July 23, 2004

Speak now for the backcountry,
or forever hold your peace!

Your comments are urgently needed.

To ensure a fair and environmentally sound Winter Recreation Management Plan for the busiest parts of the Routt National Forest. Please submit your original comment letter by August 30th.

The full draft environmental assessment document and area maps are available on CD at the Hahn's Peak-Bears Ears District office at 925 Weiss Dr. or online at http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/mbr/projects/rec/.

The following are general comments created by Friends of Routt Backcountry to help guide you in preparing your comments. You can also find more information from FORB at www.forb.info.

The Forest Service's preferred alternative, the one it is likely to choose to implement, is number ONE, which has the following problems:

  1. Boundaries are not defensible, as they are difficult to recognize and are hard to enforce, resulting in the same problems that we have experienced in the past.
  2. Wildlife is impacted by the large motorized area, and the designation violates wildlife current prescription 5.41, which protects wintering elk.
  3. Lynx, a threatened species remains unprotected in the Baker Peak-Muddy Pass area, even though the reconstruction of US 40 installed wildlife underpasses in this area.
  4. The motorized area impacts 67% of the study area and dominates a disproportionate area compared to non-motorized area.
  5. Many conflicts at Buffalo Pass area still exist: parking allocation is uncontrolled, use of Snowcat-maintained roads by snowmobiles and hybrid users is allowed, and the non-motorized area is extremely small compared to the motorized area. It would be nearly impossible to restrict snowmobiles to specific routes.
  6. Impacts to the winter environment by motorized use include vegetation compaction, lake and stream pollution, riparian (streamside) area damage, soil damage late in the season and municipal water degradation.
  7. Excluding snowmobiles from the Blue Sky West snowcat area does not result in exclusive right of use for snowcats since skiers, snowshoers and snowboarders would still be able to use this area.
  8. Conflict on North Walton Peak would not be eliminated because of the snowmobile access to the area via South Walton Peak. This area would also lead to access for the Sarvis Creek Wilderness area.
  9. Lower Priest Creek is not skier usable and should not be calculated in the acreage available to non-motorized users.

FORB supports the adoption of Alternative TWO for the following reasons:

  1. Boundaries are easily recognized by all users, and are most efficient to patrol.
  2. Wildlife habitat is the least impacted because of the reduced motorized area.
  3. Winter recreation is prohibited in the Baker Peak-Muddy Pass area in order to protect Lynx.
  4. Even though the motorized area is still much larger then non-motorized area (53% versus 67% in Alt-1) the increased non-motorized area in Alternative-2 ensures a quality non-motorized experience and does a better job in separating motorized and non-motorized users.
  5. The Buffalo Pass boundaries are easier to enforce and non-motorized users will have a better experience in a separate area. It should follow the winter wildlife limited non-motorized restrictions currently in place.
  6. The reduction in motorized area reduces impacts on: soil, vegetation, riparian areas, subnivean (under snow) environment for wildlife, water and air quality, noise, wildlife habitat and municipal watershed.
  7. Reduction in user conflicts areas increases the safety of all users dramatically. 8-Limits motorized access to Wilderness areas and the Ski Resort.

Suggested improvements of alternative TWO:

  1. Designate the entire area north of the Buffalo Pass road non-motorized. Allowing snowmobiles on routes designated each year would be impossible to enforce and would thus not allow improvement of the poor quality winter recreation experienced there now. This is very important.
  2. Parking control or allocation of parking for different user groups should be established.

WRITE YOUR COMMENTS AND SEND THEM BY AUGUST 30th, 2004 to:

Attention: Winter Recreation Management
Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests
Hahn's Peak/Bears Ears Ranger District
925 Weiss Drive
Steamboat Springs, Colorado 80487

Please be sure to include the following information with your comments:

  • Legible name and address
  • Title of the proposed action (Winter Recreation Management)
  • Specific substantive comments on the proposed action, along with supporting reasons that The Forest Supervisor should consider reaching in a decision.
  • Signiture or other verification of identity.