Wolf Creek Archives - San Juan Citizens Alliance

Dec 22 2025

The Fight for a Wild Wolf Creek

By sjca Lands Protection, Wolf Creek

Protecting Wolf Creek Pass from the proposed Village at Wolf Creek development has been one of San Juan Citizens Alliance’s priorities for almost 40 years. When Pagosa Springs local Deirdre Rosenberg reached out with a photography project, we leapt at…

Jun 19 2024

Progress Report on the Village at Wolf Creek

By sjca Lands Protection, Wolf Creek

Our legal fight to prevent the proposed Wolf Creek resort continues as we seek a rehearing before the 10th Circuit Court.

May 16 2024

Recent Court Ruling Overturns Prior Development Rejections, and Reignites Controversy over the Pillage Wolf Creek

By sjca Lands Protection, Wolf Creek

The Pillage at Wolf Creek is an ill-conceived fantasy of an out-of-state billionaire, who railroaded his vision through the federal bureaucracy without regard for the environment and communities it impacts.

Aug 15 2023

ECOFLIGHT: Migration Corridors on Wolf Creek Pass

By sjca Lands Protection, Wildlife, Wolf Creek

This summer the San Juan Citizens Alliance teamed up with Ecoflight for a flyover of the Southern San Juans. EcoFlight is a nonprofit organization that educates and advocates for the protection of remaining wild lands and wildlife habitat using small aircraft.…

Oct 21 2022

PRESS RELEASE: Court Again Rejects Village at Wolf Creek Development Proposal

By sjca Press Release, Wolf Creek

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 21, 2022 A Federal District Court Thursday once again rejected plans by the would-be developers of the Village at Wolf Creek to gain access across national forest lands for the ill-conceived project. Senior Federal Judge Christine…

May 28 2019

Challenging the Forest Service (again) over Village at Wolf Creek

By sjca Lands Protection, Species, Wolf Creek

Clean off those 'No Pillage' bumperstickers*, because here we go again. If you've lived in the area for long, you know the Village has a decades-long history. The short story is that a billionaire from Texas has long wanted to…

Feb 28 2019

Rio Grande National Forest Again Sides with Developer in Wolf Creek Access Issue

By sjca Lands Protection, Species, Wolf Creek

Photo: Alex Pullen OK, here we go again. Many of you joined us in submitting protests this last fall on the draft decision to provide road access to the Village. And for good reason. It's not surprising they went ahead and…

Dec 12 2018

Future home of would-be Village at Wolf Creek

Conservation Groups Cheer Latest Court Decision Rejecting Village at Wolf Creek Land Exchange

By sjca Lands Protection, Species, Wolf Creek

Photo: Alex Pullen, Future home of would-be Village at Wolf Creek Good News! You probably aren't new to this decades-long controversy over the proposed Village at Wolf Creek development. And even so, it can be hard to follow all the…

Aug 18 2018

Max density rendering of Village at Wolf Creek

The Village at Wolf Creek staggers onward

By Mark Pearson Durango Herald Column, Lands Protection, Species, Wolf Creek

Are we doomed to the zombie Village at Wolf Creek endlessly stalking the San Juan Mountains? No matter how many times apparently dead, it seemingly staggers back to life, lurching with a blank gaze and lifeless arms in its 30-year-long…

Jul 20 2018

Forest Service Tries to Circumvent Court Ruling to Green Light Controversial Village at Wolf Creek

By sjca Lands Protection, Wolf Creek

This. Is. Crazy. The developers of the would-be Village at Wolf Creek will stop at nothing. We know that. But we really do expect the Forest Service to manage public lands in the public interest and not cave to the…

Jun 07 2018

Developers attempt another end run around public on Village at Wolf Creek

By sjca Lands Protection, Wolf Creek

Their tactics no longer surprise us, but they do still get us fired up! We recently discovered that the would-be developers of the Village at Wolf Creek, despite losing a sweeping court case on the issue last spring, sent a…

May 11 2018

Forest Service Fails to Appeal Wolf Creek Decision

By sjca Lands Protection, Species, Wolf Creek

Photo: Alex Pullen Wow, we weren't really expecting this. We've been fighting the proposed Village at Wolf Creek for well over a decade now. As you likely know, in order to develop the 8,000-person city atop Wolf Creek Pass, the developers…

Dec 18 2017

Wins of 2017!

By sjca Climate Change, Coal, Gold King Mine, Lands Protection, Oil & Gas, Renewable Energy, Rivers, Species, Wolf Creek

Was 2017 a challenging year? Hell yes. And that's why our work is so critical. We’re here because public and environmental health doesn’t always get prioritized over corporate interests. We’re here because wildlife, water and a stable climate don’t have…

Dec 16 2017

Now’s the time to voice your views about our public lands’ future

By Mark Pearson Durango Herald Column, Lands Protection, Oil & Gas, Wolf Creek

Last week’s events punctuated by the Trump administration’s cavalier abandonment of a century’s worth of American conservation practice is greatly discouraging. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke wiped out more than 1 million acres of protected landscapes in two national monuments in…

Sep 15 2017

Court Again Denies Red McCombs’ Plea to Approve Village at Wolf Creek

By sjca Lands Protection, Wolf Creek

You may have heard that back in May a federal judge ruled in our favor in our court case against the land exchange that would have allowed the Pillage at Wolf Creek to be finally built. Judge Matsch agreed with us…

May 19 2017

Banner of Wolf Creek Ski Area with #NOPillage

BIG WIN: Judge Nullifies Land Exchange Critical to Village at Wolf Creek

By sjca Lands Protection, Wolf Creek

WE WON! Judge Matsch's decision validates nearly every complaint we had regarding the Forest Service's botched attempt at an Environmental Impact Statement. They shirked their responsibility to assess the impacts of development and disregarded significant public input. Your input. In a…

Feb 28 2017

Photo of a Canada Lynx walking in the snow

“Village” at Wolf Creek a disaster for the Endangered Species Act listed Canada lynx

By sjca Lands Protection, Species, Wolf Creek

By: Chris Talbot-Heindl, Communications & Membership Manager, Rocky Mountain Wild Canada Lynx and Ski Resorts In late December, we all watched in awe as a Canada lynx lumbered across Purgatory Resort amid astonished skiers in broad daylight. For some, it was…

Feb 09 2017

Picture of development location at Wolf Creek

Final Arguments, Filings Against Massive Wolf Creek Development in Judge’s Hands

By sjca Lands Protection, Wolf Creek

We submitted final arguments in our latest battle to protect Wolf Creek Pass last Friday. The lawsuit, filed together with Rocky Mountain Wild and San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council, seeks to reverse the Forest Service's 2015 decision to approve a land exchange, providing…

Jan 18 2017

Top of Alberta lift at Wolf Creek Ski Area

Glitz and Glamour at Wolf Creek?

By sjca Lands Protection, Wolf Creek

Photo Attribution: Jeremiah LaRocco via Flickr (License) “It is, Pitch is most proud to say, the antithesis of the glitz and glamor he sees across Colorado's ski country.” Seth Boster1 If you rely on sipping on a pumpkin latte…

Sep 30 2016

Pillage at Wolf Creek – Fall 2016 Update

By sjca Lands Protection, Wolf Creek

Are they still trying to build that Village at Wolf Creek? Yes. And we’re still fighting it. In fact, we just filed an opening brief in the U.S District Court of Colorado as a part of our most recent lawsuit to…

Apr 18 2016

A Wolf Creek Update: Building our case

By sjca Lands Protection, Wolf Creek

So, you probably know we’re suing the Forest Service over their decision last year that paves the way for Red McCombs’ long-dreaded Village at Wolf Creek. Maybe you also know that our partners filed 2 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)…

Apr 07 2016

WCF Exhibit 5: “McCombs is rattling cages.”

By sjca Wolf Creek

This is part of our Wolf Creek Files blog series. Each post explains, in detail, the context behind an email or string of emails: who is writing, what is being discussed, and why it concerns us. Click here to see…

Feb 23 2016

WCF Exhibit 4: Redaction

By sjca Wolf Creek

Feb 14 2016

WCF Exhibit 3: “They may consult with Undersecretary Sherman…”

By sjca Wolf Creek

Feb 07 2016

WCF Exhibit 2: “Gyrations… to keep the document from being subject to FOIA”

By sjca Wolf Creek

Feb 07 2016

Wolf Creek Files

By sjca Wolf Creek

Our attorney’s dug through the “Wolf Creek Files” and what they found confirmed our worst fears: The National Forest Service was in collusion with developer Red “B.J.” McCombs, again. We're sharing the evidence with you. Ever had the desire to read through…

Jan 30 2016

WCF Exhibit 1: “Burn this once read!”

By sjca Lands Protection, Wolf Creek

This is the first in our Wolf Creek Files blog series. Each post will explain, in detail, the context behind an email or string of emails: who is writing, what is being discussed, and why it concerns us. WHO:…

Jan 19 2016

Dan Olson’s Wolf Creek Interview on KDUR

By sjca Lands Protection, Wolf Creek

Dan Olson, Executive Director of San Juan Citizens Alliance, was interviewed this morning on KDUR’s Off the Rim about the evidence of collusion and efforts to destroy and hide documents pertaining to the Wolf Creek development. Check it out. Read the…

Jan 17 2016

Forest Service Actively Concealed And Destroyed Information Concerning Planned Development On Wolf Creek Pass

By sjca Lands Protection, Wolf Creek

Our attorney's dug through the "Wolf Creek Files" and what they found confirmed our worst fears: The National Forest Service was in collusion with developer Red "B.J." McCombs, again. Emails show the agency concealed and destroyed information about the "Village at Wolf…

Dec 10 2015

Video debut! – No Pillage at Wolf Creek

By sjca Lands Protection, Wolf Creek

Video debut! We're proud to reveal our new 3 minute video on our 30-year fight to protect Wolf Creek Pass from a massive development! The fight isn't over, but we need your help. Watch, act, share. Learn More and Take Action...

Nov 18 2015

RELEASE: Wolf Creek Files

By sjca Lands Protection, Wolf Creek

We’re about to finally discover what the Forest Service has been hiding for over a year and a half. ------------ Ever had the desire to read through and analyze 69,701 pages of correspondences and reports? No? That's okay, we're doing…

Nov 18 2015

Records reveal Forest Service’s suspicious ways

By sjca Durango Herald Column, Lands Protection, Wolf Creek

Let’s talk numbers. 22: inches of fresh snow Wolf Creek Ski Area reported as of Wednesday morning. 69,701: pages of public records opponents of the Pillage at Wolf Creek just received from the federal government. 2: over-caffeinated lawyers reading those…

Nov 14 2015

Wolf Creek Pass and the 30-year Battle That is Definitely Not Over

By sjca Lands Protection, Wolf Creek

“Isn’t that over? Wasn’t McCombs’ deal approved?” I keep hearing this, despite the fact that San Juan Citizens Alliance, and Friends of Wolf Creek partners, continue fighting tooth and nail (in three lawsuits) to prevent the construction of a massive…

Nov 06 2015

Further Delays for Court Ordered Release of Wolf Creek FOIA Documents

By sjca Lands Protection, Wolf Creek

The Forest Service is stalling again. Last month, partner organization Rocky Mountain Wild (RMW) won a lawsuit against the Forest Service for inappropriately withholding public documents that RMW requested in a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) concerning the proposed development…

Oct 20 2015

Regional artists celebrate Wolf Creek Pass with traveling show

By sjca Lands Protection, Wolf Creek

In June nearly 40 artists convened on top of Wolf Creek Pass to celebrate its beauty and draw inspiration from the landscape. The over 70 pieces that resulted from the art day day are arriving at the Taylor Raymond Gallery…

Oct 05 2015

Court Orders Forest Service to Disclose Documents on Wolf Creek Pass Decision

By sjca Lands Protection, Species, Wolf Creek

We have some excellent news. The fight for Wolf Creek Pass continues, but today we took a great step forward. The Forest Service has not been transparent with the public about the "Village at Wolf Creek" project. Today we are thrilled to…

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