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The distinction between First-Class customers and those of lower-classes has OFFICIALLY come to America's National Forests.
Just imagine the possibilities for implementing this new class system as outdoor recreation becomes increasingly commodified and as the measure of a forest visitor's (customer's) worth is the depth of his or her pockets.
Scott
PS.... I don't need to look into my wallet to know that under the new system I'm, at best, a Second-Class citizen. But how about you? Will you passively allow yourself to be forced to the back of the bus or will you pay to sit up front and, in so doing, push everyone behind you a little further back? Or will you oppose this unfair and undemocratic system?
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August 16, 2003
Controversial Beeline program gets approval
by Aidan Leonard
COPPER MOUNTAIN - The Beeline Advantage Program, which allows users to go to the front of Copper's liftlines, is official.
This past Wednesday, White River National Forest Supervisor Martha
Ketelle sent a letter to Copper Mountain Chief Operating Officer David
Barry notifying him that authorization of the mountain's Beeline
program had been approved.
For $999, visitors to Copper Mountain will now be able to access
special liftlines that will essentially feed them straight to the front
of the line and onto the lifts.
Copper lodging guests also get a crack at the Beeline, a special gate at certain lifts marked with a yellow flag.
"This isn't a new concept in the industry," said Beth Jahnigen,
communications director for the mountain. "It's comparable to the
difference between a coach-class seat on an airplane and a first-class
seat on an airplane."
However, the program, which first underwent two years of preliminary
trials, has elicited controversy among both visitors to the mountain
and governmental officials.
Some people have protested that the program discriminates against those visitors who cannot afford the additional charges.
Last year, the price of a single day Beeline pass was $124, double the ticket window price of $62 for a standard adult ticket.
Jim Horkovich, a condominium owner at Copper and highly vocal opponent
of the program, maintains a Web site that calls such practices "unfair,
unethical, elitist and discriminatory."
Initially, it appeared that the Forest Service agreed with him and was
set to deny the program on the basis of a failure to demonstrate how
the program served the public interest.
Because Copper Mountain leases its terrain from the U.S. Forest
Service, it is subject to the department's oversight, particularly on
those issues dealing with access.
However, upon review of local Forest Service administrators, the
department's Washington office decided that such a move would exercise
too much power over the daily business decisions of permit holders.
"While I understand that some may view this program unfavorably based
on pricing, since the program is available to all the public, the
Washington office found it consistent with policy," Ketelle wrote.
U.S. Rep. Mark Udall, who represents Summit County in his 2nd District,
recently involved himself in the fray when he sent a letter to the
secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Ann Veneman. The
department oversees the Forest Service.
In it, he outlined concerns that had been raised by various
constituents as to why local Forest Service officials had been
overruled.
"There have been a number of people who have expressed concern," said
Lawrence Pacheco, Udall's press secretary. "As their congressman, he
feels its his job to ask some of these questions."
"It's just not right," said Copper condo owner Betsy Horkovich. "And if people.
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- Privatization 
