Summit County Citizens Voice

A GoogleEarth view of the Frisco Peninsula shows the huge expanse of red, dead lodgepole pines.

Crown Point Road to be closed, campgrounds, trails remain open

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Major logging operations are set to begin on the Frisco Peninsula July 11 as the U.S. Forest Service clears out beetle-killed trees.

Campgrounds on the peninsula will stay open, but Crown Point Road (FSR #1008.1) will be closed to vehicle traffic. Hiking and mountain biking trails will not be closed but the public should expect to see heavy machinery felling and skidding trees across some trails.

Visitors to the area are asked to use caution while on the peninsula and to consider an alternative location for hiking or mountain biking. Most of the felling will be on the west side of the Peninsula. Signs will be posted for hikers and bikers to inform people of the tree-felling operations.

“This wildland-urban interface project has been designed to address threats to public safety from falling trees, reduce the threat from fire by reducing accumulated fuels and to improve forest health. The work is part of a Forest Stewardship contract awarded by the Forest Service.  This operation will be focused on removing the dead trees on the peninsula and adjacent to the Crown Point Road (FSR #1008.1).”

The Forest Service plans to have a large portion of the cutting completed by autumn. However, the Forest Service plans to clear another large area of beetle kill on the other side of the Peninsula early next year.

For more information, please contact the Dillon Ranger District, at 970-468-5400.

Filed under: biking, camping, Colorado, Environment, forest fires, Forest health, forests, Frisco, hiking, pine beetles and wildfires, recreation, Summit County Colorado, Summit County news Tagged: | Colorado, Dillon Ranger District, Forest health, Frisco, Frisco Peninsula, mountain biking, Summit County News, US Forest Service, White River National forest logging