Fires on the Mountains: Santa Fe, NM

Santa Fe, NM

Santa Fe Ski Area Stung by a 1994 decision by the U.S. Forest Service that prevented the area from building a chairlift in a powder basin called Big Tesuque, the ski area has been the object of constant protests from local environmental groups, including the Ski Area Containment Coalition. The latest fracas involved the construction of a 600-car lot intended to relieve nearly 3 miles of parking congestion along the approach road. During the past two summers, protesters have chained themselves to construction machinery and gates. And in one scary mishap, an angry man showed up in the lot and began blazing away with a shotgun-discharging 12 rounds but fortunately hitting no one before being nabbed by the cops.