Tribal members who went to the San Francisco Peaks to pray were confronted by the manager of a ski resort, The Navajo Hopi-Observer reports.
The Save the Peaks Coalition went to the Snowbowl ski resort on opening day last Wednesday.
Klee Benally, who is Navajo, said he and others were told to leave by the general manager.
"I told the Snowbowl representative that this was my church, I would not leave my church because this is where I pray," Benally told the paper. As the group left the mountain, Benally said they were stopped and questioned by a U.S. Forest Service agent.
Snowbowl is located on public land within the Coconino National Forest. The Navajo Nation, the Hopi Tribe and other tribes in the Southwest are fighting a decision by the Forest Service to allow the ski resort to use reclaimed wastewater to make snow. A ruling is pending from the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Get the Story:Tribal members face harassment on sacred Peaks (The Navajo Hopi-Observer 1/30) Listen to Oral Arguments:
Navajo Nation v. Forest Service (September 14, 2006) Appeals Court Documents:
Opening Brief [Word DOC] | Reply Brief [Word DOC] Lower Court Decision:
Navajo Nation v. US Forest Service (January 11, 2006) Approval Documents:
Final Environmental Impact Statement for Arizona Snowbowl Facilities Improvement | Forest Service Approves Snowmaking at Arizona Snowbowl Relevant Links:
Save the Peaks Coalition - http://www.savethepeaks.org
Coconino National Forest - http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino/index.shtml Related Stories:
Southwest tribes to continue fight for sacred site (11/14)
Tribes hopeful after court hears sacred site case (09/19)
9th Circuit hears from tribes in sacred site case (9/15)
Tribes press sacred site case before 9th Circuit (9/14)
9th Circuit to hear sacred site case on Thursday (9/13)
Southwest tribes go to court for sacred site (9/6)
Navajo Nation appeals court ruling on snowmaking (02/28)
Tribal coalition to appeal ruling on sacred peaks (1/13)
Judge allows snowmaking in sacred Arizona peaks (1/12)
Babbitt under fire for role in sacred site case (12/12)
Navajo president testifies in sacred site trial (11/03)
Trial over snowmaking in sacred peaks begins (10/24)
Sacred Mountain Motorcycle Run this weekend (10/14)
Judge calls trial on snowmaking in sacred peaks (10/10)
U.S. argues against protecting sacred peaks in Arizona (10/7)
Hopi Chair: Ski area plan will destroy our culture (09/23)
Hopi Tribe joins lawsuit over snowmaking in peaks (07/08)
Bruce Babbitt fighting tribes on sacred site appeal (7/5)
Forest Service rejects tribal appeals on snowmaking (06/10)
Tribes await appeal on snowmaking plan (6/7)
Appeals filed to snowmaking plan in sacred peaks (04/26)
Navajo Nation considers appeal of snowmaking plan (03/15)
Editorial: Sacred peaks don't belong to tribes alone (3/14)
Tribes blast OK of snowmaking plan in sacred peaks (3/9)
Deadline nears on snowmaking in sacred peaks plan (04/09)
Hopi Tribe to protest against snowmaking plan (03/19)
Editorial: Ski area helped by snowmaking plan (02/20)
Navajo Nation not planning boycott for sacred site (2/20)
Coalition protests snowmaking in sacred peaks (2/18)
Tribes to fight snowmaking in sacred Ariz. peaks (02/03)
Forest Service delays report on ski area expansion (12/02)
Hopi Tribe opposing snowmaking in sacred peaks (11/20)
Ski area on sacred mountain expanding (10/15)
