access decision for the Village at Wolf Creek. The Court also found that the Fish and Wildlife Service violated the Endangered Species Act when analyzing the impacts of this decision on the Federally listed Canada lynx.
Judge Arguello partially based her decision on Judge Richard Matsch's 2017 Orders finding a similar decision to be unlawful. Instead of responding to Judge Matsch's Orders through completing a lawful environmental analysis of the impacts of this access decision, the agencies relied on the same faulty analysis in issuing a new decision in 2018.
Both the Forest Service and the Developer, the Leavell-McCombs Joint Venture, appealed Judge Arguello's decision to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals.
On July 21, 2023, Rocky Mountain Wild and our partner organizations filed a Response Brief defending both Judge Matsch and Judge Arguello's Orders and reiterating all the reasons why the Agencies actions were unlawful. The Agencies continue to elevate the desires of a developer over protection of our National Forests and the species that require that habitat to survive.
The issues with this proposed development started back in 1986. The developer acquired this piece of land with what it conveyed as a worst-case development scenario of 208 units. To ensure the development was compatible with the ski area and the surrounding Forests, a scenic easement was placed on the parcel to limit the development and the ski area was involved in the project.
However, after acquiring the parcel, the Developer proposed closer to a 2000-unit development. The Developer and the Ski Area's relationship also deteriorated to the point where they ended up in Court on opposite sides of a case. Based on the increase in the development size and the issues with the Ski Area, the Developer needs a new and larger access road to the parcel. Decades of litigation, improper political pressure, unlawful agency actions, and uncertainty for Wolf Creek Pass ensued.
Now the fate of this important habitat connectivity corridor in a uniquely undeveloped area of Southern Colorado will be up to a panel of three appellate judges. We will keep you posted as our efforts to protect Wolf Creek Pass continue to unfold.
No Pillage!
Matt Sandler
Legal Director, Leadership Team
Rocky Mountain Wild
P.S. Interested in supporting this work? Donate to Rocky Mountain Wild through our Colorado Gives page.
F.Y.I.
April 2019
- Durango Telegraph - Caught Red-handed - April 4, 2019
- INDEX of VWC-EIS ...
- VWC-EIS, Objection Issues and Responses #1, #2
- VWC-EIS, Objection Issues and Responses #3, #4, #5...
- VWC-EIS, Objection Issues and Responses #7, #8, #9...
- VWC-EIS, Objection Issues and Responses #11, #12 #13
- VWC-EIS, Objection Issues and Responses #14, #15, #16
- VWC-EIS, Objection Issues and Responses #17, #18,...
- VWC-EIS, Objection Issues and Responses #20, #21, #22
- VWC-EIS, Objection Issues and Responses #23, #24,...
- VWC-EIS, Objection Issues and Responses #26, #27, #28
- VWC-EIS, Objection Issues and Responses #29, #30, ...
Wednesday, February 22, 2023
'Red' McCombs dies at 95
Red McCombs, Car Salesman Turned Media Mogul, Dies at 95
By Glenn Rifkin - New York Times - Feb. 21, 2023
Red McCombs, a former Texas used car dealer who became a billionaire entrepreneur by venturing into an array of successful businesses, including the media giant Clear Channel Communications and several professional sports teams, died on Sunday at his home in San Antonio. He was 95.
His family announced his death but did not state the cause. …
I did meet him twice and all I can say is that he was a man for whom too much was never enough.
Now I can only hope his family will reconsider their Alberta Park misadventure, then do the right thing by trading the Alberta Park parcel for something more realistic at lower elevation, or simply returning it to it's rightful owners, the national trust, within the protection of the Rio Grande National Forest.
They could then change the name to "Red McCombs' Memorial Meadow".
After all, it is in the heart of the headwaters to the interstate, international Rio Grande River, it deserves to be left alone, serving its historic function as watershed and wildlife refuge.
What better tribute could there be?
SUNDAY, APRIL 7, 2019
Tuesday, October 25, 2022
Red McCombs, Can You Hear Us Now?... NO Village at Wolf Creek! (update 10/25/22)
The Wolf Creek Village speculator loses third legal fight for access road atop Wolf Creek Pass. Update: Jason Blevins, The Colorado Sun
It's an essential watershed !
Texas billionaire Red McCombs has spent 36 years vying for access to an inholding where he plans a resort village for 10,000 residents in the middle of this Rio Grande watershed.
Monday, Oct 24, 2022
Excerpts Via the Durango Herald
“Judge Arguello on Thursday ruled that the Forest Service should not have relied on its “flawed” and “legally deficient” 2015 environmental review of Wolf Creek Village to make its 2019 access decision. She ruled both the 2019 right of way decision by the Forest Service, just like the agency’s 2015 approval of the land exchange, was “arbitrary and capricious.”
“… confirmed an earlier ruling that the Forest Service “failed to consider important aspects of the issues before them, offered an explanation for their decision that runs counter to the evidence, failed to base their decision on consideration of the relevant factors, and based their decision on an analysis that is contrary to the law. …”
“We’ve never seen an honest evaluation of the environmental impacts of constructing a city of 8,000 people at over 10,000 feet atop one of snowiest locations in Colorado, probably because the impacts if revealed would be staggering,” Mark Pearson, executive director at San Juan Citizens Alliance, said in a statement.
Thursday, December 16, 2021
VWC Land Trade is Dead - Rio Grande Nat'l Forest, Dec 16, 2021
Texan billionaire and land speculator, Red McCombs, is back to first base and his original parcel of land in the heart of Alberta Park at upper Wolf Creek, Rio Grande National Forest, in southern Colorado. With it's access issues, not to mention the pristine watershed they'll need to bulldoze in order to realize the developer's dreams.
Judge ends ‘Village at Wolf Creek’ land exchange
By Aedan Hannon, Durango Herald Staff Writer - December 16, 2021
… District of Colorado Judge John L. Kane officially unwound the 2015* land exchange between Rio Grande National Forest and Leavell-McCombs Joint Venture this week, ending one of the paths forward for the development of the “Village at Wolf Creek.”
The ruling confirms a major victory for environmental groups in Southwest Colorado that have fought to stop the 1,700-unit development that would have served 8,000 to 10,000 people adjacent to the remote Wolf Creek Ski Area.
“It really just ties up the bow,” said Jimbo Buickerood, the lands and forest protection program manager with the nonprofit San Juan Citizens Alliance. …
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As a friend of Wolf Creek and Alberta Park I know that special thanks goes to San Juan Citizens Alliance & San Luis Valley Ecosystems Council :
Wednesday, January 22, 2020
Update Courtesy of the San Juan Citizens Alliance
Friday, January 17, 2020
Friends Of Wolf Creek.org Update - Alberta Park vs LMJV-VWC
Colorado Caucus: March 7, 2020
Colorado will be having a Presidential Primary Election on Tuesday, March 3, 2020 for the first time in many years!
But on Saturday, March 7, 2020, Democrats will still be gathering at precincts all across the state to caucus.