Working with Breckenridge from the initial inception of North America’s highest elevation lift, SE GROUP’s Mountain Planners and Ecologists, collaborated to design a lift which would operate consistently in the harsh climatic conditions yet be sensitive to the surrounding Alpine environment. A unique site and grading plan for the upper terminal allowed the lift and unload/milling area to be created with only 1,100 square feet of disturbance to the tundra setting. In response to strong community concerns regarding visual impacts, SE GROUP worked closely with Forest Service Landscape Architects to prepare six photo simulations depicting the existing and anticipated view in both summer and winter conditions. Once finalized, these highly accurate photo representations effectively allayed all concerns regarding potential visual impacts. SE GROUP additionally prepared the necessary Environmental Assessment which ultimately led to the approval of the proposed lift. Concluding the lift’s development, our ecologists were responsible for on-site collection of native seeds and oversight of the final construction reclamation.
