For Immediate Release:
February 18, 2015
RFMBA issues Glenwood Springs Area – Concept Trails Plan.
Low Resolution Version, 2.1 mb:
Glenwood Springs Area Concept Trails Plan 8x11_2-2-2015
High Resolution Version, 22.1 mb:
Glenwood Springs Area Concept Trails Plan 2-2-2015
The Roaring Fork Mountain Bike Association, in collaboration with Two Rivers Trails and with support from the City of Glenwood Springs Parks & Recreation Department and the Glenwood Springs Conservation Trust Fund, engaged the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA)’s Trail Solutions to create a Concept Trails Plan focused on the future of the surrounding soft surface trail system. The Plan was created in part by using input received during a well attended public meeting at the Glenwood Springs Community Center last October, as well as feedback from an online survey of local (soft surface) trail users. The Concept Trails Plan, now available for public review at rfmba.org, will set the priorities for more detailed planning efforts and potential trail construction projects in the area over coming years. As many other communities have already experienced, the benefits of high quality trails include a healthier and more physically active local community, and an increase in the number of visitors and the length of their stay. The return on investment in community trail systems is a high value proposition that leads to a vibrant future for local citizens.
The Plan includes an overview map, three enlarged zone maps, and narratives describing the potential challenges and opportunities available for an improved area trail system. Focus zones indicate areas with significant potential for trail improvements and developments. Public lands within the study zone include parcels owned by the City of Glenwood Springs, and lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management and the White River National Forest. All concept trails represented in the Plan will require additional on-the-ground studies prior to land managers granting approval for new or improved trails. Each concept trail’s funding and construction can only proceed once those approvals are in hand. Initial detailed trail planning and trail improvement projects will focus on lands owned by the City of Glenwood Springs. Conceptual trails proposed on federal lands will require Environmental Assessment or other stringent approvals processes that will ensure proposed trails are an appropriate improvement or expansion of the existing recreation trail system.
The Glenwood Springs Area Concept Trails Plan is a visionary document illustrating what may be possible over the next 5, 10, and more years. The immediate focus for 2015 will be on improving the Jeanne Golay Trail, and undertaking detailed planning for the South Canyon area, both of these efforts are focused on city owned parcels of land.
Concepts in the trails plan include:
1. Improving the Jeanne Golay trail to provide a continuous high quality two-way travel, multi-use trail from trailhead to the Cross at the top of the property. It is recommended that trail grades be kept at around 5-7% to allow for multiple grade reversals, as well as calming measures for downhill users, to ensure the safety of all trail users.
2. Creation of a system of high quality recreation trails on city owned land in South Canyon, with potential for future expansion on to adjacent BLM lands.
3. Expanding the Wulfsohn Mountain Park singletrack trail system to include a beginner friendly loop adjacent to the Glenwood Springs Community Center.
4. Lookout Mountain Area can be greatly improved by addition of a sustainable, high quality trail with reasonable 6% average grades. The concept trail starts on City owned property near the water tower at the Doc Holiday trailhead, climbs up to Lookout Mountain, and continues on the ridge to the west, all the way to the start of the Forest Hollow trail. Utilizing City (phase 1), BLM (phase 2), and WRNF lands (phase 3) it may be possible to provide a stacked loop system of trails that includes the existing Forest Hollow and Boy Scout trails.
5. A conceptual gravity zone existing on both private and public lands could be accessed by private shuttles utilizing the Transfer Trail 4×4 road. By teaming with private and public land managers, a well-rounded, shuttle-able gravity area could be developed adjacent to downtown.
6. Support for the Glenwood Springs Bike Park, which as already been conceptualized at a location near the high school campus. This 6+ acre site is ideally located for easy access along the bike path, near downtown, and would provide an ideal environment for the next generation of riders to develop solid bike handling skills.
RFMBA & Two Rivers Trails encourage local trail users and local business owners to get involved in supporting efforts to study these trail concepts in greater detail. Together, let’s achieve approvals where appropriate, and turn these concepts into reality over the coming years!
Contact Information:
Roaring Fork Mountain Bike Association, a Chapter of IMBA
PO Box 2635, Aspen, CO 81612
rfmba.org
Mike Pritchard, RFMBA, Executive Director, 970-948-3486, mike.pritchard@imba.com
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