Forest Service Commits to Comprehensive Analysis on the Redstone to McClure Pass Trail in Final Decision Notice
June 28, 2024 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Francis Sanzaro, Communications Director, 315-415-7861, Wilderness Workshop, francis@wildernessworkshop.org;
CARBONDALE, CO – Today, the White River National Forest released their final Decision Notice on the Redstone to McClure Pass Trail Project, which was proposed by Pitkin County as a segment of the Carbondale to Crested Butte trail. The Forest Service decision authorizes the construction of a multi-use trail from Redstone to the top of McClure Pass.
Wilderness Workshop has been working for years to influence the larger Carbondale to Crested Butte trail to ensure minimal impact to wildlife and surrounding ecosystems. Throughout the Forest Service NEPA process for the trail between Redstone and McClure pass, the Carbondale-based conservation group consistently advocated for increased protections for wildlife and for a comprehensive and holistic analysis of the environmental impacts of the entire trail rather than just the 7-mile section between Redstone and McClure Pass.
During the formal objection process, negotiations between Wilderness Workshop and several other objectors with Pitkin County and the Forest Service resulted in meaningful changes to both the final Decision Notice released today as well as Pitkin County’s overall trail plan that the BOCC amended on July 26. The Forest Service’s final Decision Notice now includes a commitment to a comprehensive analysis of the entire trail should any future segment downstream of Redstone be proposed, as well as an expanded seasonal closure to protect wildlife and birds during the construction of the Redstone to McClure Pass Trail segment.
“The changes made by both the Forest Service and County will directly benefit the wildlife and ecology of the Crystal Valley,” said Will Roush, Executive Director of Wilderness Workshop. “These decisions ensure a comprehensive analysis of the environmental impacts of the entire trail will occur should any more portions of the trail be proposed for construction. This holistic approach is required to ensure recreation and wildlife can co-exist. I’m very grateful to the Forest Service and County for their willingness to make these changes.”
The Decision Notice today only affects the uppermost portion of Carbondale to Crested Butte trail. The decision does not authorize any trail downstream of Redstone.
The Forest Service decision follows a Pitkin Board of County Commissioners meeting this week in which two amendments were approved concerning their overall trail plan.
Like the Forest Service, the first BOCC-approved amendment committed to a comprehensive environmental analysis of the entire trail prior to construction or approval of any future trail segment. This move ensures the trail’s impact is not analyzed in a segment-by-segment fashion, an approach that would have failed to take into account the breadth of the landscapes and ecosystems along the trail’s entirety.
The second amendment approved by the BOCC removes the option of building the Avalanche trail segment on the east side of the Crystal River (see map 2.22; page 115 in the adopted plan). This means any future trail in this segment could only be built near the highway, where it would not impact the high-value habitat on the east side of the Crystal River. The Avalanche Creek area is of very high biological value, and thus removing the option of the trail at that point is the best outcome for the deer, elk, bear, turkeys, moose that call the place home.
Recent economic analysis shows the White River National Forest is the most visited National Forest in the country. Responsible and thorough recreational planning is essential to preserve the integrity of the lands in our valley. In 2023, Wilderness Workshop commissioned a study to explore the environmental impacts of outdoor recreation on public lands within our region (“The Ecological Consequences of Wildland Recreation”). The goal in commissioning the report was to gain insights into effective management strategies for avoiding, minimizing, and mitigating the impacts on the resources and values of public lands, including wildlife and their habitats. One of the key findings of the report was that land “managers should conduct landscape-level analysis to assess ecological disturbance and integrity.” The commitments secured from the Forest Service and County in this process are an important step in moving recreation planning and management in that direction.
Additional Resources
1) For the two amendments passed this week by the BOCC, see item #12: https://pitkincoco.portal.civicclerk.com/event/6340/overview
2) Forest Service trail project page: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=56913
3) Pitkin County project page: https://pitkincounty.com/DocumentCenter/View/17874/Carbondale-to-Crested-Butte-Trail-Plan—Final
Wilderness Workshop works across more than 4 million acres of public lands to ensure their ecological integrity. We have led efforts to designate more than half a million acres of Wilderness and hundreds of thousands of roadless areas in western Colorado. Learn more at www.WildernessWorkshop.org
