Boulder Ranger District OHV meeting 8/19/04 take aways

[YJgirl]

The Boulder Ranger District OHV meeting had several new people in attendance, from the Sierra Club to OHV users.

Here are the highlights from the meeting:




The Trail Ridge Runners are currently working with the BRD to sign the Ironclads and Buck Gulch. The dates are to be determined.
Cat Luna and I are writing the Volunteer Service Agreement for the Rocky Mountain Off Highway Vehicle Patrol and we anticipate its completion and signing by mid September. If you are intersted in becoming an RMOHVP member please PM me.
The Boulder Ranger District (BRD) is still accepting comments on the Lefthand/Carnage OHV area and the process is still in the "identifying the issues" stage. "Creating the Alternatives" is expected to begin by mid September early October.
The Boulder Wagon Road is CLOSED to motorized vehicle access (and has been for quite a while). This is the road that goes between Yankee Doodle Lake (the top of Jenny Creek) and the Moffat Tunnel.
Cat and Ed are looking into whether or not certain single track trails forking off the Switzerland Trail near Sugarloaf were legally closed or if a group out of Nederland that alleges they are working with the BRD (which they are not) did it illegally.


Interesting take aways:

The Nature Conservancy is buying up all land for sale between Hwy 287 and I - 25 from Fort Collins to the WYO border. This land will only be accessible by those in their group and closed to the public.



There is an "Urban Front Country Initiative" (I believe that is what it's called) in the works for the Front Range forests. This initiative basically restricts the use of the forest. For example, no camping unless in a campground, no campfires outside of designated FS fire rings/pits, dogs are not allowed off leash, you cannot park on any FS land unless in a designated parking area, etc. This initiative includes all Front Range forests from Pike up to the WYO border. This is the first I've heard of this initiative, but apparently it was written about in the Denver Post, and there is a huge backing by some of the FS districts and other interested parties. I think this is something we need to definately have a voice on or there are going to be HUGE ramifcations further down the road if the initiative is implemented.

Val

[vb]

val,

i should have been more clear on the nature concervancy thing. under the rules of goco the area has to be "public" in the case of tnc what they have done with other "public" land that they hold in trust is to say that for the price of joining their org. the public can use the land.

i would like goco to know that land can be concerved from developement and still be used for differant forms of recreation.

if anyone wants to raise a stink contact great outdoors colorado or the larimer county commisioners

[Red_Chili]

The Boulder Wagon Road is CLOSED to motorized vehicle access (and has been for quite a while). This is the road that goes between Yankee Doodle Lake (the top of JennyCreek) and the Moffat Tunnel.
It was provisionally closed while the Needle's Eye tunnel was open, then never reopened when the tunnel partially collapsed. It goes between the top of Jenny Creek to the east, then doubles back gaining elevation until it reconnects with the railbed west of Needle's Eye Tunnel. It is certainly open-able (in fact, they are having a dickens of a time keeping it closed) and sustainable, but without maintenance and signing folks are using it and braiding the trail near the top.

Its held up by some legal issues with the county over road ownership, and therefore we can't use a critical connecting route over the divide due to bureaucratic red tape. So it continues to be impacted by illegal use.
Sometimes I just wanna.....:eek:

Oh, the Front Range Forests Initiative is by no means endorsed by most FS workers I have talked to, BTW. Unfunded mandate in the extreme! Overrestricts all kinds of usage too. No public comment yet to my knowledge, but when there is, lock-n-load.

[tom.keyes]

What was going on with Ironclads? I know the rock climbing comunity had found it about 9 years and has been a major contributor to who trashed the place big time.

The Neddles eye collapsed when a guy who was some sort of Fire mashall or something was showing off by climbing on the fencing that was bolted in the ceiling of the tunnel to keep rocks from falling. I think he was rewarded with a leg or foot that had to be cut off? I wish they would open that road again, but it is in Boulder county so I am not going to hold my breath over that one.

Thanks for the information.