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Justin Patnode: Hidden Gems is taking away our livelihood

Justin Patnode
Dillon

Strongly disagree with allowing Williams Fork and Porcupine Gulch areas included as part of the Hidden Gems Wilderness proposal. These areas are not very popular and have no impact on the forest when only a handful of people visit them each summer. It’s already closed during the winter because of snow so we can only use it for five or six months during the summer.

I have used these areas annually for past 15 years for camping and hunting. It’s an amazing area, and the people who use it are good to it: I’ve never see a bit of trash on the road; campsites look clean and nice.

This type of terrain is what I came to Colorado for. If it’s taken away from us to use, then why did I move here? If you look at the Summit County area on the proposed Hidden Gems map, it looks like you are suffocating the people in Summit County by corralling them into smaller and smaller areas to play. This does not seem, fair because we take care of the area and we do not abuse it. I feel we are being punished for a good job.



Please consider removing Williams Fork and Porcupine Gulch from Hidden Gems.


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