Monday, March 12, 2007

No fake snow


Following up on a story we posted ages ago: The AP says a federal appeals court today ruled against a plan to use treated wastewater to make snow at the Arizona Snowbowl (north of Flagstaff). One judge said the plan was akin to using wastewater in Christian baptisms.

The court said the act would violate the religious freedom of more than a dozen American Indian tribes. The San Francisco Peaks have spiritual and religious meaning to 13 tribes in the Southwest. The resort's plans also included adding a fifth chair lift and tearing down and grooming about 100 acres of forest to attract more skiers.

For the third time in four years the resort opened late this winter because of a lack of snow. Two years ago, when 460 inches of snow fell on the mountain, the 68-year-old resort stayed open for 139 days and hosted more than 191,000 skiers. Last year, there was so little snow that the lifts ran only 15 days.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

It is like using treated wastewater in Christian baptisms. And no question, most churches would howl at the prospect.

But that doesn't mean this this water is dirty or unsafe. Far from it. No question - there's an awful lot of emotion wrapped up in this, and the science of it has been forced to the back seat.

Anonymous said...

If its good enough for the citizens of Pueblo, Colorado to drink - then why can't they spray it on some hill?

Anonymous said...

Two points:

1) Skiing in Arizona? Forgive me if I don't book my tickets.

2) You don't eat yellow snow. Don't ski on it.

Dena Rosenberry said...

They treat and reuse wastewater where my mom lives in Santee, Calif. (suburban San Diego), creating a wonderful series of ponds connected by a stream. Water of various levels of treatment is used for different purposes. Seems logical. I think the Baptism comment is a bit much.

Anonymous said...

I would love to have a series of doo-doo ponds that I could fish at or go swimming in.

Anonymous said...

My question is if you are skiing on it how do you know what the difference is between a rock and a turd? Do I know need to reclassify my old skis? Rock skis and turd skis?

Are there now green runs, blue runs, black runs and brown runs.