Forest Service says Burnt Mtn ski cabin is off limits

A cabin that’s been used as a backcountry getaway on Burnt Mountain for at least 30 years has been taken out of commission by the U.S. Forest Service. The agency had a contractor remove a portion of the roof earlier this month after asbestos was discovered, according to Aspen-Sopris District Ranger Karen Schroyer. The rest of the cabin could be demolished as early as next year. The Forest Service has notified some users of the cabin not to replace the roof. A tarp was placed over the part of the roof that was removed to prevent rain from getting in. That will buy time for people to remove personal belongings. The Aspen-Sopris Ranger District will conduct a review this winter on demolishing the cabin and other structures the agency believes were illegally constructed on public land. A list of the other properties being studied for demolition wasn’t immediately available. One regular visitor to the cabin objected to the way the Forest Service pursued the demolition. Removing the roof under the guise of asbestos removal “pre-empted” any legitimate public debate about keeping the cabin, the person said. The elements will eat away at the cabin during the Forest Service’s review, the person said, so the agency will determine the rest of the structure must be demolished. The cabin user requested anonymity because of the ongoing effort to try to reverse the Forest Service’s direction. A person who helped build the cabin previously told The Aspen Times that skiers on Burnt Mountain in the early 1980s decided they needed a humble warming hut...more

Yes, the feds are great landlords.  Just ask any rancher.