Steamboat Springs
Steamboat Springs boasts the second chapter of the Backcountry Snowsports Alliance. This group is working to resolve conflicts in the Steamboat Springs region. The Backcountry Snowsports Alliance has recently been awarded grants to implement a collaborative effort to resolve conflicts between competing forms of recreation and protecting natural resources on the Routt National Forest. The National Forest Foundation awarded $44,690 in matching funds and the City of Steamboat Springs awarded $9975 for this project. Last summer the Entelco Fund awarded $3,000 as seed money for this project. The proposed collaborative project is designed to address unmanaged recreation on the 1.1 million acre Routt National Forest. The first part will to use volunteers to help ensure a quality recreational experience on Rabbit Ears Pass and Buffalo Pass, areas just designated (summer 2005) by the US Forest Service to separate winter motorized and non-motorized use. http://www.backcountryalliance.org/work/steamboat/12-05_grant.php
Buffalo Pass
In June 2005 formally designated use areas were announced for Rabbit Ears and Buffalo Pass. Buffalo Pass is a prime winter backcountry use area boasting some of the highest snow levels in the state. In 2002 a small non-motorized use area was created with access from the Dry lake Parking lot. Buffalo Pass has seen increasing use from the hybrid users, and is a Steamboat PowderCat operating area. The new plan for Buffalo Pass features a Backcountry Use permit (free for this year), obtainable at the USFS offices and requires motorized traffic to stay on the roads and out of the non-motorized use areas. For more information on the new Winter Rec Rules go to: http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/mbr/news/2005/11/29.shtml
Rabbit Ears Pass
In June 2005 formally designated use areas were announced for Rabbit Ears Pass. The east side of Rabbit Ears Pass is for mixed use and allows motorized use, while human-powered users get a quiet untracked experience on the west side. The Friends of the Routt Backcountry (the Steamboat BSA chapter) have been working with the forest service for 8 years towards this goal.
North Routt
The Friends of the Routt Backcountry have identified areas on Hahn's Peak and other surrounding areas to be left quiet and untracked for the human-powered winter recreationist. Friends of the Routt Backcountry are currently working with State Parks, the Steamboat Lake SnowClub (CSA club), the Village of Hahn's Peak, Columbine area residents, and the outfitters and guides in the area in a North Routt Winter Travel Management Group.
The objectives of this project are to enhance the winter user experience in the Routt National Forest, mitigate conflicts, and help create a collaborative vision for winter recreational use in the northern part of the Routt National Forest.