Outdoors: Forest Service adds ‘new’ trails in Summit County

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Bob Berwyn
Some of the "new" trails on national forest lands in Summit County lead to hidden coves along the shore of Dillon Reservoir.

Some of the “new” trails on national forest lands in Summit County lead to hidden coves along the shore of Dillon Reservoir.

Travel management plan update results in some user-created trails becoming an official part of the trail network

By Summit Voice

FRISCO — If you’ve never heard of the Hippo Trail or the Bodhi Trail, don’t feel too bad. Both are newly named trail segments in Summit County that have just recently been formally added to the national forest trail system managed by the U.S. Forest Service’s Dillon Ranger District.

Many of the user-created have been popular with locals for years, but now they’re officially on the map, said Ken Waugh, recreation staff officer for the district.

“Many of these have never been maintained and have not been on District maps,” Waugh said, adding that the Forest Service is making an outreach effort to let hikers and cyclists know about the new trails.

As part of that effort, the Dillon District is preparing Recreation Opportunity Guides for these new trails. The one-page sheets  have a map on one side and information about the trails on the other. When they’re done, they’ll be posted online at this White River National Forest website. Some of the guides are already posted at www.dillonrangerdistrict.com. The guides include directions to the trailhead, mileage, range in elevation, difficulty, and trail highlights. They’re also avaiable at the USFS visitor center in Silverthorne. (more…)

Filed under: biking, Colorado, Dillon, Dillon Ranger District, Dillon Reservoir, Frisco, hiking, recreation, Summit County Colorado, Summit County news, US Forest Service, White River National Forest | Tagged: , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Travel: Popular Grand Canyon trailhead gets a makeover

Posted on May 10, 2013 by Bob Berwyn

National Park Service touts expanded parking, better visitor service

The Bright Angel trailhead at the Grand Canyon has had a big makeover, with more parking and an expanded view area

The Bright Angel trailhead at the Grand Canyon has had a big makeover, with more parking and an expanded seating area.

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — One of the most storied trails in the country has seen a partial makeover, and the National Park Service will celebrate the new look of Grand Canyon National Park’s Bright Angel Trail with a May 18 ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The renovation encompasses a 3.5 acre area at and surrounding the Bright Angel Trailhead. The work focused on creating an accessible and comfortable area for visitors that complements existing historic buildings including the Bright Angel Lodge and Rim Cabins designed by Grand Canyon architect Mary E. J. Colter.

With little work on the trailhead in the past 100 years, the National Park Service said visitors were having a hard time finding the trailhead, and there was no convenient or comfortable place for people to sit to either enjoy the view or prepare for hikes.  The renovation will greatly improve conditions at and around the trailhead, providing a much better experience for park visitors. (more…)

Filed under: hiking, national parks, public lands, recreation, tourism, Travel | Tagged: , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

BLM ups fees along Upper Colorado River

Posted on April 16, 2013 by Bob Berwyn
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A small increase in day use fees will help maintain busy facilities along the Upper Colorado River between Pumphouse and Dotsero. Photo courtesy BLM.

Fees go toward facility improvements and seasonal rangers along the river

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Boaters, hikers and anglers will pay just a bit more to use Bureau of Land Management day use areas along the upper Colorado River between Pumphouse and Dotsero.

The daily fee is jumping from $3 to $5 and season passes are climbing from $15 to $20 in the first fee increase since 1998 for the popular area, used by about 60,000 people annually.

“All the fees collected in these areas stay here to provide services and improvements for the people using the area,” said Susan Cassel, acting Kremmling Field Manager. “In addition to helping fund our seasonal rangers, we’ve also made significant improvements to the launch sites, campgrounds and other facilities.” (more…)

Filed under: BLM, boating, camping, Colorado, fishing, hiking, public lands, recreation, rivers | Tagged: , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Travel: Exploring Denali

Posted on December 9, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Summer sojourn in the Alaska high country

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The Alaska Range from Denali State Park.

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Kim Fenske at Wonder Lake campground.

Story and photos by Kim Fenske

Denali National Park is the home of Mount McKinley, North America’s highest peak at 20,320 feet, named Denali or “The Great One” by the native Athabaskans. A thousand people each year attempt to reach the summit of this dominant promontory of southcentral Alaska. Most climbers fly by ski plane to a base camp at 7,200 feet on the face of the peak.  Roughly half of the climbers who spend two to three weeks attempting to reach the summit are able to achieve the goal. Since 1932, Denali has killed 120 climbers, primarily due to falls and avalanches. The annual search and rescue costs for the mountain are nearly $500,000.

During five days of backpacking around Denali National Park, I was exploring terrain beside the road that penetrates 92 miles of the park from the eastern entrance. On the first evening, I enjoyed all of the developed comforts of Riley Creek Campground. The Riley Creek Mercantile offers showers, laundry, electronic re-charging outlets, and wireless internet. After paying for a walk-in campsite, I enjoyed the evening in camp by dining on angel food pancakes, blueberry pie filling, and a pound of fresh cherries with a glass of wine. Then, the daily rain began to fall as I retreated into my tent for the evening.

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Riley Creek campground.

(more…)

Filed under: hiking, recreation, Travel | Tagged: , , , , | 1 Comment »

Lawsuit challenges Forest Service’s SoCal Adventure Pass

Posted on October 26, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Hikers claim adventure pass program is illegal under federal law and pursuant to an earlier court ruling

Public lands advocate continue their challenge to the Forest Service fee program with a lawsuit in Southern California. Bob Berwyn photo.

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Public land activists continue to try and chip away at various Forest Service fees, most recently with a lawsuit challenging the agency’s Southern California adventure pass.

In September, a similar lawsuit was filed challenging the agency’s practice of letting private companies that operate Forest Service campgrounds charge fees for adjacent day-use areas.

Four hikers have gone to court claiming the pass program is not authorized under federal laws that set strict limits on where and when fees can be charged for use of public lands. The adventure pass program requires forest visitors to display a pass on their vehicle when they park on the Angeles, Cleveland, Los Padres, and San Bernardino National Forests, even when they do not use any developed facilities.

In the civil suit filed Oct. 24, Alasdair Coyne and Richard Fragosa, both of Ojai, John Karevoll of Running Springs, and Peter Wiechers of Kernville are asking the Los Angeles District Court for relief from having to pay a fee just to go for a hike in many popular parts of the four forests. Read the lawsuit here. (more…)

Filed under: hiking, public lands, US Forest Service | Tagged: , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Missing hikers found in good condition in Glacier NP

Posted on October 16, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Heaven’s Peak in Glacier National Park. File photo courtesy National Park Service.

Three-day search ends successfully

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — After a three-day search, rescue crews located a pair of missing hikers in Glacier National Park Monday afternoon.

According to a press release from the National Park Service, Neal Peckens and Jason Hiser were reported as missing since Friday when they failed to board their return flight to the East Coast.

The men are reportedly in good condition with no injuries. They were flown out of the backcountry and met family members anxiously awaiting their return.

Peckens and Hiser were hiking on the east side of the park near Two Medicine. Park rangers started the search when family members reported them as missing.

Search and rescue crews encountered winter weather conditions and up to 18 inches of snow on trails, snow drifts, limited visibility and very windy conditions.

Organizations assisting Glacier National Park with the search include Flathead County Sheriff’s Office, Flathead Country Search and Rescue, North Valley Search and Rescue, Flathead Emergency Aviation Resources, and US Border Patrol.

Filed under: hiking, national parks, public lands, recreation, search and rescue | Tagged: , , , | 1 Comment »

Colorado: Snowmass Mountain, and our Lady of the Lake

Posted on October 8, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Kim Fenske explores one of Colorado’s most spectacular peaks

The comb of Snowmass Peak viewed from about halfway along the Snowmass Creek trail.

Story and photos by Kim Fenske

As I kneeled at the side of Snowmass Creek and filtered water into my bottle, a tall, slender woman, hair flowing like golden sunlight over her shoulders and reflecting in the blue pools of her glacial eyes, rose up from the water. She was the personification of Snowmass Lake, sparkling glacial water at the base of two miles of mountain that rise above to the spiked comb that forms the summit of Snowmass Mountain.

Snowmass Mountain reflected in Snowmass Lake.

(more…)

Filed under: Colorado, hiking, recreation, Travel | Tagged: , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Denali rangers continue to investigate fatal grizzly attack

Posted on August 30, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

The Tokat River, looking north toward the area where Richard White was killed by a grizzly. Photo by Kim Fenske.

Park Service confirms victim’s identity, find photos hiker took of the bear just before the attack

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Denali National Park has enacted an emergency closure in the area where a backcountry hiker was killed by a grizzly bear last week. The closure is indefinite, park officials said as they resumed their investigation into the first fatal mauling in the park’s history.

Most of the backcountry units that were closed as a result of the incident are now open. Unit 10, where the attack took place, will remain closed for the next few days for continued monitoring and investigation. The unit encompasses an area of almost 50 square miles.

Richard White, age 49 of San Diego, had been in the Denali backcountry for three nights when he was killed by the bear Aug. 24. He may have recently hiked in other areas of Alaska prior to coming to the park, but it is not known at this time if he had previous backcountry experience in Denali. (more…)

Filed under: hiking, national parks, public lands, recreation, wildlife | Tagged: , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Colorado: Arapahoe & Roosevelt NF to close 29,000 acres for hazard tree work after visitors ignore earlier restrictions

Posted on August 23, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Grand County hunters to affected by forest closures

A large chunk of the Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forest will be closed for several weeks in late summer and fall.

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — The U.S. Forest Service and local authorities in Grand County will be closing 29,000 acres of Arapahoe and Roosevelt National Forest lands for several weeks starting in early September to cut beetle-killed hazard trees from along roads and trails in the area. The closure is expected to run from Sept. 4 to Nov. 15, affecting hunters, hikers, cyclists and other forest visitors.

The widepsread restrictions are being implemented after locals and visitors ignored earlier closures for smaller projects in the area, forcing the Forest Service to shut down summer logging operations for safety reasons. In one of the areas hit hardest by pine beetles, the Forest Service wants to remove dead and dying trees from along more than 150 miles of  high-use, forest service roads and trails over a several year period.

Along with local community leaders, special interest groups and Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials, the agency decided a larger, more enforceable closure area was necessary, both for public safety and to complete the work efficiently.

Winter Park, Fraser and Grand County community leaders have re-affirmed their support for these projects and offered assistance in both law enforcement patrols and working with the public. Information will be posted at all the major entries to the closure areas as well as at the Winter Park Visitor’s Center, Fraser Visitor’s Center, Winter Park Resort and through local businesses and lodging companies. (more…)

Filed under: biking, Colorado, hiking, hunting, recreation, US Forest Service | Tagged: , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Summit County: Get your trail-building groove on

Posted on July 19, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Volunteers on a previous project work on a Golden Horseshoe Trail. Photo courtesy Chris Bales.

Volunteers wanted to help complete key trail connection in the Golden Horseshoe

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — After years of planning, the shovels and picks will hit the dirt this summer to build a key trail connection in the 9,000-acre Golden Horseshoe area, just outside Breckenridge.

On the weekend of Aug. 4 – 5, hundreds of volunteers, coordinated by Volunteers for Outdoors Colorado, will gather to refurbish the Galena Ditch, built more than 100 years ago to convey water to area mines. When finished, the new trail segment will give hikers and mountain bikers a connection between the popular Horseshoe Dredge Trailhead, the three forks of the Swan River and the Colorado Trail.

The effort is being coordinated by Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado in partnership with Breckenridge and Summit County and a few more volunteers are needed. (more…)

Filed under: biking, Colorado, hiking, recreation, Summit County Colorado | Tagged: , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

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