Trail Closures in western CO

[DaveInDenver]

Sounds like people are tearing things up, forcing the BLM to take action. Please, stay on signed routes and generally be good stewards for the land. It just take one (or a handful of) yahoos to ruin for the rest of us.

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News Release
Bureau of Land Management, Uncompahgre Field Office
2465 S. Townsend Ave., Montrose, CO 81401
Tel 970-240-5300 Fax 970-240-5376
www.blm.gov

Contact: Mel Lloyd, (970) 244-3097
Or Julie Stotler, (970) 240-5310

For Immediate Release on January 4, 2007

Temporary route closures implemented

MONTROSE, Colo. The Bureau of Land Management Uncompahgre Field Office
has implemented temporary route closures to motorized and mechanized
travel in various locations on BLM public lands near Montrose. Damage
to cultural sites, cutting of trees, movement of rock and soil, and
trampled vegetation have been documented on these unauthorized routes.

"The BLM has been entrusted by the public to protect their lands for the
enjoyment of current and future generations," Field Manager Barb Sharrow
said. "Monitoring is telling us that inappropriate off-route travel is
endangering both natural and cultural resources in several areas of the
Uncompahgre Field Office, leaving us no choice but to act."

The BLM coordinated with affected user groups prior to initiating these
temporary route closures, which will remain in effect until the BLM
completes a comprehensive Travel Management Plan for the areas. The
first phase of these planning efforts is slated to begin in early 2007.
Identified routes affected by these temporary closures are located north
of Highway 90 near Temple Park, both north and south of Rim Road west of
Montrose, and on Sims Mesa southwest of Montrose. Closures and
restrictions will be clearly signed.

Penalties can be severe to those who knowingly and willfully violate any
closure order. Maps of the closures are available for viewing at the
BLM Uncompahgre Field Office, located at 2505 S. Townsend Avenue in
Montrose. For additional information, contact Outdoor Recreation
Planner Julie Stotler at (970) 240-5310.

 

[bigreen505]

News like this really bothers me. I know it has been discussed many times before, but I really wonder if requiring license plates on ATVs and off road vehicles would make people think twice. It certainly would make it easier to report people who are doing things that they shouldn't be doing.

I check in on the Colorado4x4 board periodically and there are a lot of people on there who could one day be eligible for a Darwin award, so I can't say that this news release surprises me, but it is sad.

 

[DaveInDenver]

News like this really bothers me. I know it has been discussed many times before, but I really wonder if requiring license plates on ATVs and off road vehicles would make people think twice. It certainly would make it easier to report people who are doing things that they shouldn't be doing.

Interesting that you mention that, because ATVs are technically illegal to drive on FS and BLM roads that are not specifically designated as OHV trails. I am not familiar with the area of these closures, but I would expect them to be signed BLM routes that are probably not ATV legal. Being that as it may, it's also probably idiots who were driving perfectly legal street vehicles with plates that are doing the damage. It also sucks because the closure affect bikes too (I heard about from another rider), who I would really doubt are carrying chainsaws and stacking rocks. They may be riding off trail or stealing artifacts, but I'm pretty sure they're not the root of the problem.

 

[devinsixtyseven]

there's a pretty large thread on co4x4.org about this. it sounded ridiculous, someone was building new trails complete with winch points, moving rocks around, making a huge mess. it wasnt atv or mtb riders, it was truck/jeep/orv drivers. they were talking about criminal charges on the people who did it, but i dont know where they stand right now, i don't look at colorado4x4drama.org unless i have a real good reason .

but...this happened in response to irresponsible orv owners doing a hideous amount of intentional damage by way of constructing new trails through unspoiled wilderness that had plenty of access already. now theyre learning the hard way, and everyone loses. it's hard to cause trouble on foot, so it's restricted to foot travel now, and i bet the ruined areas are still closed, even to foot traffic.

btw nobody there had seen/heard anyone working on those trails, so it's hard to say that licensing would have changed anything...and it was large vehicles, not atvs/bikes, so while licensing those types of vehicles would add to enforcement, conservation, enforcement, repair, and enforcement budgets overall, it wouldn't have stopped or prevented the problem. personally i have a problem putting a big sticker on my butt that's only used by other people to get on my case, so to speak. i dont personally like the idea of being forced to do something (like wear a silly hat) that's only used to report on a small minority doing something else, when i'm not in the minority of troublemakers, i might not like silly hats, and the people making trouble will take off their hat anyway before they make trouble...so we all wind up looking silly and it doesn't solve the problem.

elsewhere on the forum, somebody mentioned education vs enforcement. unfortunately, as much as i dislike it, enforcement is necessary, but mandatory education at point of purchase might go a long way toward minimizing this kind of trouble. i hate to say it, but orvs dont come with a bad attitude, it's usually bad attitudes that go looking for orvs for the wrong reasons, and a p/o/p lecture series or something might minimize the attitude damage later on.

-sean

 

[oldcj5guy]

The mentality of a lot of the people on colorado4x4 definitely leaves a lot to be desired. Too many think that the trails are there just for them to do with as they want. Prime example would be carnage canyon close to Boulder.
Makes me wonder how much longer EJS will survive.