Forest service approves Breckenridge expansion

Breckenridge ski area is getting bigger.

The U.S. Forest Service on Tuesday announced that it has approved the resort’s controversial Peak 6 Project, which adds 550 additional acres of skiable terrain, two new lifts and a warming hut.

The resort is the most crowded in the state and argued that it needed the extra room to accommodate skiers. Environmentalists complained that cutting down trees to make more ski runs could hurt lynx and other endangered animals. Some local residents also objected because they feared more overcrowding in town.

Forest supervisor Scott Fitzwilliams said he thinks the decision allows for both a better experience for skiers and protection of the forest.

The decision has been in the works for five years and can be appealed.