Let it snow, Let it snow, let it snow...

Between cold temps and a fair bit of snow, the front range over used mountains are starting to get a seasonal rest. El Paso Search and Rescue were out, well...out is a misleading word. It seems they all came to sit in their vehicles and wait. Two 16 year olds were late getting back from hiking and SAR vehicles were all occupied sitting and waiting for the hikers to get themselves down to the road. Gotta love winter!!!

Paintball Shooting at Signs from Moving Pickup Truck

I just received a call from a concerned neighbor about a truckload of guys driving recklessly up Old Stage Road shooting paintball. Yes, shooting paint ball guns from a moving vehicle. What are these guys shooting at? Well, it seems that road signs and other vehicles are the main targets.

The neighbor was concerned about the reckless nature of their driving. I guess one of the other neighbors that runs a guest ranch in the area, had one of their guests run into by some other reckless drivers traveling too fast for steep icy conditions.

While this is all part of living in or next to the national forest, I admit it gets old. I was recently shown a Facebook group or network, that is for people who do stupid things while drunk on Gold Camp or Old Stage roads. Nice... I so need to see more news stories of good kids doing good things. I am sooooo tired of seeing stupid kids / young adults doing really stupid things.

I can't believe Thanksgiving is over!! Christmas time!!!

Thanksgiving is over, and the Thanksgiving Turkey and Ham are being devoured in sandwiches and soups. My favorite part of Thanksgiving is the leftovers...

Anyway, Tis the season to start thinking Christmas trees, Christmas lights, Christmas parades, and all things Christmas.

Here in the Pikes Peak National Forest, it means the Annual Christmas....err,,oops...Holiday Tree Sales again.

I am most familiar with The Pikes Peak ranger District's Holiday Tree sales which is just outside of Woodland Park. With full details at:
http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/psicc/pp/ppxmas/xmas.htm

For US Forest Service Holiday Tree sales elsewhere along the Colorado Front Range, see:
http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/recreation/christmas/index-front-range-areas.shtml

It is always fun to get the family together, get your kid's picture taken with Smokey Bear, and go cut your own Christmas tree in the forest.

Merry Christmas to All!!!

Colorado Springs Utilites: Watershed Access Considerations

I recently ran across a copy of the following letter by a guy I know and respect, Mark Swan, that I wanted to share here:

**Danger of wildfire precludes public access

As a crew boss on a local wildland fire crew, I have responded to wildland fires in the vicinity of the South Slope. Access to the South Slope takes about one-and-a-half to two hours on a good day. To put any significant firefighting resources on the South Slope to fight a major fire would take days. During the height of the fire season, a wildland fire has to be several thousand acres in size before national resources are committed. As we have seen from past fires such as the Hayman in 2002 and the Mato Vega in 2006, wildfires can become extremely intense, consuming several thousand acres in just a few hours.

The South Slope is particularly vulnerable to fire because of its location and topography. If we add the human element by allowing public access, the risk becomes unacceptable.

The Denver Water Board is having problems dealing with Hayman- Fire-generated silt in its Cheesman Reservoir ("Mud, ash sliding into Cheesman," Metro, Nov. 25). And this is five years after the fire was extinguished. This contamination of our water sources causes significant operational problems in water treatment and significantly increases treatment costs. Even with the added treatment processes, water quality suffers; it is still safe to drink, it just "tastes funny."

Critics of the Colorado Springs Utilities' plans for the South Slope point to other watersheds that are open to the public. Most, if not all, of these areas do not have the access problems nor the vulnerability to fire the South Slope has.

I enjoy hiking, backpacking, hunting and fishing in Colorado's wild spaces as much as anyone. But I also enjoy clean, uncontaminated, fresh water to drink.

Springs Utilities is taking the reasonable and prudent course in maintaining its policy regarding public access on the South Slope.

Mark Swan
Colorado Springs

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This was seen Tuesday afternoon at the bottom of Old Stage Road. Now all the neighbors agreed that it was a sign of trouble. Well...while it was a very built Jeep, it came back to the bus almost as clean as it left. There was no visible signs of mud play. The female passenger who didn't know mud play was not allowed admitted she encouraged the driver to leave the trail and play in the mud, but the driver told her no and explained that is what gets trail areas closed to motorized use. Well done!!! Thank you for being part of the solution and not part of the problem. It was noted that the Jeep did not have license plates on it, and it was explained that valid plates are required on Old Stage Road and Gold Camp Road, and either a plate or OHV sticker is required on the side roads.

I owe the Home Depot check out lady an apology.

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I recently got irritated when attempting to use the self check out at Home Depot. I scanned a few items and then scanned a can of orange spray paint that I used for a project at home. I could not see a valid reason to have an age requirement on spray paint. Well, welcome to the Pike National Forest, one of America's largest urban interfaces. Maybe the age limit needs to be set higher. Ok, lets go over this. It ain't pretty, it ain't artistic, it ain't funny or cute, IT IS WRONG AND STUPID. As I have said before, leave the paint at home. One more vote to limit public access to public lands.

Nissan Murano: Unknown Story

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This Nissan Murano was seen Saturday night, June 16th, 2007 on Old Stage Road. The front tires are freely hanging in the air, and the rear tires are over an inch off the ground also. The vehicle is totally perpendicular to road. Oops!!!

Must Be A Jeep Thing

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Dare I say...This MUST be a Jeep thing..cause I don't understand. Why would you four wheel where you aren't supposed to? This was taken during winter of 2006, "at the pond" on Gold Camp Road in the Pike National Forest. The US Forest Service rules do NOT specify seasonal conditions to stay out of the wetlands, it just says stay out period. This person then made the grave error of leaving it over night and letting it freeze in.