Clearwater County Subdivision and Appeal Board released their decision today. They have denied Abraham Glacier Resort Development's appeal of the MPC decision to deny them a development permit. Some of the reasons given are:

1. Considering that the proposed development is a Discretionary Use, and the findings set out in this decision, the Board in exercising its discretion as provided in the County's Land Use By-law finds the development inappropriate for the site. The scope, scale and density of the proposed development will have a detrimental impact in this particular Development Node. The Board finds that the proposed development would be more appropriately located nearer an established service center.

2. Based on the original information provided to the Municipal Planning Commission and the new information subsequently presented to the Board by the appellant, the Board concludes that the development could not be accommodated without adversely impacting adjacent uses and the environment of the area.

We have won this round and I would like to thank all of you for your valuable contribution.

Monday, April 12,2004

Dear Sirs,

I am writing on behalf of the Alpine Club of Canada (Edmonton Section) to express our concerns about the proposed Jumbo Glacier Resort.

We are a group of 520 members devoted to the sports of hiking, mountaineering, and backcountry skiing. Our members spend significant time and money visiting the mountains of BC and Alberta to pursue our activities. Generally we prefer to visit areas that are undeveloped or have minimal development.

While we are not opposed to ski resorts in general, we are strongly opposed to the proposed Jumbo Glacier Resort as it would seriously compromise the wilderness character of the surrounding Purcell Mountains. Several of our members have visited Jumbo Pass and the surrounding mountains and have spoken in glowing terms of the beauty and wildness of the area. The Jumbo Glacier area is particularly attractive to mountaineers as the surrounding peaks are among a handful of Purcell peaks that exceed 11000 feet in elevation. A resort town of 6000 beds would seriously compromise these values. As well as the impact on existing recreation, we fear the resort would have a harmful effect on wildlife populations in the area.

Thanks for your consideration of our views.

Yours truly,

Markus Kellerhals
Access and Environment Representative
Alpine Club of Canada, Edmonton Section

CC: Premier Gordon Campbell; Honourable George Abbott – Minister of Sustainable Resource Management; Mr. Martin Glassman, Senior Planner, Environmental Assessment Office