mts democrat, lincoln, bross, cameron closed to public

[wookalar]

I hate people


Access Denied To Four Popular Fourteeners
Trails To Mount Democrat, Lincoln, Bross, Cameron Cross Private Land
POSTED: 8:16 am MDT July 1, 2005
ALMA, Colo. -- The U.S. Forest Service has stopped issuing permits to groups seeking access to four of Colorado's most popular fourteeners because the trails to the summits cross private land.The agency this week began distributing fliers warning hikers to keep off trails to Mount Democrat, Mount Lincoln, Mount Bross and Mount Cameron in Park County unless they have permission from landowners who acquired the land through old mining claims."The bottom line is there is no public access to those peaks," Sara Mayben, head of the Forest Service's South Park Ranger District told The Denver Post. "We can't stop the public from trespassing, but we will take steps to make it clear that they are."

Their proximity to Denver and their relatively low skill level have made the peaks among the most popular of the state's 54 mountains taller than 14,000 feet.Terri Gifford drove from Illinois to climb the four peaks in the Mosquito Range. She was surprised to learn they were off-limits."Are we not supposed to be up there?" Gifford asked as she rummaged for a map in her van parked by the Kite Lake trailhead. "It's in all the guidebooks."Access to at least two other fourteeners -- Culebra Peak in the Sangre de Cristos and Wilson Peak near Telluride -- is at issue because of the 1872 Mining Act, a Civil War-era law meant to develop the mineral wealth of the Western States, said T.J. Rapoport, executive director of the Fourteeners Initiative. The original claims were patented, meaning they were transferred to private ownership.Interest in the fourteeners has soared in recent years, with roughly half a million people climbing at least one each year.Maury Reiber, one of the private landowners in the four peaks area, said he's concerned he will face lawsuits if someone falls into one of the mine shafts that dot the slopes."We're trying to keep an open mind about different solutions, but these issues need to be addressed," Reiber said. "If we have to be hard-nosed and say, 'No one goes up there,' that's the way it's got to be."Local officials have joined together to form the Mosquito Range Heritage Initiative, which among other goals is seeking to work out access agreements with land owners."We have a compelling economic interest in seeing that these peaks remain open," said Richard Hamilton, a former county planner who works at the historic Hand Hotel.In an average year, hikers book more than 250 nights at the 11-room hotel, he said."I don't want the guy with a mining patent to face a huge lawsuit," Hamilton said. "But this is a huge taking of a public resource."

[LIP]

'Tis a sad state of affairs it is. It's our public national forest, we all pay for it, yet we can't access it. Don't get much more jacked than that!!!

[StroupSkier]

Sara Mayben, head of the Forest Service's South Park Ranger District told The Denver Post. "We can't stop the public from trespassing, but we will take steps to make it clear that they are."

Damn right you can't!

Fuckers.

[Littlejerry]

This is just plain crazy those are some of the more popular 14nrs in colorado. Having been there multiple times I am not sure how access is going to be blocked. There are multiple ways to approach these mountains. There are even roads that head up the mountains. Pretty sure you can almost drive to the top of Bross or is it Lincoln. I also thought Kite Lake was a National Forest campground.

I am pretty sure one could still “legally” access the Mountains from the Wheeler Lake side, (Montgomery reservoir) Democrates north face by Clinton and Traveler peaks. However the road up there requires some driving skill and a modified 4x4.

[Telenater]

Don't blame the Feds, don't blame the landowners. Blame the society that makes it likely that the private owners will get sued for other people's stupididty.

[summit]

are
you
freaking
kidding me?

[Idris]

Maybee it's time for a little of this. The laws concerning access to the wilderness in North America upset me. There is so much of it compared to overcrowded europe yet there is no freedom of access . In a civilized country to be prosecuted for tresspass you must have comitted willull damage to propery, not just walking across it. It wasn't always so but things have changed since the 30's

[el_jefe]

great.

now i get to pay taxes to pay the USFS to pay rangers to keep me off of national forest peaks just because some guy bought a bunch of empty mineshafts and is afraid of being sued.

just great.

[StroupSkier]

linky

9 News link

[shera]

Wow.........

[iskibc]

Meh. Probably the four most boring 14ers in the state, not to mention they don't hold any snow (except for Democrat's north face) worth skiing. I think the drive up Mt. Evans is more interesting than the climb up Lincoln or Bross. Just like Culebra, those peaks are just a large pile of rocks. Yeah, it's too bad for those who are into the ever popular 14er bagging scene, and the whole issue on forest service land access. Hopefully they work something out with the land owners and the forest service. If not, then let 'em have their big pile of rocks and mining shacks.

Since when did Cameron become an official 14er? Isn't it a hump in the ridge between Lincoln and Democrat?

[wookalar]

boring maybe compared to the stuff you knock out, and I mean that with all due respect, but they are a mind blower for n00bs or out of state guests...where else can you knock out 3 14ers (dem, lincoln, bross) in one day with fairly minimal effort and no necessary technical knowledge? Sh!t, where else can you crush 3 14ers in one day at all?


not everyone wants the toughest challenge out there...and it's not like the view from any of them is something terrible...hell, one of my favorite parts of those hikes is the mining shack you pass on the way up from the lake and the old mineshaft in the saddle between democrat and lincoln....I'm a sucker for mines....


besides...the point is...4 great mountains just got closed - at least officially - to public access...not if they're the toughest hike or the best ski out there...this alone should be cause for concern....

[iskibc]

boring maybe compared to the stuff you knock out, and I mean that with all due respect, but they are a mind blower for n00bs or out of state guests...where else can you knock out 3 14ers (dem, lincoln, bross) in one day with fairly minimal effort and no necessary technical knowledge? Sh!t, where else can you crush 3 14ers in one day at all?


not everyone wants the toughest challenge out there...and it's not like the view from any of them is something terrible...hell, one of my favorite parts of those hikes is the mining shack you pass on the way up from the lake and the old mineshaft in the saddle between democrat and lincoln....I'm a sucker for mines....


besides...the point is...4 great mountains just got closed - at least officially - to public access...not if they're the toughest hike or the best ski out there...this alone should be cause for concern....

I completely agree with your point and was not trying to talk down about anybody at all. I agree they are great peaks for someone looking to knock off their first 14er. Like I said in my first post, I hope the forest service and land owners come together and work out a deal to allow access again. It would be a shame for this to turn into a money-making scheme (ie. Culebra), so hopefully they decide not to go that route. Shutting down any access to wilderness areas sucks, and I am right there with you on the fight to keep those trails open.