[Cdt-l] Lujan to La Garita CDNST Relocation

[Bob Sartini]

I agree with every word. There is room for every body. Bikers, Paddlers,
and Hikers are natural allies, as well as horsemen.

On Tue, Dec 4, 2012 at 3:12 PM, Steven Camp <wingnut.hiker at gmail.com> wrote:

> As a lifelong resident of Colorado, I have to say that comparing the
> potential for this new piece of trail to get overused by bicyclists as in
> the Monarch Crest is extremely misleading.
>
> The Monarch Crest bike ride is a travesty and a environmental disaster.  It
> is a commercially supported downhill bike ride with 3800' feet of descent
> and of moderate difficulty. (A somewhat effortless downhill thrill ride.)
> It
> is easy to access, being within two hours driving time of 3 million people.
> A commercial shuttle operation takes cyclists to the top and they come
> screaming down, day after day.
>
> By contrast, the area where this 32 miles of trail is going to be built is
> very remote, much further away, and much less accessible.  The nearest
> towns
> are Saguache and Gunnison, which are tiny population centers.  The proposed
> new trail is not a downhill ride, but typical up and down trail terrain.
> There are numerous rides of the same caliber much closer to Denver.  There
> is really no reason whatsoever to think people would travel 450 miles or
> more for a day ride that can be found in one's backyard.
>
> It this is built it will be part of the Colorado Trail. CT people will
> build
> it. They will adopt it. They will maintain it. It has always been the norm
> for the CT and other trails in Colorado to be open to bicycles except in
> wilderness areas. There are probably fewer than 100 or so people who ride
> the CT end to end every year. That number is a realistic one for how much
> use this new trail might get. A hiker might see a bicycle or two in this
> area, but probably won't. The two times I have been through here I never
> saw
> a cyclist other than myself.
>
> As someone who has both thru-hiked, thru-biked and been on trail crews
> building and maintaining the CT, I can tell you emphatically that it is the
> best built, best maintained trail in Colorado. The road walk that this new
> trail will replace consists of some nasty jeep trails which are just as
> unpleasant to mountain bikers as they are to hikers.
>
>
> Yours for non motorized multi-use, and sharing...
>
> Camp
> (PCT 2005  CT 2007, 2009  GET 2008, CDT 2010)
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: cdt-l-bounces at backcountry.net [mailto:cdt-l-bounces at backcountry.net]
> On Behalf Of Jim Wolf
> Sent: Monday, December 03, 2012 8:38 PM
> To: cdt-l at backcountry.net
> Subject: [Cdt-l] Lujan to La Garita CDNST Relocation
>
> The Forest Service has proposed to relocate the CDT for 32 miles in
> southern
> Colorado -- from Lujan Creek to the La Garita Wilderness. (This is in the
> Cochetopa Hills, south of Monarch Pass.)
>
> The new alignment would be a nonroaded route close to the Continental
> Divide
> and off the roads that have been used to date. Under the preferred
> alternative, travel would be restricted to foot and equestrian use, and
> mountain biking would not be allowed.
>
> Although we have some concerns about water access and details of the
> location, we generally endorse the Forest Service's proposal.
>
> Mountain biking organizations are urging the Forest Service to open the
> trail to mechanized users. With the nearby example of the bike freeway
> between Monarch Pass and Marshall Pass in mind, we are urging the Forest
> Service to hold to its understanding that mountain biking in this unspoiled
> and scenic setting would not be consistent with the nature and purposes of
> the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail.
>
> We have submitted comments to the Forest Service.
>
> Our comments, with links to related information, have been posted in the
> What's New section of our website, www.cdtsociety.org .
>
> Please take a look at the materials we have posted. You can submit comments
> (address posted on our site) by December 17.
>
> We would appreciate your sending us your submissions or other thoughts on
> this matter.
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-- 
Everything is in Walking Distance
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