Waterville Valley Resort hosted a public information meeting to present the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for its proposed expansion project, which aims to create a non-vehicular connection between the town and the mountain via a gondola system. The meeting was streamed live on YouTube and drew an in-person audience as well as online participants, with questions accepted through the YouTube chat.

Tim Smith, President and General Manager of Waterville Valley Resort, opened by emphasizing that the Draft EIS is not a decision — it is a document that discloses analysis, compares alternatives, identifies potential effects and mitigations, and opens the formal public comment process (link). The final decision will follow the comment period and release of the Final EIS. Attendees were encouraged to study the documents carefully, as this stage is considered the critical window for meaningful public input.

The presentation was structured into five parts: how the project reached this stage, what is being proposed, what the Draft EIS means, alternatives and resource issues, and how to submit comments (link).

Project Background and Federal Review

Waterville Valley’s unique setting — with the town surrounded by the White Mountain National Forest — means that any changes on or connected to national forest system land require federal review and public involvement (link).

The project’s development began in 2014. A Master Development Plan was initiated in 2015, completed in 2019, and accepted by the National Forest in 2020 (link). A detailed project proposal was developed between 2020 and 2023, with the application accepted in November 2023. The Forest Service determined an EIS was required in March 2024. A Notice of Intent and scoping period followed in May 2025. The Draft EIS was released in May 2026, initiating a 90-day public comment period that closes on Thursday, August 27th (link).

The Forest Service’s purpose in undertaking the EIS is to respond to the resort’s application under the National Forest Ski Area Permit Act. The resort’s stated objectives are to create a non-vehicular connection between the town and mountain, add terrain diversity, improve base area access, and expand year-round guest service spaces (link).

Proposed Project Components (Alternative 2)

The proposed project — referred to as Alternative 2 — includes (link):

  • An 8,550-foot gondola lift system
  • 32 acres of new traditional ski terrain
  • 200 acres of gladed terrain
  • A 20,000 square foot mid-station facility with 80 parking spaces
  • Up to a 30,000 square foot Green Peak summit facility
  • A 333-acre expansion to the Special Use Permit (SUP) boundary
  • A 710-acre management area of review

The gondola would connect Town Square to a mid-station and then to the Green Peak summit, providing direct access for lodging guests, condo residents, and non-skiers. The goal is to improve the arrival and parking experience, and to unlock food, beverage, and retail opportunities throughout the valley (link).

Draft EIS Alternatives

The Draft EIS evaluates three main alternatives (link):

  1. No Action Alternative: The project does not proceed.
  2. Proposed Action (Alternative 2): The full project as described above, including the gondola, terrain development, facilities, parking, SUP expansion, and forest plan amendments.
  3. Reduced Scope and Scale Modified Project (Alternative 3): This alternative incorporates reductions identified during scoping. It includes a 25,000 square foot summit facility (a 5,000 sq ft reduction), 168 acres of gladed terrain (a 32-acre reduction), the mid-station shifted approximately 80 feet to the northwest to avoid wetlands, tree removal limited to the window of August 15th through April 15th, and a reduction of 100 acres from the existing SUP boundary. The total SUP expansion under Alternative 3 would be 233 acres rather than 333 acres.

The responsible official may select any one of the alternatives or a combination thereof.

Public Comment Process and Next Steps

Formal comments must be submitted through official Forest Service channels by Thursday, August 27th (link). The resort provided QR codes and noted that searching “Waterville Valley DEIS” online will surface both the resort’s information page and the Forest Service’s official comment portal. A public meeting hosted by the National Forest Service — where attendees can speak directly with agency representatives who analyzed the specialist reports — is scheduled for July 15th at Exit 27. Specific time and room details were said to be forthcoming on the project page.

Following the comment period, the agency will review all submissions, produce a Final EIS, and issue a Draft Record of Decision. An objection period will follow, with the final Record of Decision currently anticipated in late summer or early fall of 2027 (link).

Key Resource and Environmental Issues

The presentation covered several specialist reports included in the Draft EIS:

  • Traffic and Parking: The project’s primary goal is to reduce short car trips between town and the mountain. Under both Action Alternatives, the resort would have 1,880 parking spaces against a projected need of 1,828, leaving a surplus of 52 spaces. Day skiers are still expected to favor mountain parking, while the gondola primarily serves lodging guests, condo residents, and shuttle riders (link).
  • Wetlands and Water Resources: The hydrology report identified nine confirmed vernal pools and one probable vernal pool in the project area. Alternative 3’s mid-station shift is designed to reduce direct wetland impacts by approximately 0.26 acres (link).
  • Wildlife Habitat: The EIS analyzes potential impacts on Canada lynx habitat, northern long-eared bats, and American marten. Alternative 3 includes glade reductions and a restricted tree removal window (August 15th–April 15th) specifically to protect the northern long-eared bat during its roosting period (link).
  • Soils: The soils technical report includes field verification and site-specific analysis to identify where roads and utilities will go and to ensure erosion and compaction risks are managed through design criteria and best management practices (link).
  • Scenery and Visual Impact: Visual simulations were conducted from multiple viewpoints, including Snow’s Mountain, Middle Tripyramid, Mount Osceola, and Sandwich Dome. Facility designs, materials, and colors — including lift tower colors — are being evaluated to ensure harmony with the natural environment (link).
  • Summit Facility Vision: The Green Peak summit facility is envisioned primarily as a public space offering restrooms, food service, shelter, scenic access, and year-round events — drawing inspiration from European mountaintop facilities. Amenities under consideration include a café, gift shop, outdoor terrace, evening dining, weddings, and a potential treetop walk accessible to all ages and abilities (link).

Questions and Answers

During the question and answer session, James Sununu was also present and available to address questions. A wide range of topics were covered:

  • Mid-Station Shift: A member of the public asked whether the 80-foot northwest shift of the mid-station under Alternative 3 would affect the village plan. Tim Smith clarified that the shift elongates the lower gondola section slightly and adjusts the upper section’s trajectory, but does not impact the base terminal location in the village (link).
  • Parking Lot Surfaces: A member of the public asked about paving the mountain parking lots. The resort confirmed that lots one through nine will not be paved; they will continue to be graded and compacted. The mid-station parking area is expected to have an improved surface, with stormwater runoff managed through state permitting processes (link).
  • Existing Lifts: No existing lifts are proposed for removal. The Green Peak triple chair, currently a primary lift, would become a tertiary lift once the gondola is operational, running less frequently but remaining available during peak periods (link).
  • Financial Concerns: A member of the public raised concerns about the town’s financial situation, including the ongoing wastewater treatment plant challenges, and asked about the financial risks of the expansion. Tim Smith and James Sununu noted that financial and business decisions are internal matters outside the scope of the Forest Service’s EIS review. However, it was noted that the project is expected to expand the town’s taxable property base, which could help offset the municipal tax burden over time (link).
  • Water Needs and Snowmaking: The hydrology report addresses snowmaking water demands. The resort draws water directly from the Mad River, maintaining required minimum stream flows, and operates its own separate well system at the mountain. Modern snowmaking equipment has significantly reduced energy consumption — the resort now makes more snow with fewer compressors than when current management arrived (link).
  • Bus System: The existing bus system is not expected to go away. Rather, the vision is for smaller, more frequent buses circulating within town and connecting residents and guests to the gondola base, rather than running to the mountain. The resort noted evolving transit technology may further change the picture by the time the gondola is operational (link).
  • Town Parking: Public parking will exist at the gondola’s base terminal in town, likely subject to restrictions — such as time limits — to prevent day skiers from occupying spaces all day. Day skiers are expected to continue parking at the mountain. Detailed traffic and parking planning will be addressed as part of the town’s separate site plan review process (link).
  • Gondola Specifications: The gondola is currently planned around a traditional 10-person cabin. The full route spans 8,550 linear feet — roughly one-third longer than the Mount Tecumseh lift — and will operate at a pace suited to the scenic experience rather than skier throughput. The route from the base terminal near Town Square will cross Village Road, pass between Black Bear Lodge and the Green Peak condos, cross Snow’s Brook, travel between the Osceola 1 buildings, cross the river, and then continue into Forest Service land. The mid-station is located just below where Ski Area Road splits from Tripoli Road. Gondola height will vary based on engineering, wind exposure, and visual impact considerations (link).
  • Sunnyside Lodge: The status of Sunnyside Lodge is not part of this project proposal. Its closure was attributed to a lack of insulation — the log-kit building was consuming approximately 300 gallons of diesel fuel per week — not staffing issues. The lodge is currently used on a limited basis for special events such as the World Cup (link).
  • Stakeholder Input: Members of the public asked about opportunities for the town, residents, and other stakeholders to weigh in on the project’s impact on the town center. Tim Smith confirmed that the gondola’s base terminal and any related private development on town land will go through separate and extensive town-level review processes, including Planning Board site plan review, Select Board approval to cross public roads, and state approval to cross Route 49 — all of which include multiple public hearing opportunities (link).
  • High Country Terrain: Alternative 3’s 100-acre SUP reduction refers to land currently within the existing permit boundary but not yet developed — specifically terrain to skiers’ left of the T-bar. No currently skiable terrain would be affected; the reduction would only foreclose that area from future expansion (link).
  • Master Plan and Development: The conceptual master plan for the town center — which includes potential hotels and mixed-use buildings — is a separate planning exercise and is not part of this EIS. James Sununu noted that any private development on town land would be subject to its own Planning Board site plan review process, and that the gondola and any town-center development are not a “package deal” — they involve separate entities and separate approval processes (link).
  • Glades Skiing: Glades skiing is in high demand and provides significant terrain variety, helping distribute skier traffic and improving the resort experience during high-snow years (link).
  • Gondola Contingency: Operational plans will address gondola downtime due to high winds or mechanical issues. Bus routes will be maintained as backup, and the two-section design — with a potential bull wheel at the mid-station — may allow the lower section to operate independently when the upper section must be shut down (link).
  • Climate and Snowmaking: The resort actively consults with meteorologists and participates in ongoing climate discussions through organizations including Ski New Hampshire and the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA). The resort’s response to climate variability centers on continually modernizing snowmaking systems, which now allow snow production closer to the freezing point than older equipment, and upgrading lift infrastructure (link).
  • Schwendi Hutte: A member of the public asked whether a summit restaurant at Green Peak would affect the Schwendi Hutte. Tim Smith indicated he does not anticipate a meaningful impact, noting that the Schwendi Hutte is one of the community’s crown jewels and will continue to be treated as such, with ongoing maintenance and increased utilization for events such as mountain weddings and the Schwendi Fest (link).

The meeting closed with a reminder from resort leadership that the most valuable public comments are substantive ones — explaining specifically what concerns or supports the project, referencing the underlying scientific reports where possible. Comments may be submitted via the Forest Service’s official portal through August 27th (link).

Topics: Waterville Valley Resort Environmental Impact Statement Gondola Ski Area Expansion White Mountain National Forest Public Comment Community Development Tourism