Shamless, ugly, scare-tactic BS…I’m guilty. No, there is no imminent development threat to the Flatirons…but I wanted to get your attention and get you involved in the Boulder Climbing Community (BCC) and its latest effort!
You’ll recall the BCC as the upstart, grassroots organization devoted to solidifying our diverse community of climbers (think party, get-together, hang out, enjoy!), as well as identifying key issues for advocacy and volunteerism. The first BCC gig, hosted by Neptune Mountaineering, was a fun session and stay tuned for more in the future.
In the meantime, Mark Oveson is spearheading BCC’s efforts at representing climbers’ voices during the City of Boulder’s Community Collaborative Group process for the “West Trail Study Area”. Long story short, this is the city prioritizing improvements in the area west of Broadway, stretching from Linden to Eldo. Woh! Yeah, that’s quite a swath of outdoor space. Mark’s willing to make our voices heard during the process, so read his missive below, get in touch, speak your mind!
In the meantime, go huge and get some!
Greetings Boulder Climbing Community,
It was nice to see so many of you at Neptune’s earlier this month. For those who weren’t able to attend, please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Mark Oveson, and I am the climbers’ representative in the City of Boulder’s Community Collaborative Group process for the West Trail Study Area.
That’s a long-winded way of saying I’m your voice for maintaining our climbing access in the Flatirons and on Flagstaff Mountain. I’ve been climbing in the Flatirons for over 15 years, and I fiercely love this area. My goal is to maintain responsible access to our Boulder climbing paradise, for us and for the generations to come.
The goal of the CCG process is to determine which trails will stay and which will go, which will be improved and which will be rerouted, which to designate and which to close, in the entire West Trail Study Area. That includes all City-owned property west of Broadway between Linden and Eldorado Springs Drive. The CCG is made up of 15 representatives in total, 5 representing recreation interests (including climbing), 5 representing conservation and environmental interests, 3 representing neighborhood interests, 1 representing cultural and historical interests, and 1 ranger representing OSMP staff. Whatever the CCG agrees will be passed along as recommendations to the City.
Before I get into too much detail, you should take comfort in three things. First, thanks to some forward-thinking work by the Flatirons Climbing Council, historical climbing access will be preserved. The City has agreed that whatever crags and boulders had access before the process began will also have access after the process is completed. Second, recreation interests are broadly represented on the CCG. In addition to me, there are representatives for trail runners, dog owners, mountain bikers, and miscellaneous interests including hikers. So regardless of your activities on Open Space, you probably have someone watching your back. And third, at this point in the process, no final decisions have been made. So your input is still very much needed.
You should also know that there have been a number of proposals, some of which would significantly alter the trail system in the Flatirons. Change is coming. Now is the time to shape that change.
The CCG process began last fall and is scheduled to wrap up by the end of this year. We spent many months discussing procedure and learning about the Open Space resources generally, and we only recently started talking about specific proposals. Up to this point, the group has been focused mainly on areas of limited interest to climbers–primarily Mount Sanitas and Anemone Hill. But we are now tackling Flagstaff and areas west of the skyline (including the Sacred Cliffs area), and in the next few months we will be working through the Central and South areas, which between them include essentially all the crags and bouldering spots between Gregory Canyon and Eldo.
So I know you’re asking yourself right now: Why should I care, how can I help, and where do I go to learn more? Funny you should ask. I was just getting there.
Why you should care:
— This process will determine the trail system in the Flatirons and on Flagstaff, probably for the next 20+ years. Its outcome may determine how you get to your favorite crag.
— We hope to designate key areas of climbing potential for future bolting opportunities in the Flatirons. Getting designated access (or a promise to provide future designated access) could be the difference between your dream project becoming reality or remaining just a dream.
— If you’re like most climbers, you enjoy other activities on Boulder Open Space. Would you like to see a multi-use mountain bike trail from Chautauqua to the Eldo road? Do you hike with your dog on Open Space? Now would be the time to get informed and speak up.
How you can help:
— Talk to me. I want to know your concerns and hear your ideas about Open Space, climbing related and otherwise.
— Do you know of access trails that need some love? We’re climbers, so we often put up with some pretty bad trails to get where we’re going. But if you’ve seen a trail that’s badly eroded, or if you know of an area where a single, clear access route ought to be designated, please tell me about it.
— Help me figure out the best way to solve specific access issues. I’ll give you an example. The City hates the current access trail to the Terrain Boulders off the Mesa Trail. It’s too long and spends too much time in the meadow, off of designated trails. The City won’t eliminate access to the area, but they do want to move it. And of course, we’d like to keep things reasonably convenient for our busy bouldering population. What’s the best solution? The City has suggested climbers could hike to the Slab and come in from the north. Good idea, or bad? What’s workable, and what’s not?
— The City allows bolting in a few select areas in the Flatirons, but some great crags are off-limits. Have you seen the south face of Seal Rock? Or the west face of Overhang Rock? Tell me where you think there’s great potential, and maybe we can increase the chance of getting it designated for bolting in the future.
— Volunteer for trail and clean-up projects. There are many opportunities to help out. Flatirons Climbing Council organizes a trail work day each year in September and a Trash Bash on Flagstaff around the same time. I believe BCC will have similar activities. The City of Boulder loves this, and it makes a great impression when lots of us show up to help.
— Use your area wisely. Just the basics: clean up, don’t annoy other users, don’t mash the plants, don’t garden the crags, control your dog, obey raptor closures. The better we behave, the more the City likes us, and the more likely we are to retain our access and get what we want in the future.
How you can learn more:
West TSA website, with maps and more information than you’d be likely to believe:
CCG meeting information (public comment is welcome the first 10-15 minutes):
Do you live west of Broadway? You can read comments and give your own input as an open space neighbor here:
And of course, feel free to contact me directly:
Mark Oveson
303-880-6481
Enjoy your summer, and I hope to see you on the crags!
