Yesterday Stowe voters approved, by about a 2-1 margin, a town meeting day
proposal for the town to contribute $450,000 towards the $1.75 million price
for a conservation easement on the "Adams Camp" property.

This 513-acre property, which the Trapp Family Lodge bought several years
ago, is located between the Trapp and Stowe Mountain Resort cross-country
ski areas.  It contains a few of the Stowe Mountain Resort trails, all the
trails that link the two trail networks, a portion of the Stowe Derby trail,
and some other nearby trails that are part of the Catamount Trail.  In the
summer of 2004, Trapp announced plans for a housing subdivision on the
property, as well as a road that would connect the Trapp hotel to the
Mountain Road.  These plans were put on hold as the Stowe Land Trust
negotiated the terms of a conservation easement on the property.

Earlier this season, Trapp demanded payment from Stowe Mountain Resort for
the rights to maintain SMR trails on the Trapp-owned property.  For a brief
period, some of the SMR trails, and the connecting trails, were closed to
skiers.  Negotiations resulted in an undisclosed payment from SMR to Trapp,
covering the current season only.  It's possible that the terms of the
proposed conservation easement would resolve Trail Wars.  Last weekend, the
Stowe Mountain Resort ski touring center had a pile of leaflets, probably
published by the Stowe Land Trust, encouraging skiers to vote YES on Article
6 to "Save Adams Camp."

The Stowe Land Trust plans to apply for a state grant and pursue private
fundraising for the balance of the $1.75 million.  The town contribution is
contingent on the attainment of the other funding.

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