|   help save Durango's Hermosa Creek Trail for MTBing | club
Oct 16, 2003 3:33 PM | | the US Forest Service, in its infinite wisdom, is toying with the idea of designating the Hermosa Creek drainage as wilderness area -- no bikes allowed. This would close not only the world famous Hermosa Creek Trail, but classic feeder trails like Dutch Creek, Little Elk, Pinkerton-Flagstaff, Elbert Creek, Clear Creek, etc. No more epic backcountry loops you can ride from Durango. No more point-to-point rides between Durango and Purgatory.
If you've ever ridden Hermosa Creek, and would like to be able to in the future; or if you never have ridden it, but have lusted to after reading about it -- it's in every trail guide to CO I've ever seen, and is one of the most famous trails anywhere in the U.S. -- then email this guy at the San Juans office of the USFS. Be polite, but let him know you're against the idea. Tell him what riding there means to you. Do it now, before they get the ball rolling on this thing, let's nip this totally bad idea in the bud. huhhuh huhhuh huh huh, he said Bud.
mstiles@fs.fed.us
address it to Mr. Stiles |
| re: help save Durango's Hermosa Creek Trail for MTBing | BobL
Oct 17, 2003 11:12 AM | | Will Do... never ridden it, but it's on my list.
One suggestion everyone might make is to ask for an alternative designation to Wilderness. One that would afford the same protection from resource extraction or development, yet allow mtb's. This could be important. I believe this happened somewhere else in CO... why not research that Club and let us know so we can include it as an example.
'Till then,
Happy Trails |
| thanks for the info | slowSSer
Oct 17, 2003 1:28 PM | | Hermosa is one of my faves, and I sent this to all those that have ever ridden hermosa with me, so, that's about 5 letters from my end. |
| Good News back from the Forest Service re: Hermosa | club
Oct 20, 2003 6:21 AM | | I just got an email back from the FS saying that, yes, while Hermosa does technically qualify size-wise as a roadless area eligible for Wilderness designation, that decision is up to Congress (uh oh) not the FS, and FS's recommendation would be to keep it open for recreational use. Recent press reports make it sound much more dire, apparently. Even better, the reply sounded like they weren't too keen on all the ATV and motorcycle use there so with luck maybe we'll get the best of all possible outcomes, continued access for pedalin' and finally, better late than never, a ban on motorized use. Now if they could just require big butt plugs for all the cattle that graze there...
if you want to thank the fs for their right-headed thinking and encourage them to keep it up, write to thurman wilson at: twilson02@fs.fed.us. He's the guy that replied to my email. |
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