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http://www.summitdaily.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009910249987
Motorized use restricted in Golden Horseshoe
Plan for area south of Frisco nearing implementation
By Bob Berwyn
summit daily news,
SUMMIT COUNTY — Local officials are moving closer to implementing a management plan for the 8,842-acre Golden Horseshoe area, located between Frisco and Breckenridge around the Swan River.
One of the first tangible signs of that plan is a set of gateposts going in along Sally Barber Road, where the Town of Breckenridge and Summit County will enact restrictions on motorized use once negotiations about alternative access easements are complete.
Local residents noticed the work and contacted the Summit Daily to ask about potential closures.
The upcoming closures were decided more than two years ago during a lengthy series of discussions among various user groups, said assistant county attorney Dan Teodoru.
“The post holes are going in so we can act on this (plan) once the negotiations are finalized,” Teodoru said.
“We've been waiting on this for more than two years,” said Breckenridge town manager Tim Gagen, explaining that the talks with landowners regarding a non-motorized trail easement across private lands are nearly done.
Local planners have said it's important to remember that the Golden Horseshoe isn't an isolated geographical island. The area is closely linked to the Three Forks of the Swan, with existing motorized use, as well as the Colorado Trail corridor, and the planning must take those factors into consideration.
“Some of the key management issues the plan will address are which roads and trails will stay open to public use, how recreational uses will be managed and how natural and historic resources will be protected,” said Ken Waugh, recreation staff officer for the Dillon Ranger District.
High-value area
Protecting the Golden Horseshoe is a high priority in both the town and county's open space plans because of the extensive trail system, the mining heritage, its forested backdrop and natural resources and its proximity to residential areas in the Upper Blue.
The White River National Forest plan also designates part of the area as winter deer and elk range. Those portions need to be managed so the ungulates can effectively use the area. Both motorized and non-motorized use are allowed in that part of the Golden Horseshoe, but trail densities will probably need to be reduced to meet the forest plan's management guidelines.
A jumble of land ownership in the area has complicated the planning and implementation efforts. About 52 percent of the land in the area is part of the White River National Forest, while 42 percent is private and the rest is owned jointly by Breckenridge and Summit County.
Gagen said part of the talks is focused on how to ensure access for licensed vehicles authorized to access the area.
During the planning process, the user groups agreed to designate major portions of the area as non-motorized. If the current talks are completed soon, some of the areas could be closed off to snowmobile use as early as this winter, Teodoru said.
Before the management plan was adopted, use in the area was characterized as a free-for-all, “With little regard for other users and the land itself,” according to a report on the planning process prepared by a consultant.
All the participants in the process agreed that active management of the area was critical to preservation of its recreational, cultural and natural resource values.
Some of the issues that came up during planning included the question of whether the Golden Horseshoe should be developed and aggressively marketed as a mountain biking destination area for out-of-county visitors.
http://www.summitdaily.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009910249987
Motorized use restricted in Golden Horseshoe
Plan for area south of Frisco nearing implementation
By Bob Berwyn
summit daily news,
SUMMIT COUNTY — Local officials are moving closer to implementing a management plan for the 8,842-acre Golden Horseshoe area, located between Frisco and Breckenridge around the Swan River.
One of the first tangible signs of that plan is a set of gateposts going in along Sally Barber Road, where the Town of Breckenridge and Summit County will enact restrictions on motorized use once negotiations about alternative access easements are complete.
Local residents noticed the work and contacted the Summit Daily to ask about potential closures.
The upcoming closures were decided more than two years ago during a lengthy series of discussions among various user groups, said assistant county attorney Dan Teodoru.
“The post holes are going in so we can act on this (plan) once the negotiations are finalized,” Teodoru said.
“We've been waiting on this for more than two years,” said Breckenridge town manager Tim Gagen, explaining that the talks with landowners regarding a non-motorized trail easement across private lands are nearly done.
Local planners have said it's important to remember that the Golden Horseshoe isn't an isolated geographical island. The area is closely linked to the Three Forks of the Swan, with existing motorized use, as well as the Colorado Trail corridor, and the planning must take those factors into consideration.
“Some of the key management issues the plan will address are which roads and trails will stay open to public use, how recreational uses will be managed and how natural and historic resources will be protected,” said Ken Waugh, recreation staff officer for the Dillon Ranger District.
High-value area
Protecting the Golden Horseshoe is a high priority in both the town and county's open space plans because of the extensive trail system, the mining heritage, its forested backdrop and natural resources and its proximity to residential areas in the Upper Blue.
The White River National Forest plan also designates part of the area as winter deer and elk range. Those portions need to be managed so the ungulates can effectively use the area. Both motorized and non-motorized use are allowed in that part of the Golden Horseshoe, but trail densities will probably need to be reduced to meet the forest plan's management guidelines.
A jumble of land ownership in the area has complicated the planning and implementation efforts. About 52 percent of the land in the area is part of the White River National Forest, while 42 percent is private and the rest is owned jointly by Breckenridge and Summit County.
Gagen said part of the talks is focused on how to ensure access for licensed vehicles authorized to access the area.
During the planning process, the user groups agreed to designate major portions of the area as non-motorized. If the current talks are completed soon, some of the areas could be closed off to snowmobile use as early as this winter, Teodoru said.
Before the management plan was adopted, use in the area was characterized as a free-for-all, “With little regard for other users and the land itself,” according to a report on the planning process prepared by a consultant.
All the participants in the process agreed that active management of the area was critical to preservation of its recreational, cultural and natural resource values.
Some of the issues that came up during planning included the question of whether the Golden Horseshoe should be developed and aggressively marketed as a mountain biking destination area for out-of-county visitors.
