Category Archives: News

Exciting opportunities abound to get involved in planning and building trails.
Please read all the way down, and plan to participate in the process.
Remember, the world is run by those who show up!

Trail Work Project

BCHA and BATCO traditionally team up on trail projects around Boulder County.  Join us on Sunday, May 17 at Betasso Preserve.  All you need is sturdy shoes, clothing appropriate for the weather, and willingness to pitch in on whatever the project will be.  Lunch will be provided by BATCO.  Please contact Chris Morrison for information and to register, 303-499-2033 or chris-morrison@comcast.net

And now for some good news…

We just got approval for an interim trailhead parking area at Joder Ranch with access and designated space for horse trailers!

And,

Boulder County has received approval from the State Dam Engineer to build a safe trail bypass of the dam at Lagerman Reservoir!

And,

Boulder County has just received several grants to rebuild the trails at Pella Crossing!

And,

We were successful in getting OSMP to commit to building a multi-use trailhead parking area at the base of Chapman Drive, which will enable access to Flagstaff and Boulder Canyon Trail!

Do you ride, hike or run on Boulder County’s multi-use trails? Parks and Open Space is looking for volunteers to lead trail construction and maintenance projects. This opportunity allows you to meet and work with other trail users, gain leadership experience, and provide a worthwhile service to your community. Volunteers must be 18 years or older, attend a two-day trail crew leader training scheduled for late April, and commit to working a minimum of two trail projects between May and October.

For more information and an application, contact Fletcher Jacobs at fjacobs@bouldercounty.org or 303-678-6344.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is kicking off a public comment period to inform the development of the 2015 Strategic Plan. We want your help designing a strategic vision that will guide CPW’s efforts into the future. A public comment form is available now online (also in Spanish) and stakeholder workshops are being scheduled around the state. Your input is vitally important to this process.

We want to hear from you, especially between now and April 3, 2015 when the public comment period closes. Your input, combined with input from other stakeholders, the Commission, the public and staff, will inform the development of CPWs Draft 2015 Strategic Plan, which we will release in July 2015.

CPW’s strategic plan will set a vision for the future and define goals, priorities and strategies for managing Colorado’s state parks, wildlife and outdoor recreation resources. The strategic plan aims to improve CPW’s efficiency, responsiveness, and services by helping the agency focus on a strategic vision and capitalize on agency strengths and opportunities.

You are invited to attend one of the following stakeholder workshops where you will have a chance to share your thoughts on the future of Colorado’s state parks system, wildlife populations, and opportunities for outdoor recreation, education and stewardship. Additional meetings may be added to this schedule so please check the Strategic Planning website for updates.

The City of Boulder today announced that it will hold two community meetings to gather public input as part of a national search for its director of Open Space and Mountain Parks.

“A key priority in this search is to better understand what our community perceives to be the key issues facing Open Space and Mountain Parks, as well as the characteristics and competencies of the ideal director,” said City Manager Jane Brautigam. “Our vision is to find the most qualified director who represents this community’s values, understands the city’s open space program, and who can help us achieve a community vision for the future of this iconic program.”

CPS HR Consulting will conduct the search process and community meetings. CPS HR, founded in 1985, specializes in public sector executive searches. Members of the community are invited on Feb. 25 and 26 to participate in a facilitated conversation and small group discussion to inform the search criteria. The forums will be held:

Feb. 25 at the UCAR FL2 Auditorium, 3250 Mitchell Lane, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Feb. 26 at the West Boulder Senior Center, 909 Arapahoe Ave., from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Stuart Satow, executive recruiter with CPS HR, will attend the meetings to hear directly from the community and incorporate participant feedback into the search process. The position is expected to be advertised in early March with interviews scheduled later in 2015.

Director finalists will be invited to participate in:

Public presentations on Open Space and Mountain Parks issues

Public Meet and Greet with candidates

Panel interviews with city staff and representatives of the Open Space Board of Trustees

Finalists and presentation dates will be announced following selection of candidates.

FEBRUARY 11, 2015

National Forest Trail Bill Introduced

On February 10, 2015, Congresswomen Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) and Tim Walz (D-MN) re-introduced the National Forest Service Trail Stewardship Act of 2015 (H.R.845).  The bill would direct the Forest Service to take several actions to help address the current trail maintenance backlog that is adversely impacting all trail users on many national forests.  The bill was first introduced during the last Congress.  The American Horse Council, Backcountry Horsemen of America, and the Wilderness Society were significantly involved in the creation of this bill. A June 2013, study by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that the Forest Service has deferred trail maintenance needs that exceed half-billion dollars, and only one-quarter of the agency’s 158,000 miles of trails meets agency standards for maintenance. This maintenance backlog is causing access and safety issues for equestrians and all trail users on national forests. The National Forest Service Trail Stewardship Act would direct the Forest Service to develop a strategy to more effectively utilize volunteers and partners to assist in maintaining national forest trails.  It will also provide outfitters and guides the ability to perform trail maintenance activities in lieu of permit fees. Additionally, the bill would address a liability issue that has discouraged some national forests from utilizing volunteers and partner organizations to help perform trail maintenance and would direct the Forest Service to identify and prioritize specific areas with the greatest need for trail maintenance in the national forest system. In the current fiscal environment it is unlikely Congress will appropriate additional funds to directly address the trail maintenance backlog. This bill will help improve trail maintenance without the need for additional funding. The bill is supported by the AHC and many other recreation organizations. View Full Article on AHC Website

As part of the City of Boulder’s efforts to protect sensitive wildlife habitats, the Open Space and Mountain Parks Department (OSMP) will institute seasonal raptor closures on Sunday, Feb. 1.

These closures, which protect peregrine falcons, prairie falcons and golden eagles raising their young in nests located on OSMP, will be in effect from Feb. 1 to July 31. No designated trails will be closed as part of these protective measures.

The following areas will be closed starting Sunday:

• Lefthand Canyon Palisades at the intersection of Lefthand Canyon Drive and Olde Stage Road. The Buckingham picnic area remains open;
• Mount Sanitas Summit, accessible from the Mount Sanitas Trailhead a half mile west of Fourth Street and Forest Avenue. All designated trails in this area will remain open except those closed for the Sanitas Valley Trail repair project. A map of the closed trails is available at osmp.org.
• Third Flatiron, including the East and West Ironing Boards, Queen Anne’s Head and Jaws, and WC Pinnacle, accessible from Chautauqua Trailhead;
• Flagstaff Mountain, the north side of Flagstaff Mountain will be closed. The Boy Scout Trail will remain open;
• Skunk Canyon, including Ridges 2, 3 and 4, the Aechean Pronouncement, the Dreadnaught, the North Ridge and the entirety of Sacred Cliffs, accessible from NCAR Trailhead at the west end of Table Mesa Road;
• The Back Porch and The Box, accessible from the NCAR Trailhead at the west end of Table Mesa Road;
• Bear Creek Spire, accessible from the NCAR Trailhead at the west end of Table Mesa Road;
• Fern Canyon, accessible from the NCAR Trailhead at the west end of Table Mesa Road  The designated Fern Canyon Trail will remain open;
• Shadow Canyon and the Matron, accessible from the South Mesa Trailhead. The Maiden will remain open and accessible from the east; Shadow Canyon Trail will remain open.
• The Sphinx and The Wings, accessible from the NCAR Trailhead at the west end of Table Mesa Road;
• The entire Mickey Mouse wall, accessible from the Goshawk Ridge Trail.

The convergence of mountains and grasslands along Boulder’s mountain backdrop results in dramatic topographic changes that help to create a wide-range of ecosystems and high-quality habitats for a multitude of species. In fact, the cliffs that make up the Flatirons, and the rich food resources found there, make those iconic formations a regionally important area for nesting birds of prey.

OSMP relies heavily on the public to respect the closures, and the cooperation of visitors is greatly appreciated. OSMP raptor volunteers and staff will monitor the closure areas to determine if raptors are nesting. Closures may be lifted if monitoring indicates that raptors are not present or if nesting attempts fail. Trespassing into closed areas can result in a summons with penalties up to 90 days in jail and/or a $1,000 fine.

For detailed closure maps and additional information about OSMP’s efforts to protect wildlife habitats, go to osmp.org or call the department at 303-441-3440.

The City of Boulder’s Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) Department has temporarily closed numerous trails and trailheads because of muddy trail conditions. OSMP has closed the Marshall Mesa, Greenbelt Plateau and Flatirons Vista trailheads, along with access points in those areas. In addition, OSMP has closed the following trails:

Marshall Valley
Coal Seam
Marshall Mesa
Community Ditch
Cowdrey Draw
Greenbelt Plateau
High Plains
Flatirons Vista North
Flatirons Vista South
Prairie Vista
Doudy Draw
Springbrook Loop North and South
Goshawk Ridge
Fowler
Left Hand

The Doudy Draw Trailhead will remain open for vehicle parking. This will allow visitors to access the South Mesa Trailhead and trails that stretch north of Highway 170. However, all trails leading south out of the Doudy Draw Trailhead will be closed. OSMP will reopen closed trails and trailheads when conditions improve.

OSMP has enacted these temporary closures to prevent trail and vegetation damage along many of the city’s multi-use trails. OSMP asks visitors to remain on trail while traveling along the department’s open paths because traffic around muddy areas lead to the widening and braiding of trails, which can harm nearby plant life.

For more information about OSMP trails, go to osmp.org or call 303-441-3440.

It’s not over!

Last month more than 35 people spoke at the Open Space Board of Trustees (OSBT) meeting, with 29 speakers in favor of keeping trails open on the Joder Ranch, with parking. That is absolutely HUGE!!! Even more incredibly, the OSBT and City Council received more than 350 emails on this topic.

Congratulations and thanks! You guys have been doing great!

Alas, it’s still not over. The OSBT kicked the can into January… that’s now … and just today we learned that staff has kicked the can again, into February. After that comes the North Trail Study Area process, which they have promised will be completed in 2015.

So that means you will have several more opportunities to provide input, even if you have! Keep up the pressure, trail advocates!

We urge you to come to the next meeting of the Open Space Board of Trustees and speak under “Public Participation Items Not on the Agenda”:

Weds. January 14, 2015
Boulder City Council Chambers (Municipal Building)
Broadway & Canyon
6pm

It doesn’t have to be perfect, or eloquent, or creative. If you just want to say you support trails on Joder Ranch, that’s okay. Or you can just say that you support BATCO’s position, which is for a loop trail and trailer parking. Or you can elaborate on the history of the ranch and Bob & Eloise’s commitment to having it be open to horses and trails. But if you don’t say anything, they won’t know which side you’re on.

Be polite but firm. Do not — ever — put down any other user group.

If you can’t make it to the meeting, click here to send a personal email to the Boulder City Council and Open Space Board of Trustees. Please write a short paragraph about your interest in the ranch, the Joder family, trails in general and access to our public lands. Send your email ASAP to give the OSBT members time to read it thoughtfully before the meeting.

Every person who communicates is a “vote” for trails in Boulder.

For more information about this item, please contact us at info@bouldertrails.org

Please come to the next meeting of the Open Space Board of Trustees and speak in support of opening this wonderful property with more trails!

Wednesday December 10, 2014
Boulder City Council Chambers (Municipal Building)
Broadway & Canyon, 2nd Floor

The Boulder Area Trails Coalition (BATCO) supports a more equitable outcome for public access to the Joder Arabian Ranch than the proposal put forth by Staff at the November 12,2014, OSBT meeting. We were pleased to note that the Open Space Board of Trustees (OSBT) directed Staff to come back to them with more options for trails utilizing existing trails and parking facilities for discussion at the December 10 OSBT meeting.

We have the following observations and recommendations:

1) Joder Ranch should be reclassified as a Passive Recreation Area or a Natural Area; it should not have been designated a Habitat Conservation Area (HCA). This property has been a working ranch and an active equestrian center for more than 60 years. There are already more than eight miles of trails on it, with extensive infrastructure including several homes, barns, outbuildings, horse corrals, indoor and outdoor arenas, a cross-country jumping course, and a ropes/obstacle course. At its peak it was home to more than 90 horses, with a breeding operation, horse boarding, lessons, clinics, and more. The long-abandoned Boulder, Left Hand and Middle Park Railroad project dates to the 1880’s and includes a well-excavated railroad cut though the ridge near one of the homes. The Joder Ranch is not pristine wilderness! Its current HCA designation was inserted quietly in the acquisition package in 2013 by staff. Members of the OSBT have expressed concern that they were not aware of the clause and that there was no public process behind it. Staff’s desultory explanation was that it is an HCA because it is contiguous to another parcel that is an HCA. We fnd that explanation unsatisfactory.

2) Joder Ranch should be reopened to the public immediately, not postponed indefnitely as part of the North TSA. The explicit intent of the Joder family regarding the sale of several parcels to the City of Boulder OSMP and Boulder County Parks & Open Space was that the parcels would be used for trails, public access, and parking adequate for horse trailers (see attached memoranda; also please review the testimony of Dan Joder at the November12 meeting – his direction to you could not have been more clear that the family intends for there to be meaningful public access to his family’s ranch).

The Conservation easement specifcally allowed horses on the property and the fee acquisition should do the same. It has been more than 23 years since the frst parcels were acquired and we have been asking politely for the commitments made therein to be honored ever since then. Now is the time to do it! We do not accept the proposed tradeoff of opening a single trail across the property now in exchange for undergoing the full-blown process entailed by its inclusion in the North TSA, which could be several years away.

3) OSMP should develop and designate trails and supporting parking on the Joder Ranch immediately. The trail system should include the multi-use east-west trail proposed in the November 12, 2014 memo, which would allow mountain bikers to make an off-road short cut from Highway 36 to Left Hand Canyon Drive. However, pedestrians and equestrians would have no safe way of accessing that trail without crossing busy highways and, as a one-mile trail, it would be meaningless to them. Therefore, we support an additional trail on the Joder I acquisition, connecting around the southern boundary of the property to the Six Mile Fold acquisition, for pedestrians and equestrians only (the terrain along this alignment is unsuitable for mountain bike use). This would allow for a several mile loop trail for pedestrians and equestrians that would provide much more value. There should be a designated parking area either contiguous to the Six Mile Fold or on the disturbed site of the now demolished barns at the old ranch complex.

4) Joder Ranch should be considered the nexus of future trail planning west of Highway 36. There are signifcant existing trails south of Joder that should be used to connect with the old railroad grade south of the McGuckin warehouse complex as well as north on the Buckingham property to Heil Valley Ranch. The most important trail system across Joder should result in a regional north-south alignment and help us move in the direction of a multi-use foothills trail that connects Boulder and Lyons. We are willing to wait until the North TSA process to further discuss this potential.

5) Wildlife on the Joder Ranch will be suitably protected by the above plan. Joder Ranch has been home to various species of wildlife and plants, all of which lived compatibly with the myriad human activities described above for decades. The only species of concern that staff identifed at the November 12 meeting was a butterfly. There is no reason to think the butterfly would do anything but thrive with a few public trails.

Please click here to write an email to the Open Space Board of Trustees and the Boulder City Council supporting the BATCO recommendations by December 6 if possible, so the OSBT will be able to consider your thoughts before the meeting.  Thanks!

Here’s a map of the way our trail proposal would look:

October 16, 2014.  BATCO Board Member Chris Morrison receives a photo acknowledging our volunteer support on Boulder County Parks & Open Space trail projects. BATCO has received this recognition annually since 2008, the inception of the BCPOS Stewardship Program.