Cooper Spur ski area

{{Infobox ski area

| name = Cooper Spur

| logo =

| picture = CooperSpur.JPG

| caption = Cooper Spur looking down the liftline

| location = Mount Hood, Oregon, US

| nearest_city = Hood River 23 miles (35 km) north, Portland 60 miles (100 km) west

| pushpin_map = Oregon#United States

| pushpin_relief = 1

| coordinates = {{coord|45.41228|-121.60501|type:landmark_scale:50000|display=inline,title}}

| pushpin_label_position =

| map_caption = Location in Oregon

| top_elevation = {{convert|4350|ft|m|abbr=on}}

| base_elevation = {{convert|4000|ft|m|abbr=on}}

| skiable_area = {{convert|50|acre|km2|1|abbr=on}}

| number_trails = 10

| longest_run = 0.25 mi (400 m)

| liftsystem = 1 chair, 1 rope tow, 2 tows for tubing

| snowfall = 8.3 ft (2.5 m)

| external_link = [http://www.cooperspur.com/ Cooper Spur]

}}

Cooper Spur ski area is a ski area located on northeast Mount Hood, Oregon, United States. The resort has one double chair ski lift serving ten runs, and a vertical drop of 110 meters (350 ft). There are {{convert|6.5|km}} of cross-country skiing trails.{{cite web

|url=http://www.cooperspur.com/Adventures/crosscountry.aspx

|title=Adventures—Cross Country

|publisher=Cooper Spur ski area

|accessdate=2008-02-23

|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080206070657/http://www.cooperspur.com/Adventures/crosscountry.aspx

|archivedate=2008-02-06

|url-status=dead

}} The uphill capacity of the lift is 1,200 skiers per hour, and the summit rises to {{convert|1,326|m}}. The resort encompasses {{convert|0.2|km2|acre}} of terrain, and receives an average of {{convert|2.5|m|in}} of snow per year.

Cooper Spur Mountain Resort has {{convert|3.1|km2|acre}} of forest on which condos, log cabins, a restaurant, and a hotel are located.Sommer, Joshua. Fusion Pass gives holder access to two Mount Hood resorts. The Oregonian, October 28, 2007.

Expansion

In the summer of 2001, Cooper Spur was purchased by an affiliate of Mount Hood Meadows named Meadows North LLC, and announced its intention to develop the Cooper Spur area as a year round destination resort with additional lifts, runs, and accommodation.{{cite web

| url = http://www.friendsofmounthood.org/cspur.htm

| title = Cooper Spur issues

| publisher = Friends of Mount Hood

| accessdate = 2008-02-22

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080819235457/http://www.friendsofmounthood.org/cspur.htm

| archive-date = 2008-08-19

| url-status = dead

}} A July 18, 2001 proposal included developing a golf course, 450 housing units, a conference center, ice rink, swimming pool, amphitheater, shopping mall, and other developments.{{cite web

| url = http://www.crag.org/active_01.php

| title = Overview of Land Trade Case

| work = Active Cases - Public Documents

| publisher = Crag Law Center

| accessdate = 2008-02-22

}}{{cite web

| url = http://www.crag.org/documents/DestinationResortPlan-DeclarationofDennisChaney.pdf

| title = Declaration of Dennis Chaney

| date = April 10, 2002

| accessdate = 2008-02-22

}} The development was opposed by groups which favor preserving and expanding wilderness areas of northern Mount Hood.{{cite web

| url = http://www.oregon.sierraclub.org/groups/columbia/conserv/cooperspur/clubview.asp

| title = The Sierra Club's Positions on the Threats to Cooper Spur

| publisher = Sierra Club

| date = August 23, 2004

| accessdate = 2008-02-24

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080828130736/http://www.oregon.sierraclub.org/groups/columbia/conserv/cooperspur/clubview.asp

| archive-date = August 28, 2008

| url-status = dead

}}{{cite web

| url = http://www.oregonwild.org/press-room/press-clips/moving-forward-on-the-mt-hood-wilderness

| title = Moving forward on the Mt. Hood Wilderness

| author = Erik Fernandez, Wilderness Coordinator

| publisher = Oregon Wild

| date = December 29, 2006

| accessdate = 2008-02-28

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071023092241/http://www.oregonwild.org/press-room/press-clips/moving-forward-on-the-mt-hood-wilderness

| archive-date = October 23, 2007

| url-status = dead

}} Other concerns include potentially disrupting a key elk migration route, watershed disruption for two thousand nearby residents,{{cite web|url=http://mazamas.org/info/ski_area.php|title=Mazamas statement on the proposed destination resort and ski area expansion on the NE side of Mt. Hood|author=Mazamas Conservation Committee|date=April 2002|publisher=The Mazamas|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20020405223610/http://mazamas.org/info/ski_area.php|archivedate=2002-04-05|url-status=|accessdate=2008-02-24}} and deforestation.{{cite web

| url = http://www.bark-out.org/tsdb/polcoop/SaleFactSheet.pdf

| title = Logging in the Cooper Spur Area

| publisher = Bark

| date = July 8, 2002

| accessdate = 2008-02-24

}}

A controversial land swap was concluded with Hood River County by Meadows North LLC which increased the acreage adjacent to Cooper Spur owned by Meadows North LLC.{{Citation needed|date=February 2008}}

In the summer of 2002, the decades-old T-bar lift was replaced with a double chair, and excavation work created a tubing area.

After Meadows North LLC abandoned its initiative to develop Cooper Spur, a proposal was made to trade Cooper Spur's facilities, existing {{convert|770|acre|km2}}, and its special-use permit which authorizes {{convert|1350|acre|km2}} of development in exchange for {{convert|120|acre|km2}} of Forest Service land near Government Camp.{{cite web

| url = http://blumenauer.house.gov/mthood/MtHoodLandExchanges-jb.doc

| title = Congressmen Walden and Blumenauer's Mount Hood Stewardship Legacy Act (HR 5025) Land Exchanges

| author = Congressman Greg Walden and Congressman Earl Blumenauer

| format = word document (.doc)

| date = July 18, 2006

| accessdate = 2008-02-22

| url-status = dead

| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20060830200223/http://blumenauer.house.gov/mthood/MtHoodLandExchanges-jb.doc

| archivedate = August 30, 2006

}} The proposal became a provision of House Bill 5025 [109th] (Mount Hood Stewardship Legacy Act) and passed the House, but expired without senate approval.{{cite web

| url = http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h109-5025

| title = H.R. 5025—109th Congress (2006): Mount Hood Stewardship Legacy Act

| date = September 27, 2006

| publisher = GovTrack.us (database of federal legislation)

| accessdate = 2008-02-22

}} According to a GAO assessment, the value of lands were not appraised equivalently and probably not fairly.{{cite web

| url = http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d061135r.pdf

| title = Federal Land Exchange: Assessment of Mount Hood Land Appraisal Reports

| author = US Government Accountability Office

| date = September 26, 2006

| accessdate = 2008-02-22

}}