Photo by Tim Drescher / Eagle Summit Wilderness Alliance
Summit and Eagle counties are fortunate to have lots of public land that we can enjoy and on which we can recreate. That is why we live here.
Most of these lands are in the White River National Forest. Some special areas of the national forest are designated and managed as wilderness areas, including the Eagles Nest, Ptarmigan Peak and Holy Cross wilderness areas.
So what are wilderness areas, how do they differ from the rest of the national forest, and why are they important?
Wilderness areas are federally owned lands designated by Congress in accordance with the 1964 Wilderness Act to be part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. Only Congress can designate a wilderness area. Eagles Nest was designated by Congress in 1976, Holy Cross in 1980 and Ptarmigan Peak in 1993. Wilderness areas are the creme de la creme of our public lands: 36% of Colorado land is federally owned but only 3% is designated as wilderness.
Daily file photo
Nobody was happy with the Berlaimont plan during a virtual meeting on Thursday, but that was to be expected not only because of the controversial nature of the proposal but also because the session was a formal objections hearing.
A staunch cadre of Berlaimont opponents lined up in front of their computer screens as the U.S. Forest Service reviewing officer for the project conducted the session.
The Berlaimont Estates proposal calls for dividing a 680-acre property located north of Interstate 70 in the Edwards area an in-holding surrounded by U.S. Forest Service property into 19 parcels of 35 acres or more. Parcels of that size are exempt from county zoning review but the developers must access the site through U.S. Forest Service land, which set off the federal review process.
Eagle Summit Wilderness Alliance Chairman Mike Browning shared details on planned program expansions for the alliance in a New Year’s Day email.
Although the pandemic forced the alliance to cancel last year’s volunteer wilderness ranger training program, Browning said the alliance will hold training this summer. He added that the alliance will enlist volunteer wilderness rangers to serve as overnight backcountry camp hosts to educate campers and explain backcountry camping rules and restrictions.
Browning said the alliance also will expand its Trailhead Host Program. The program will include volunteer hosts setting up a table at a trailhead of their choosing where they’ll meet, greet and educate hikers.