SAVE DONNER SUMMIT

"No one gossips about other people's secret virtues" - Bertrand Russell

About Us	FAQS	News Coverage	Maps
What can I do? Who can I contact?	Opinions/Comments	Videos, Poems, & Other Contributions	Forum

Latest News . - - September 5: Sacramento Bee - Supervisor race: former candidate Bob Houston has publicly endorsed Jennifer Montgomery and her campaign for the November 4th election. Placer candidate for supervisor wins key endorsement . - - September 3 : AB 2447, fire safety bill addressing hazard in new subdivisions is now in front of the governor for his signature. The building lobby is dead set against the bill, and likely to put pressure on the governor. Please make sure he gets to know your position loud and clear on this critical bill. Send a letter now. Download a draft, and review guidelines. See background article on Sacramento Bee: Bill would make progress on fire-zone building . - - September 2: Save Donner Summit - SLCWD board election candidates official statements are now available. We will publish any endorsements and expanded candidate statements sent to us (webmaster@savedonnersummit.org) . - - August 17: A fire sale auction is set to move luxury homes at Kirwood ski resort. Has the bear Sierra mountain home market that prevailed through the 80s and 90s returned? See the San Francisco Chronicle: Ski properties on auction Sept. 14 at cut rates . - - August 15: The California Regional Water Quality Control Board issued yet another notice of violation to the Donner Summit Public Utilities District, and directs the utility to provide by September 8 a- " plans and a detailed schedule for reducing nitrate concentrations in effluent" and b- "a detail explanation of the problems at the wastewater treatment plant". Download the full text of the notice of violation . - - More News.

July 2008: An avalanche of setbacks!- Royal Gorge LLC. still has not made any official filings with Placer County (even though preliminary documents surfaced as part of The Union, a local newspaper, taking action under the freedom of information act). But setbacks keep on accumulating against their grandiose ill-conceived plan to transform Donner Summit into sprawling suburbia. 1- Sugar Bowl has withdrawn their "Letter of Intent" and will not pursue a ski lift connection between the resorts. 2- Placer County Planning Department has informed Royal Gorge that a second access road will be required to ensure the safety of existing and future residents. Read the Sierra Sun article: Royal Gorge road becomes hot topic - Geography may hinder new access. 3- Ice thickness measurements made on March 11 by the Sierra Lakes County Water District show that there is only 50 acre feet of water available during the winter months, a problem given that the proposed development is projected to consume 39 AF per month. 4- A local Donner Summit resident, Jennifer Montgomery, came ahead of incumbent, Bruce Kranz, a recipient of Royal Gorge support, in the race for the 5th District Supervisor seat, with 41% of the vote, and will face him in a runoff in November.

Highlighting past contributions - Today a great analysis by Kathy Gray: "Wilderness on Edge on Donner Summit". And Jack's opinion about development: "Why Saying No to Development is Not Unreasonable".

DONNER SUMMIT IS AT RISK

Donner Summit is one of the truly historical landscapes of the Sierra Nevada, treasured by many throughout California, Nevada and the world. Visitors, hikers, skiers, naturalists, historians, climbers, train buffs, second homeowners and residents alike have enjoyed and continue to enjoy Donner Summit's unique environment and offerings.

Donner Summit with its irreplaceable resources is now at risk: Foster-Syme, or Royal Gorge LLC, the partnership of Foster Enterprises (controlled by the grandson of the Foster that created Foster City in the Bay Area) and Woodstock Development (controlled by Kirk Syme ), purchased Royal Gorge Cross-Country Ski Area and 3,000 acres of adjacent private land, along with Ice Lakes Lodge and the historic Rainbow Lodge (Rainbow is now back on the market). The Foster-Syme group is proposing major development on Donner Summit in four separate locations. Their initial plans include 600+ "shared ownership" condominiums, two hotels, employee housing, several ski lifts and runs, two artificial lakes, and hundreds of home sites. Most of the development will be put right in the middle of currently pristine forest and meadow areas. Thousands of trees will have to be cut down. Roads, parking lots, ski lift corridors and ski runs will have to be plowed out of the forest. Erosion and watershed issues will effect both the South Yuba River and the North Fork of the American River as well as the local summit lakes and wetlands. Traffic, water supply, overcrowding, public safety, and sewer capacity are just a few of the additional concerns created by the proposal. Saddest of all would be the desecration of the popular Royal Gorge Cross Country Ski resort, the largest in North America. Refer to Save Royal Gorge Cross Country Skiing web site.

Concerned citizens (including many from outside the local community) are working with existing conservation and community groups to form a long-term strategic campaign to defend the Donner Summit area and safeguard its future for generations to come.

ABOUT US

This web site is operated and owned by concerned citizens. It is dedicated to raising awareness about Foster-Syme plans. It attempts to give information and resources about the proposed development and its effect on the summit land, environment, communities and individuals. We make available a bumper sticker `Save Donner Summit` to create global awareness. We also provide a monthly status update on top of this page.

The savedonnersummit.org is just a website; we don't accept donations (but we encourage you to support and donate to local groups). We don't have a contact page because we are not a legal 'entity'. However, if you have a comment or question about this website, something you wish to add or correct, please contact the Webmaster (email webmaster at savedonnersummit.org). And if your are bored you can read some legal stuff.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Want to get involved? See our What can I do? Who can I contact? page. Become familiar with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Concerned citizens (including many from outside the local community) are working with existing conservation and community groups on a long-term strategic campaign to defend the Donner Summit area and safeguard its future for generations to come. These groups have concerns about the impact of irresponsible development on Donner Summit. Each has its own approach and focus. For examples, Save Serene Lakes provides the latest news and status, and Sierra Watch is bringing its extensive experience gained in the Martis Valley controversy. You find links below, and a custom search which spans all these web sites and a few more related to Royal Gorge LLC. Join them and help `Save Donner Summit`.

Search the sites below

HINT FOR KIRK SYME

"There is one timeless way of building. It is a thousand years old, and the same today as it has ever been. The great traditional buildings of the past, the villages and tents and temples in which man feels at home, have always been made by people who were very close to the center of this way. It is not possible to make great buildings, or great towns, beautiful places, places where you feel yourself, places where you feel alive, except by following this way. And, as you will see, this way will lead anyone who looks for it to buildings which are themselves as ancient in their form, as the trees and hills, and as our faces are." Christopher Alexander, "The Timeless Way of Building"."