Heavenly's Epic Discovery Project gets closer to reality

Heavenly Mountain Resort added summertime activities to the top of the gondola last summer but that was only the beginning if the Epic Discovery Project gets approval from the necessary agencies.

If approved, visitors and residents will able forge a closer connection to the mountains of South Lake Tahoe with the planned additional zip lines and ropes courses as well as mountain tubing, trails to hook up Van Sickle Bi-State Park with Heavenly and the Tahoe Rim Trail, elevated tobaggan run, an ecoflyer (a suspended bicycle at the treetops), biking trails and a safari style jeep tour.

In order to respond to the growing popularity of, and demand for, resource-based activities developed in managed settings, Epic Discovery has created adventure and thrill based experiences that require little, or no, skills or knowledge. They have also planned interpretive activities and large jeep tours with a guide that will take people into the back country that may not have been able to do so otherwise.

Andrew Strain of Vail Resorts said that the company is looking for ways to keep the experiences affordable, including the possibility of an annual local's passes. The Epic project will have activities that can keep families entertained at the top of the Gondola and backcountry for whole days.

Another positive aspect of the project will to be the addition of a year-round work force at Heavenly.

The proposed activites and locations:

• Adventure Peak
Mid-Station Zipline Canopy Tour
Sky Cycle Canopy Tour
Forest Flyer Alpine Coaster
Infill Activities
Mountain Bike Skills Park
Kids Zipline
Disc Golf

• East Peak Basin
Mountain Bike Park
East Peak Zipline Canopy Tour
East Peak Reservoir Water Activities – kayaking, paddleboarding, fishing
Interpretive Activities at East Peak Lodge
East Peak Lodge Hiking Trail

• Sky Meadows Basin
Sky Meadows Zipline Canopy Tour
Sky Meadows Challenge Course
Ridge Run Lookout Tower and Observation Deck
Interpretive Activities at Sky Deck

• Mountain-wide
Educational Opportunities and Interpretive Information
Mountain Excursion Tour
Connecting Trails (e.g., Panorama Trail)
Emergency Gondola Snow Cat Evacuation Route (Winter Use Only)

Since Heavenly operates in several different jurisdictions, approval is needed from the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) and the Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board. The three jointly created an environmental impact report.

USFS has approved a draft decision of the project. Still needed is a Land Use and Development Permit from TRPA. The TRPA Board of Directors meet March 25-26 to vote on Epic Discovery. Some of the project moves into lands not controlled by them so the vote would only cover all project components that fall within the Lake Tahoe Basin boundaries.

Lahontan still needs to vote to approve the Updated Waste Discharge Permits for those portions of the project in the State of California.

Project work could begin in late spring 2015 if all agencies give their approval.