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ALMA — After four years of cooperative efforts, the Mosquito Range Heritage Initiative (MRHI), Colorado Mountain Club, Colorado Fourteeners Initiative, private landowners, Town of Alma and the U.S. Forest Service-South Park District announce a conditional June 1 opening of the “14er” trail from Kite Lake to Mounts Lincoln and Democrat.
Based on trail work completed to-date, private land owners have agreed to a conditional summer 2009 access to Mounts Lincoln and Democrat. Only the approved access route from the Kite Lake trailhead is open. The agreement includes continued efforts to educate hikers about potential mountain dangers and the need to respect private property.
“This is a trial opening,” emphasizes Cara Doyle, MRHI Executive Director. “Continued future legal access to these two popular Park County peaks will hinge on hikers’ respect for private property and willingness to stay on the designated and signed trail. If people do not stay on this designated trail, we could lose this privilege.”
The lease between the Town of Alma and the private land owners can be retracted if hikers stray off the approved route or if private property is vandalized. It is important that hikers stay on the signed trail and keep away from all mining-related structures.
The process has been long and complicated to obtain safe, legal hiking access through the maze of private mining claims on these extremely popular peaks. Trail design, environmental assessments, and signage were completed in 2007, followed by 2008 trail construction by several of the access partnership groups. About 3,900 acres of the trail are leased from two private mining claim owners by the Town of Alma. Work will continue in 2009 to further sign and delineate the hiking route.
Based on trail work completed to-date, private land owners have agreed to a conditional summer 2009 access to Mounts Lincoln and Democrat. Only the approved access route from the Kite Lake trailhead is open. The agreement includes continued efforts to educate hikers about potential mountain dangers and the need to respect private property.
“This is a trial opening,” emphasizes Cara Doyle, MRHI Executive Director. “Continued future legal access to these two popular Park County peaks will hinge on hikers’ respect for private property and willingness to stay on the designated and signed trail. If people do not stay on this designated trail, we could lose this privilege.”
The lease between the Town of Alma and the private land owners can be retracted if hikers stray off the approved route or if private property is vandalized. It is important that hikers stay on the signed trail and keep away from all mining-related structures.
The process has been long and complicated to obtain safe, legal hiking access through the maze of private mining claims on these extremely popular peaks. Trail design, environmental assessments, and signage were completed in 2007, followed by 2008 trail construction by several of the access partnership groups. About 3,900 acres of the trail are leased from two private mining claim owners by the Town of Alma. Work will continue in 2009 to further sign and delineate the hiking route.
