Colorado Trail Status, Closures, repairs, discussion.

So i heard last night that twin cone is now closed for good

Is this true!?!?

 

Scroll back five or six posts.

 

Yes... unless you own a cabin or 2 in the valley. Or know someone that does.

 

What's the point of doing the trail unless you can get to the top for the views. Foliage is nice up there and still some good camping options but besides the views up top, there are many options in the area.

 

https://sharetrails.org/alert/colorado-gmug-seeking-input-on-forest-plan-revisions/

 

in case anyone is wondering, the forest service is planning to close barbour forks and devil's canyon 12/15/17 for the season. just confirmed with the ranger

https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/arp/recreation/?cid=stelprdb5292500

 

Sent to me by the local club. I really don't know much about it but thought I would post it up in case somebody has some input...



Input needed on proposed Steamboat area trails and management.

Important Update!

The Mad Rabbit MTB Trails Proposal in Steamboat area needs your opposition!!!

1. Alternative B closes the Rabbit Ears pass area to summer motorized while constructing 79 miles of mountain bike only trail- Alternative A only provides 7 miles of multiple use on the Pass. There needs to be a lot more balance in any discussions on the future of Rabbit Ears .

2. Steamboat basin area needs a real trail plan for all users – This type of landscape level planning is required by section 219.6 of the new USFS planning rule

a. USFS has already committed to developing a master plan for the basin but there has been no movement on this project. This type of planning is critical to avoiding future conflict and providing the public with understanding of how all interests will be benefitting from expanded trails;

b. Just because there is a wish list from one user group does not create a master plan for the Steamboat area and outreach was terrible around both the use tax and planning efforts from the bike community;

c. Much of Mad Rabbit expansion is based out of roadside parking lots that USFS has already committed to closing and rehabilitating due to safety concerns with their usage in recent NEPA efforts. How are these basic safety issues to be addressed with massive expansion of usage of these lots?

d. Increased bike usage in the Steamboat Area has negatively impacted many other activities in the Rabbit Ears/Buff Pass area including winter usage reviving conflicts long ago settled. Measures must be put in place to mitigate conflicts from any proposal and tolerance of other uses on USFS lands is not a strong point of the Mad Rabbit Proposal.

3. How will these routes be maintained?

a. Motorized users have committed more than $100,000 per year in priority funding to the maintenance of this area for decades and been told that was insufficient for new trail despite numerous requests;

b. Maintenance requirements must be applied consistently across all user groups;

c. Steamboat lodging taxes (which may only last 10 years) have provided ZERO funding to date for USFS maintenance but this tax has been the basis for explosive trail expansion for a small number of visitors. This simply makes no sense and sets the stage for significant failures of trail expansions in the long term;

d. A lack of maintenance funding for all existing trails has already been identified as a priority for the forest service, but has generated no funding from Steamboat lodging tax revenue;

e. The City of Steamboat has expanded municipal trails for mountain biking in their park system but has received no funding from lodging tax to support these routes. This is a very troubling message about maintenance in the long term and will create significant competition for any future maintenance funding that might become available;

f. City of Steamboat also has significant trail projects benefitting much larger portions of the community that again are not being funded such as the Fish Creek Trail Underpass in the center of Steamboat again increasing competition for any funding;

g. Buffalo Pass Area has already developed more than 70 miles of routes and sustaining more than 150 miles of new route will place a significant burden on any funding source and this simply must be meaningfully addressed.

4. Mitigation of user conflicts must be addressed in the Proposal;

a. This is an area where there was minimal user conflicts previously. User conflicts have already expanded with expanded mtb usages on Emerald Mountain and Buffalo Pass and this project continues a troubling direction of management of the Steamboat Area.

5. Roadless area issues– the motorized community has fought for years to allow trails in Roadless Areas in a dispersed/low intensity manner however:

- Mad Rabbit is anything but low intensity or dispersed as it adds 79 miles of trails to these areas; and

- Even if this proposal is moved forward the intensity of trail development will preclude any expansion of usage in the area in the future which is a major reason that all uses must be addressed in a comprehensive planning effort.



Written Comments:

Hahn's Peak-Bears Ears Ranger District

Attn: Mad Rabbit Trails Project

925 Weiss Drive

Steamboat Springs, CO 80487

Electronic Comments:

comments-rm-medicine-bow-routt-hahns-peak-bears-ears@fs.fed.us

Please add “Mad Rabbit Trails Project” in the subject line

Comment Deadline

February 12, 2018



More Info:

https://usfs.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=1a609dea352d49e888d497423e8714ed

 

I need to read more into it, but the mountain bikes have by far the biggest sway up here.

FWIW, one thing that wasn't mentioned there is that a lot of these MTB trails already exist in the form of pirate trails, or 'user-created' as the FS likes to call them. The new trail made up on Buff pass last year was in large part a pirate trail that was improved by the FS.

Also, the newlestter on that site you linked has no mention of closing motorized roads on Rabbit Ears.

I'll read more into it after work today.

 

great info for upcoming closures

 

Bump for wheeling season.

 

Anyone been up to Chinn's or Lamond this year?

 

While it would pay to call and verify, the road status page still lists it as closed: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/arp/recreation/?cid=stelprdb5292500

 

heard over the weekend lomond was still snowed in and lake not accessible yet by vehicle

 

Thanks gents, I thought it might be a little early yet.

 

I saw as of last Sunday Chinn's was still snowed in a quarter mile from the lower lake. Supposedly not a ton, and if you've got a winch you could make it or work for a while with shovels. Not sure what it looks like now. Might be checking it out here soon.

 

Going to shoot for wheeler lake this weekend. Anyone know the snow level up there or been around there recently?

 

Nobody has posted anything to BushDucks yet

 

usually takes a while until you can make it up to the lake... there's usually some deep snow at the top of the hill climb that shuts people down for a while


2017 history
7/1/17 - Trail is open to the lake. A few small patches of snow remain on the trail, but are passable. It's a good idea to carry a shovel just in case.
6/15/17 - The trail was clear and open about 2 miles from the mine building. There is a lot of water coming down the trail from all the runoff. Towards the end there were a few snow patches that we made fresh tracks through and about a quarter mile from bowling ball hill there is a drift that is placked solid for maybe 200 yards and 4' deep. It's going to be awhile on that one. Bowling ball hill also looked packed with snow.
6/2/17 - Trail is not open all the way, open about half way to the base of the upper valley. Approximately 1.25 mi up from trail head. Snow was melting quickly but over 3' in spots Snow blocking trail, estimate potential access to top of valley 7/4 but doubtful will be open all the way to the lake by then.
5/13/17 - Trail is blocked by snow within 1/2mi of trailhead. Some drifts are quite deep; I'd estimate it'll be about a month before they are passable by vehicle. Continuous snow begins at treeline.


2016
7/15/16 - Open all the way. Fun as always.
6/18/16 - Trail not open all the way, blocked by several snow drifts. First drift we encountered 2.5 miles from wheeler lake over 8 feet deep. Hiked further up and found more snow drifts. Trail condition good, lots of water and mud around bases of major obstacles caused some grip issues. Can be accomplished with factory Jeep Rubicon, and some driving skill.

 

So it looks like we will be going right before the snow clears all the way. It feels like this year there was a lot less snow. So maybe we will get lucky and make it up. Fingers crossed.
I'll try to remember pictures!