Remembering the Lake Catamount proposal!

If you’re old enough to remember this illustration, you’ve been skiing at least as long as I have, but technically the resort in question, on the shore of Lake Catamount is still pending approval. Sure, the original financers back out decades ago and permits would still need to be renewed, but this controversial resort that was planned for development in the 1980s could still happen. Only miles from Steamboat Springs, Colorado, residents and locals thought the idea of a second major resort to the area would help with the economy and bring diversity to the area that hosts only Steamboat Resort. Unfortunately, in the planning and permit process, nearby wetlands along the shores of the lakes caused and environmentalist stir, but in the end (Or the middle, depending on how full your glass is) it was the financial aspect that held the project up. Along with a proposed 14 lifts, the proposal also called for a railroad connection between Catamount and Steamboat Springs. A couple years after the last major financial backers of the original 1970s plan withdrew their names, the powerhouse couple of Tim and Diana Mueller submitted their own proposal for a resort on the mountain. While the proposal was accepted, this nice sketch is still all that’s ever come of the plan.