Residents are petitioning for all of Laurel Mountain State Park to be open for use during summer months after the state recently started enforcing long-standing agreements that place limitations on some sections of the park.
As of Friday, more than 400 people had signed a petition urging access be restored to the Laurel Mountain Ski Area along the border of Westmoreland and Somerset counties, which they said was previously allowed for many years until closed signs first went up last summer. Residents say signs on the outside of the ski area list biking, hiking and horseback riding as prohibited activities.
The ski area is operated by Vail Resorts under a concessions lease purchased last year by the Colorado-based firm from Pirates owner Bob Nutting, along with Seven Springs and Hidden Valley resorts. Use of the ski area during non-winter months also faces limitations imposed by the 1963 agreement under which the wealthy Mellon family gifted the area to the state.
Douglas Sphar, who lives about a mile from the park entrance, is one of the residents organizing the petition effort, along with Carmen Jarvis-Rose. Mr. Sphar said he and Ms. Jarvis-Rose had a walking meeting Wednesday with Jeremy Rekich, a state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources regional manager, to discuss the situation.
“He assured us that the stakeholders are having discussions about how to make changes in this policy to benefit the public and recreational users of the property, year round,” he said. “It was very encouraging. He was very sincere.”
Mr. Sphar said the closed ski area includes Blueberry Pond and a gravel trail around it, where people often swim and fish. He said his dog enjoys swimming in the pond.
“It’s gorgeous. It’s not a large lake, it’s man-made, but it’s the only lake on the summit,” he said.
Residents say the signs listing prohibited activities had been removed Thursday — potentially a sign of progress in resolving the situation.
Wesley Robinson, a DCNR spokesman, said Friday that there hasn’t been any policy change but that the department is “working with all parties involved to find the best solution.” He said the concession lease was last transferred in October 2018 and is for a 35-year term.
Anna Weltz, a spokeswoman for Vail Resorts, said the company is operating the property under a pre-existing agreement but is committed to being “great partners to this community,”
“Any recent changes would have been from the DCNR, and we are in touch with them to encourage reasonable management of this agreement that works best for everyone,” she said.
Mr. Sphar said what was once a peaceful escape into nature has taken on a different meaning, with park rangers on the lookout to enforce limitations on its use. He said he had received a verbal warning from a ranger.
While the ski area is closed, Mr. Robinson said DCNR encourages visitors to utilize the multipurpose trails in Laurel Mountain State Park open to the public year-round, including Loop Trail, Locust Trail and Access Road Trail. Trails can be accessed by the trail system in Forbes State Forest along Laurel Summit Road near the Warming Hut and Roundhouse Lot.
Jon Moss: mosspg412@gmail.com; Twitter: @mossjon7.
First Published: August 21, 2022, 10:00 a.m.
Updated: August 22, 2022, 1:48 p.m.
