The U.S. Forest Service has rejected Solitude's proposal to expand its skiing operations into part of Silver Fork Canyon.

Solitude Mountain Resort had applied in April to add 182 acres on the east side of Silver Fork Creek to its ski resort permit boundary in Big Cottonwood Canyon. That was a step back from the resort's earlier goal of adding the whole canyon, including Meadows Chutes and the upper west bowl of Silver Fork -- terrain popular with backcountry skiers.

Despite the resort's effort to appease potential backcountry foes, the Forest Service on Tuesday informed Solitude, located in the mountains east of Salt Lake City, that it cannot accept the expansion proposal. The reason: The ski area did not comply with three "screening criteria" in the code of federal regulations governing recreation special uses.

Solitude owner David DeSeelhorst said he was disappointed by the decision. But based on his conversation with Forest Service officials when he was told of the rejection, he thinks some of his future growth issues still can be addressed in the next few years.

"I had a good meeting with the Forest Service last week and I'll probably have a chance to re-address some of my needs in the next revision of the forest master plan," he said.

Brian Ferebee, supervisor of the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, which includes the four resorts in Big Cottonwood and Little Cottonwood canyons, said the request was rejected because:

» The proposed expansion is inconsistent with the 2003 Forest Plan;

» The proposed use would be inconsistent with the purposes for which the land is managed;

» The proposed expansion would not be in the public interest.

Ferebee elaborated that the Forest Plan does not allow existing ski area permit boundaries to be expanded into "adjacent, highly valued undeveloped areas." In this case, too, the Forest Plan specified watershed protection and undeveloped recreational opportunities were primary uses of Silver Fork.

In addition, the expansion of Alpine skiing into Silver Fork had been considered in the environmental impact statement prepared in the development of the Forest Plan, but was left out.

"Information and circumstances that supported the decisions made in the 2003 Forest Plan have not changed significantly," Ferebee wrote in his explanation of why expansion was not in the public interest.

"If anything, the importance of offering backcountry recreation opportunities and protecting community watersheds for a growing urban community has increased since 2003."

Carl Fisher, executive director of the conservation group Save Our Canyons, applauded the Forest Service for its detailed rejection.

"Great. That's fantastic. We're pleasantly surprised by the Forest Services' decision. It's good to have in writing that the Forest Service acknowledges some significant impacts from ski area expansion in a heavily used range," Fisher said. "It's a huge step forward in protecting the Wasatch Mountains."

When he submitted the revised plan, DeSeelhorst described it as a "well-thought-out" effort to increase Solitude's "rugged side-country, not resort-style skiing." By giving up earlier ambitions to include Meadow Chutes and the west bowl, he felt the resort had accommodated backcountry interests.

Solitude's revised plan also left a buffer along Silver Fork Creek to assuage water-quality concerns, DeSeelhorst added.

"We're giving up some fantastic skiing," he said at the time, noting that without the 182-acre addition and a lift to serve it, Solitude was "boxed in ... Our ability for future terrain addition is severely limited."

While rejecting the proposal, Ferebee pledged that "the Forest will continue to work with Solitude as an important provider of alpine skiing opportunities on National Forest System lands within Big Cottonwood Canyon."

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