Colorado

Access Fund work in Colorado

Co-facilitated inaugural meeting bringing together climbers from the greater Denver, Colorado area to begin discussions with Denver Mountain Parks to allow climbing in the upcoming General Management Plan revision. Currently rock climbing is prohibited at all Denver Mountain Parks. (2007)
Communications with the BLM Land Manager of Penitente Canyon, Colorado regarding management practices and how to mobilize the local population of climbers and those who travel to the area to take ownership of the stewardship needs of the area (2007)
Strategy-building with climber regarding approaching land owner and risk management for Little Owl Canyon in Southern Colorado. (2006)
Initial communications with various individuals and community-building around approaching Denver Mountain Parks in Colorado to allow climbing on their lands (2006)
Assisted the Flatirons Climbing Council in contacting local bouldering developers and identify bouldering areas within Boulder OSMP as part of an "official trail" proposal regarding the implementation of restrictions on off-trail travel (2006)
Strategize and advised local climber regarding the status of climbing on Manitou Springs, Colorado Watershed Area land and how to approach the landowner (2006)
Initial communications and facilitated transition to Regional Coordinator a recent closure by a private landowner of a popular climbing area in Clear Creek, Colorado (2006)
Support letter on behalf of Friends of Boulder Canyon and position paper regarding the Access Fund’s position on parameters of raptor closures in Boulder Canyon, Colorado and the inconsistency of closures from one USFS district to another. (2006)
Connected climbers with new Access Fund volunteer who is an expert on land-ownership research to identify ownership around and to Sphinx Rock in South Platte, Colorado and facilitated strategizing re approaching the private landowners to request access to the crag. (2006)
Communication with climbers and research regarding the potential acquisition/securing of a bouldering area in Southern Colorado. (2006)
Successfully partnered with Colorado Mountain Club’s efforts in support of Colorado HB 1049 which amended the state’s Recreational Area Use Statute to include abandoned mining structures as part of the protections afforded private property owners when they allow the public to access their property for recreation and to eliminate abandoned mines in the definition of "attractive nuisance." The passing of HB 1049 was a positive step in addressing access concerns on places like Mts. Lincoln, Bross, Democrat and North Star, and other 13ers’ and 14ers’ that contain technical rock climbing but require travel through private property to access the peak. (2006)
Developed initial strategies with the Project Manager of an urban climbing park in Boulder to incorporate low impact messaging and activities in the park’s development (2006)
Facilitated discussions between local climbing activist and park officials in Fort Collins concerning the creation of a trail system that would recognize climbing as a legitimate use of the land and minimize the impacts of use (2006)
On-going strategy-building with Front Range Regional Coordinator regarding a closure in Clear Creek, Colorado. (2006)
On-going communication and coordination with climbers regarding a private land closure at Sphinx Rock in South Platte, Colorado and facilitated strategizing re approaching the private landowners to request access to the crag. (2006)
Communications with representatives from Denver Mountain Parks in Colorado about its current ban on climbing on their lands. The DMP will be going through a reevaluation process of its management plans and has identified climbers and the Access Fund as a stakeholder to those discussions. (2006)
Work with the newly-formed Roaring Fork Climbers Coalition and communication with the Bureau of Land Management in Glenwood Springs, CO to advocate for continued climbing access to extensive new high-quality climbing developed at Thompson Creek west of Carbondale, CO. (2006)
Strategy-building with local developers in regards to working with the BLM, liability issues, fundraising, and creation of a legal entity to move forward with a new ice park in Lake City (2006)
Working with local climbers on the potential opening of new climbing resource in central part of the state (2005)
Provided organizational support to launch the Northern Colorado Climbers Coalition (2005)
Ongoing advocacy work and support for Friends of Boulder Canyon in challenging a questionable raptor closure in Boulder Canyon. (2005)
Ongoing support for local climbers in effort to preserve ice climbing opportunities in Boulder Canyon, CO. (2005)
Issued action alert and drafted administrative comments to Jefferson County Open Space Draft Climbing Management Guidelines. (2005)
Work with Boulder, Colorado group regarding starting up a new organization dedicated to access of high peaks (2005)
Worked with Northern Colorado Climbers Coalition regarding organizational concerns including prioritization of issues/projects (2005)
Worked with Boulder boulderer to organize clean-up and communicate with land managers (2005)
Work with climber regarding closed climbing area of Ocelet, and climbing in Denver Parks (2005)
Attended meeting with USFS officials and Friends of Boulder Canyon to discuss seasonal wildlife closure of Security Risk crag. (2005)
Issued an Action Alert; conducted an interview that was posted on frontrangebouldering.com; attended a climbers meeting; and drafted comments on the City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks Visitor Management Plan for the Flatirons, CO. (2004)
Working to open Bridalveil Falls and the Ames Ice Wall through easement agreements. (2004)
Delivered a presentation on public/private partnerships for an AMGA sponsored Land Manager Conference, held in Boulder on April 17-18. Officials from the USFS, NPS, BLM, and various State Parks attended the conference. (2004)
Met with the Forest Service and Division of Wildlife to discuss a questionable raptor closure in Boulder Canyon, CO. The closure is currently under review, and may be modified. (2004)
Finalized a plan to preserve ice climbing opportunities in Boulder Canyon, CO; arranged a meeting with a Boulder city councilman to discuss the plan; working with the city to gain approval for the plan. (2004)
Attended a public hearing and provided verbal comments to the Open Space Board of Trustees on the City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks Visitor Management Plan for the Flatirons. (2004)
Regional coordinator work: Colorado: working with Flatirons Climbing Council; providing input on Flatirons management plan; working to reopen Bridalveil Falls; reopened the Palace near Ft. Collins. (2004)
Provided guidance to climbers from: South Platte, Colorado regarding the opening of a new state park that will include climbing (2004)
Provided guidance to climbers from: Boulder, Colorado by attending a climbers meeting and a Board of Trustee Meeting and Open Forum and a City Council meeting on the City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks Visitor Management Plan for the Flatirons. (2004)
Climbing preservation grants awarded in 2004: Aspen Valley Land Trust, Colorado. The Aspen Valley Land Trust was awarded a grant to pay for an appraisal used to establish the conservation value of a critical open space property in the Crystal River Valley that includes an extremely popular ice-climbing feature called “the Drool”. The Drool is situated on a 35-acre privately owned parcel of land. Despite its location on private property, the Drool ice-climb is called a “mega-classic” by the local climbing guidebook is climbed frequently throughout the winter months. A conservation easement will be placed on the Drool Parcel, restricting all future development on the property while permitting public recreational access. (2004)
Boulder Canyon, CO. Working with local climbers and the city of Boulder to preserve ice climbing opportunities in Boulder Canyon. (2003)
Flatirons, CO. Working with local climbers and the City of Boulder to prevent arbitrary closures to climbing and bouldering areas in the Flatirons currently being considered in a new Visitor Plan. (2003)
Provided $13,500 in grants for trail and impact mitigation projects in four areas including Flatirons, CO (2003)
Human waste management projects received $11,500 to support toilet installation or maintenance in two areas including North Table Mountain, CO. (2003)
Provided a $2,500 grant to support the work of the Flatirons Climbing Council. The group is dedicated to preserving access in the Flatirons, CO. (2003)
Boulder Canyon, CO. Working with the city of Boulder to preserve ice climbing opportunities in Boulder Canyon. (2002)
Bridalveil Falls, CO. Working with local climbers to restore access to this historic ice climb. Access to the falls crosses private land owned by the Idarado Mining Company and is currently closed. (2002)
Flatirons, CO. Working to prevent unreasonable closures to climbing and bouldering areas in the Flatirons currently being developed under a management plan. (2002)
Lumpy Ridge, CO. Drafted comments and attended public meetings regarding a NPS plan that will relocate the Twin Owls & Gem Lake Trailheads which access the Lumpy Ridge area of Rocky Mountain National Park. (2002)
Provided $12,000 in grants for trail and impact mitigation projects in four areas including Flatirons, CO (2002)
Human waste management projects received $4,000 to support toilet installation or maintenance in three areas including North Table Mountain, CO (2002)

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Colorado

Access Fund work in Colorado