In order to increase the funding and upkeep of the Angeles National Forest, Congresswomen Judy Chu from the San Gabriel Valley sponsored HR 4858, a Bill that would have converted the Angeles National Forest to a National Recreation Area and been managed by the National Park Service. This Bill stalled in Congress. Miss Chu’s second choice was to facilitate the Angeles National Forest’s designation as a National Monument under the 1906 Antiquities Act. This act allows the President to designate an area as a National Monument without any public comment or environmental review.
Mountain High operates on the Angeles National Forest through a Special Use Permit issued and managed by the US Forest Service. Despite the new designation as a national monument, the US Forest Service will remain the managing governmental agency.
Under the new designation there will be no changes to the current rules and regulations that govern ski areas or the management of Mountain High’s existing Special Use Permit. The resort will be able to renew its lease as usual at the end of the term and the Special User Permit would be reissued if the resort was sold.
Says Congresswoman Judy Chu, “The San Gabriel Mountains National Monument protects water rights, fire management, private property, and rights of way. It does not limit or prohibit any form of recreation. That means the recreational activities people already enjoy in the mountains – like winter sports - will remain available for all our communities to enjoy. This includes important and cherished winter activities such as skiing and snowboarding. The San Gabriel Mountains National Monument is the result of more than a decade of work by community leaders, non-profit organizations, business owners, elected officials, and recreational enthusiasts who worked hard to bring the resources and attention necessary to ensure sustainable use. The San Gabriel Mountains National Monument will continue to be a land of many uses and with this new designation we will be able to protect, preserve, and enhance this natural treasure for generations to come”
For more information or to schedule an interview please contact John McColly, CMO, at (760) 316-7803 or john@mthigh.com.
About Mountain High
Mountain High is Southern California’s closest winter resort located just an hour and a half from Los Angeles and Orange County. The area consists of three separate mountains (Mountain High East, West, and North), and offers a wide variety of lifts and trails, a world-class terrain park, an outstanding Winter Sports School, and the region’s largest tubing area. Night skiing and snowboarding is available 7 nights-a-week peak season and snowmaking covers more than 80% of the slopes. Mountain High has been the first resort to open in Southern California for the past 17 years and traditionally operates from mid November to mid April. Get more at mthigh.com.
