- Location
- Sandy, Ut
Letter writing party here in SLC like we did for the Utah RMP's? We can provide the talking points for 'meaningful letters' per the BLM and bet U4 has enough money for stamps 
Colorado-BLM seeks comments on Grand Junction draft RMP
- Thread starter Herzog
- Start date
sixstringsteve
Well-Known Member
- Location
- UT
Letter writing party here in SLC like we did for the Utah RMP's? We can provide the talking points for 'meaningful letters' per the BLM and bet U4 has enough money for stamps
IN.
- Location
- Riverton, UT
U4 would love to help with this, right Sarge!!!Letter writing party here in SLC like we did for the Utah RMP's? We can provide the talking points for 'meaningful letters' per the BLM and bet U4 has enough money for stamps
Badbuggy
rock star
- Location
- Fruita, Co
I just got back from the public meeting in Gateway. One of the best so far. I think I may be close to finding a way to save 21 road to year round access. I have to check on a couple more things, but I will have my first comment to give to you guys Thursday after the Fruita Meeting.
What I am finding is there are roads we can save, and roads we can't. It all will boil down to how well we write the comments. Even the number of comments is not as important as the quality.
I can not stress enough that the comments must be well written. Just writing," Don't close the roads" or "I like alternative A" is a waste of time, as those comments will be thrown out.
Explain what zone, and road you are addressing. Explain why you want that road to remain open. Include what makes that road special and necessary. What is unique about the road, Why is it a road you would like to see open.
You can also make comments about Recreation Managment Areas, and why we need more of them. These comments are not about specific roads, as much as they are about Areas that offer a better recreation experience. Bangs Canyon, where Billings Jeep Trail is in a Special Recreation Management Area, (SRMA). These areas focus on recreation, and put recreation above everything else that happens on Public land. But realize the recreation may be bicycles, or hiking. If you write on RMAs, read up on them first.
What I am finding is there are roads we can save, and roads we can't. It all will boil down to how well we write the comments. Even the number of comments is not as important as the quality.
I can not stress enough that the comments must be well written. Just writing," Don't close the roads" or "I like alternative A" is a waste of time, as those comments will be thrown out.
Explain what zone, and road you are addressing. Explain why you want that road to remain open. Include what makes that road special and necessary. What is unique about the road, Why is it a road you would like to see open.
You can also make comments about Recreation Managment Areas, and why we need more of them. These comments are not about specific roads, as much as they are about Areas that offer a better recreation experience. Bangs Canyon, where Billings Jeep Trail is in a Special Recreation Management Area, (SRMA). These areas focus on recreation, and put recreation above everything else that happens on Public land. But realize the recreation may be bicycles, or hiking. If you write on RMAs, read up on them first.
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
Excellent info Jeff, good to hear about 21 Road! Hopefully we can pull it off. I'll see you tomorrow night.
Badbuggy
rock star
- Location
- Fruita, Co
I am going to try to write something here from now until the comment period ends, June 24th.
The idea is to help you write comments for the GJ RMP. Currently the BLM has a preferred alternative which closes down 2/3rds of the current roads and trails that access the area of public land around Grand Junction, Colorado
What you read here is not meant to be copied word for word. It is meant to educate you, so you can convert the education into a comment that will be read, and counted. The address to comment electronically is:
gjfo_rmp@blm.gov
The first comment is a road called Coon Hollow. In alternative B the historic Jeep Road is changed to an ATV route. Every old map I looked at, labeled the road as a “Jeep Trail” Although in some of the alternatives, the road is marked as closed, let’s assume it will be left open in some manner. I have talked to the ATV Club, and they did not push for the ATV route status, and really don’t care if they share that trail with full size rigs. It seems that the BLM, in an attempt to satisfy some other user group, changed the use to ATV, for no real reason. Coon Hollow Road starts behind Debeque, and works its’ way up and up until it opens to a view that you will remember for the rest of your life. The people with the opposite view, seek Wilderness Characteristics status in the area around the road, and want to see the road closed. We of course want to see the road left open, and put up for adoption by the Grand Mesa Jeep Club. The road needs a little work, but it is primitive, and should stay that way. The current use for the route, is recreation, exploration, and hunting. I would expect less than 200 vehicles a year to travel the route, as it is snowed shut from late December until May.
Your comment might mention the recreational value of an historic jeep trail, and the challenge of driving a primitive road. The main thing, is to comment on leaving the route open to full size 4x4s, and everything else. We have the support of the city of Debeque in leaving the road as it is now.
The BLM should give serious consideration to changing the 2013 RMP management of the entire length of the Coon Hollow road/trail as an Open, “Primitive” road/trail, with ALL Motorized vehicular use being the “Primary” recreational use under the designation of Special Recreation Management Area (SRMA)
The idea is to help you write comments for the GJ RMP. Currently the BLM has a preferred alternative which closes down 2/3rds of the current roads and trails that access the area of public land around Grand Junction, Colorado
What you read here is not meant to be copied word for word. It is meant to educate you, so you can convert the education into a comment that will be read, and counted. The address to comment electronically is:
gjfo_rmp@blm.gov
The first comment is a road called Coon Hollow. In alternative B the historic Jeep Road is changed to an ATV route. Every old map I looked at, labeled the road as a “Jeep Trail” Although in some of the alternatives, the road is marked as closed, let’s assume it will be left open in some manner. I have talked to the ATV Club, and they did not push for the ATV route status, and really don’t care if they share that trail with full size rigs. It seems that the BLM, in an attempt to satisfy some other user group, changed the use to ATV, for no real reason. Coon Hollow Road starts behind Debeque, and works its’ way up and up until it opens to a view that you will remember for the rest of your life. The people with the opposite view, seek Wilderness Characteristics status in the area around the road, and want to see the road closed. We of course want to see the road left open, and put up for adoption by the Grand Mesa Jeep Club. The road needs a little work, but it is primitive, and should stay that way. The current use for the route, is recreation, exploration, and hunting. I would expect less than 200 vehicles a year to travel the route, as it is snowed shut from late December until May.
Your comment might mention the recreational value of an historic jeep trail, and the challenge of driving a primitive road. The main thing, is to comment on leaving the route open to full size 4x4s, and everything else. We have the support of the city of Debeque in leaving the road as it is now.
The BLM should give serious consideration to changing the 2013 RMP management of the entire length of the Coon Hollow road/trail as an Open, “Primitive” road/trail, with ALL Motorized vehicular use being the “Primary” recreational use under the designation of Special Recreation Management Area (SRMA)
Badbuggy
rock star
- Location
- Fruita, Co
The second comment is simply about the process that got us here.
The BLM should reconsider the value of a route. In the current RMP, routes were marked as closed in alternative B because there may have been two routes going to the same place. Or routes may have been marked as closed because they were dead end routes. Although the BLM recognized the value of a route which dead ended at scenic overlook, they failed to see the value of routes which merely went through the back country, and gave people places to explore. Nearly all of the routes offer some sort of recreational value, or people would no longer use them. Many dead end routes offer a camping spot along the way, or at the end. Many small spur routes were left off the inventory, and will be closed simply because the BLM refused to add acknowledge them.
When exploring the back country, a dead end route offers two chances to enjoy the drive. One going in, and one coming back out, all on the same road. The same argument can be made for routes that go to the same place. Many of these routes, are far enough apart that the scenery is different, and the driving experience may also be completely different. One may offer more of a challenge, or demand on your vehicle.
Another comment would be about routes that have been changed from full size 4x4 routes, to ATV routes. The local ATV club did not back these decisions, and does not agree with these changes. Very few reasons have been given for making these changes, and most of the opinions given by the BLM offer no scientific backing to show any difference in environmental damage done by either vehicle. It is more like the BLM somehow thinks a good compromise in making a decision to either leave a route open, or to close it, is to just restrict the type of use the trail gets. Currently, the bulk of the trails that are open to full size 4x4s are also open to ATVs. Taking the two track routes away from one user group, and giving them to another, only appears to make the BLM support the sales of ATVs.
These two factors effect hundreds of miles of trails, slated to be closed under alternative B
The BLM should reconsider the value of a route. In the current RMP, routes were marked as closed in alternative B because there may have been two routes going to the same place. Or routes may have been marked as closed because they were dead end routes. Although the BLM recognized the value of a route which dead ended at scenic overlook, they failed to see the value of routes which merely went through the back country, and gave people places to explore. Nearly all of the routes offer some sort of recreational value, or people would no longer use them. Many dead end routes offer a camping spot along the way, or at the end. Many small spur routes were left off the inventory, and will be closed simply because the BLM refused to add acknowledge them.
When exploring the back country, a dead end route offers two chances to enjoy the drive. One going in, and one coming back out, all on the same road. The same argument can be made for routes that go to the same place. Many of these routes, are far enough apart that the scenery is different, and the driving experience may also be completely different. One may offer more of a challenge, or demand on your vehicle.
Another comment would be about routes that have been changed from full size 4x4 routes, to ATV routes. The local ATV club did not back these decisions, and does not agree with these changes. Very few reasons have been given for making these changes, and most of the opinions given by the BLM offer no scientific backing to show any difference in environmental damage done by either vehicle. It is more like the BLM somehow thinks a good compromise in making a decision to either leave a route open, or to close it, is to just restrict the type of use the trail gets. Currently, the bulk of the trails that are open to full size 4x4s are also open to ATVs. Taking the two track routes away from one user group, and giving them to another, only appears to make the BLM support the sales of ATVs.
These two factors effect hundreds of miles of trails, slated to be closed under alternative B