US Forest Service rejects expansion plans of premier Midwest ski area Lutsen Mountains

By STEVE KARNOWSKI
Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The U.S. Forest Service has rejected the expansion plans of Lutsen Mountains, one of the premier skiing destinations in the Midwest. Lutsen Mountains was hoping to expand onto 495 acres of public land in the Superior National Forest in northeastern Minnesota, so it could essentially double its skiable terrain in the Sawtooth Mountains along the north shore of Lake Superior. In rejecting the permit application, the Forest Service cited impacts on tribal resources such as sugar maple stands, negative effects for users of the Superior Hiking Trail and backcountry skiers, and other impacts to the environment. The company has until Oct. 10 to file objections.