Summit County Citizens Voice

Impacts to neotropical migratory songbirds in Cucumber Gulch like this pine sisken are at issue in plans for a new trail in Breckenridge. PHOTO BY CHRISTY CARELLO.

Today’s site visit open to public; open space advisory group to scope alignment for new connector from Peaks Trail to town

By Bob Berwyn

SUMMIT COUNTY — It’s not every day that you have a municipal planning board go out for a site visit on mountain bikes, but that’s the plan in Breckenridge today, where the local open space advisory group will spend a couple of hours scoping a new alignment for a trail connecting the town with the popular Peaks Trail.

The site visit is open to the public and begins at 12 p.m. at town hall. Call open space planner Scott Reid for more details, (970) 453-3160 (Ext. 1155).

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Breckenridge: Preservation or recreation?

Breckenridge holds council meeting on gondola issues

Breckenridge: Ski area runoff affecting Cucumber Gulch

The new trail has already been approved and construction has started, with the town and Vail Resorts splitting the cost. A “ballpark” estimate for the cost of the 1.5 mile section is about $20,000, said open space planner Scott Reid, explaining that the trail includes two boardwalk sections to avoid impacts to wetlands and riparian zones.

“The health of Cucumber Gulch is the primary concern,” Reid said.

The town decided to build the new connector as part of the overall discussion about summer use in the town’s prized Cucumber Gulch wetlands preserve. For the first time this year, Breckenridge Ski Area is operating the BreckConnect Gondola in the summer. Before permitting the use, the town commissioned a wildlife impact study and worked with the resort to find ways to reduce human impacts in some of the most sensitive wildlife and wetland areas.

Summer gondola operations could increase downhill bike traffic from the resort to the town, so creating a new alternate route will help route some traffic away from the area.

Click here for an earlier story on the discussions on Gondola impacts.

Filed under: biodiversity, Breckenridge, Environment, Summit County Colorado Tagged: | Breckenridge mountain bike trails, Breckenridge news, Breckenridge open space advisory commission, Breckenridge Ski Area, Cucumber Gulch, Environment, mountain biking, Summit County News, wetlands