After 14 years of pushing and pulling, Mammoth Mountain Ski Area finally landed its Big Congressional Land Battle. Congress on Tuesday approved a resolution granting MMSA permission to affect a land swap with the Forest Service in the Main Lodge area.

On December 1, 2006, President Bush signed the Pitkin County Land Exchange Act of 2006 (P.L. 109-377). Western Land Group drafted and successfully lobbied this bill on behalf of Pitkin County and the Aspen Valley Land Trust (“AVLT”). Under the Act, Pitkin County and AVLT will convey the Ryan Property which lies adjacent to the Ashcroft Nordic Center in the Castle Creek drainage to the Forest Service for permanent protection.

WLG was the primary consultant and lobbyist for the congressional appropriation of $5 million (to date) to enable the Forest Service to begin acquisition of the Bar T Bart Ranch inholding near Flagstaff, Arizona. Part of this effort included securing National Resource Conservation Service and Arizona Game & Fish revenue commitments to assist with the purchase. Once acquired, the 6,500-acre Bar T Bar Ranch will become part of the Coconino National Forest.