WHITE RIVER NATIONAL FOREST HAS BEGUN TRAVEL MANAGEMENT PLANNING - WINTER MOTORIZED TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS TO BE DETERMINED

BSA Alert

WHITE RIVER NATIONAL FOREST HAS BEGUN TRAVEL MANAGEMENT PLANNING - WINTER MOTORIZED TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS TO BE DETERMINED

YOUR INPUT CRITICALLY NEEDED BY OCTOBER 31

The Forest Service has begun the process of determining where winter motorized recreation will be allowed on the White River National Forest. It is absolutely critical that BSA members provide input.

The Problem. Motorized use is now common in many backcountry areas where it formerly did not exist or was very light. This is due to the increased number of snowmobilers and to the advent of more powerful machines. The net result is that human-powered winter recreationists have a difficult time finding areas and trails free from motorized use, and conflicts between motorized and non-motorized users are rapidly increasing. The Forest Service, while aware of these conflicts, has not taken many steps to resolve them. Except on Vail Pass, there are currently almost no restrictions on the use of motor vehicles outside of wilderness in winter on the WRNF.

Location. The White River National Forest (WRNF) covers approximately 2.2 million acres in north-central Colorado, including: Summit County, the area surrounding Aspen and west to McClure Pass, the Tennessee Pass area (including Camp Hale) north to Minturn, and most of the Flattops Wilderness and west to near Meeker. Most of the winter backcountry recreation undertaken by residents of Summit, Eagle, Pitkin, and Garfield Counties and the Front Range occurs on the WRNF. Area in white outline on map.

Areas where problems occur include, but are not limited to: the Montezuma area (including Webster Pass and upper Deer Creek), Vail Pass (including Searle Pass and northward near Janet's Cabin, the Commando Run, and the Black Lakes area), Pennsylvania Creek, Lower Keystone Gulch, and Spruce and Crystal Creeks (including the area near Francie's Cabin).

The Travel Management Planning Process. Recently, the WRNF completed the revision of its Forest Management Plan. This Plan determined what types of recreation would be allowed or emphasized in broad areas of the national forest. Now the Travel Management Plan will add the all-important details of what specific areas and routes are open to motorized recreation. In other words, this is our one significant opportunity to insist that the Forest Service sufficiently limit winter motorized recreation to allow quality non-motorized backcountry skiing and snowshoeing on the WRNF.

The Forest Service is taking comments now. Recommendations for management of specific areas and routes are encouraged. After evaluating public comment, an environmental impact statement will be prepared. A draft EIS with a proposed course of action (i. e., which areas and routes will be open to motorized use) will be published for public comment sometime in 2003.

WHAT YOU CAN DO. It is extremely important that we write large numbers of letters to the Forest Service, insisting on much more access to winter non-motorized recreation. So please share this alert with your fellow skiers, snowboarders, and snowshoers.

Write to: Dottie Bell
White River National Forest
P. O. Box 948
Glenwood Springs, CO 81602

It is best if your letter is postmarked by October 31. If that is impossible, send it in as soon thereafter as possible. Please send copies of your letters to the BSA: bsa@backcountryalliance.org or BSA, PO Box 3067, Eldorado Springs, CO 80025.

Suggestions for letters:

State that separation of winter motorized and non-motorized users on a significant portion of the WRNF is necessary and important for the latter to have a quality backcountry experience (free of the noise and smell of motor vehicles) and to ensure safety of all users.
Briefly describe your own skiing/snowshoeing experience in the WRNF, including: how long you have been doing it, how much you enjoy it, how much the quality of your experience is or would be marred by the presence (or increased presence) of motor vehicles.
Mention your favorite skiing/snowshoeing areas and routes, describing them in detail sufficient for someone unfamiliar with these areas to determine where they are. Include a map if possible.-this issue is very important!
Mention that separation of users is important in any or all of the following areas: Vail Pass, (including Commando Run, Searle Pass, and Black Lakes Area), the Montezuma Area (Wild Irishman, Hunki Dori, Webster Pass, and Deer Creek) must be non-motorized except for access to private land).

INCLUDE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS-this is very important.

REMEMBER: travel management planning is our one opportunity to improve winter non-motorized recreation on the WRNF. Please take advantage of this opportunity and ask your fellow non-motorized recreationists to do the same. For questions, contact us or Rocky Smith (303 839-5900) rocky@coloradowild.org.