What’s up at Hatcher?

To the editor:

Is the Hatcher Pass ski facility “belly up” or just temporarily “iced”?

As I recollect, it was about 1982 that Ed Strabel and friends organized a Mother Lode Lodge to Independence Mine fun run to raise recognition and support for development of a ski area in Hatcher Pass. I believe, Ed, and many other Valley parents, were tired of their youth driving icy roads to Birchwood/Anchorage/Alyeska to participate in snow sports. I believe what Ed and others in the Valley envisioned was basic, groomed cross-country ski trails and rope/T-bar tows for downhill ski facilities.

In my mind, the basic ski facilities envisioned were pumped up by developers into a four-season resort. The ultimate in hypocrisy was inclusion of condo and housing developments, or residential properties to be subdivided to support/finance a four-season resort. A four-season-resort? What a contrast to warming huts and basic ski facilities.

After roughly 25 years and about four different project designs from different developers, what was envisioned at Hatcher Pass still appears to be just a vision.

Perhaps those basic winter ski facilities could have been entirely funded with past expenditures on plans and environmental studies for the previous proposed and abandoned grandiose projects.

Perhaps now it’s a toss up. Which Southcentral project will be completed first: the Hatcher Pass ski area or the Cooper Landing bypass road?

It’s a shame so many generations of youth did not benefit from Ed’s idea.

Ron Modafferi

Lake Tahoe, Calif.