Results 1 to 13 of 13
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Posts
    2,036

    Illegal MTB trail shut down outside Aspen

    http://www.aspentimes.com/news/12296...mstrong-county

    Thoughts?

    Have played hockey with Al for a long time, not a bad bone in his body.

    They did not go through correct permitting process.

    They are correct that there is demand for a MTB route from ABC to Intercept lot, otherwise you are riding on Highway 82 through the dangerous shale bluffs area.

    Have not ridden trail myself. Sounds like its a goner.

    Discuss.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Snowmass
    Posts
    572
    Never road it, but it is a sensible place for a trail. Crazy they're estimating that planning and building it legitimately will cost $12MM?

    Al's a good dude, that's too bad.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    in your second home, doing heroin
    Posts
    14,690
    “I believe that there was a feeling that if the trail went that far, we would have to adopt it and we would have to get involved in a very expensive process to complete it, which we were not willing to do,” Armstrong said.
    Bummer. So often is that the case that this usually does happen.

    Between EIS reports that involve hydrologists, geologists, and anthropologists, a misunderstanding that IMBA and similar groups need to be involved, and the crappy trail building that often results from doing that, it really shouldn't be such a horror that people do this given the time and money involved with 'doing it right'. Too many hands in the soup these days for what's really just a strip in the woods of 'less deadfall on the ground'

    I'm glad his fines are in the single thousands and not more at least.
    Besides the comet that killed the dinosaurs nothing has destroyed a species faster than entitled white people.-ajp

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Carbondale
    Posts
    12,478
    The bigger number comes from a multi use path between the ABC and the intercept lot if I'm not mistaken, not a mtb trail. OS&T JUST bought the last parcel between to connect these two areas.
    I ride the section of highway past here almost weekly, it's not ideal, it's not horrible either, and I've been advocating for something here... just don't know what yet.
    www.dpsskis.com
    www.point6.com
    formerly an ambassador for a few others, but the ski industry is... interesting.
    Fukt: a very small amount of snow.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    50 miles E of Paradise
    Posts
    15,566
    $12 million for 1/2 mile of trail? Our group is building a PAVED 8 mile multiuse path through a combo of private and USFS land. Est cost is $2.2 mill - this doesn't include the EA but still...

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    in your second home, doing heroin
    Posts
    14,690
    Everything's more expensive in Aspen?
    Besides the comet that killed the dinosaurs nothing has destroyed a species faster than entitled white people.-ajp

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Carbondale
    Posts
    12,478
    Yes, but not that much more...

    The $12M likely comes from the 2 bridges to connect a multi use path between 2 points of a valley long trail that is paved, except through this portion.... It was looked at as a large context project connecting parts of the valley.

    I would disagree with Al a bit, in that his trail would not have solved the bigger issue of that connectivity...

    That issue goes back to crossing this entire area:
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	shale bluffs.jpg 
Views:	168 
Size:	63.5 KB 
ID:	156922
    www.dpsskis.com
    www.point6.com
    formerly an ambassador for a few others, but the ski industry is... interesting.
    Fukt: a very small amount of snow.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Land of Brine Shrimp and Magic Underwear
    Posts
    6,760
    Thank god these criminals were stopped and the damage they've done will be repaired.
    There's nothing better than sliding down snow, and flying through the air

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Boulder
    Posts
    6,044
    Quote Originally Posted by beaterdit View Post
    Thank god these criminals were stopped and the damage they've done will be repaired.
    The way I see it, he was saving them 12 million. They should pay him at least 6mil for what he's done so far.

  10. #10
    Finstah Guest
    Does the Rio G trail already connect the ABC to the Intercept Lot?

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Carbondale
    Posts
    12,478
    Quote Originally Posted by Finstah View Post
    Does the Rio G trail already connect the ABC to the Intercept Lot?
    Not directly. You'd have to take the Stein Trail to the Stein Bridge to the Rio Grande, past the intercept lot, up the Aspen/Mass trail back to the intercept lot.
    www.dpsskis.com
    www.point6.com
    formerly an ambassador for a few others, but the ski industry is... interesting.
    Fukt: a very small amount of snow.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Posts
    2,036
    Quote Originally Posted by Finstah View Post
    Does the Rio G trail already connect the ABC to the Intercept Lot?
    No. There would need to be 2 large spans erected over the Roaring Fork to make that a reality.

    IIRC The bridge from the ABC to Rio Grande just got shot down last year.

    GR, solid picture for reference. Thanks for digging into old PitCo pics to help out the conversation.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Aspen
    Posts
    9,421
    Quote Originally Posted by grskier View Post
    The bigger number comes from a multi use path between the ABC and the intercept lot if I'm not mistaken, not a mtb trail. OS&T JUST bought the last parcel between to connect these two areas.
    I ride the section of highway past here almost weekly, it's not ideal, it's not horrible either, and I've been advocating for something here... just don't know what yet.
    The road's fine until god forbid someone gets hit by a car or bus. IMO this link should be priority numero uno as far as trails go (followed by the Portal link, to get people off Red Mtn Rd) Who cares about paving that lame stretch of Rio Grande?

    Unfortunately, illegal trail building makes it even tougher to get support to build legal trails.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •