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I received the following email this morning from C.O.M.B.A. – The Colorado Mountain Bike Association…We can’t let this happen in Colorado…If the proposed changes happen it could set the precedent for other trails to be hacked to pieces and restricted from mountain bikers!
PLEASE READ…PLEASE ACT!!
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You’ll recall that back in May Jefferson County Open Space (JCOS) published notice regarding a management plan review for Apex – Apex Park: Improving Visitor Experiences. This process included public comment and open house meetings, both in which COMBA took an active role. Subsequently, at the August OSAC meeting COMBA formally presented our position, which we believed to be fair and equitable while promoting MTB use at this popular destination- where mountain bikers make up the majority of users. Our proposal was well thought out, having consulted with IMBA on advanced management strategies which have proven successful elsewhere around the country; likewise, our plan garnered the support of local bike shops and Jeffco-based bicycle manufacturers (Yeti Cycles, Spot Brand, Maverick).[i:2l3z5qn2]On September 9th, JCOS issued a press release indicating the revised plan is complete. Much to our dismay, the proposed solution is –in our opinion– a thinly-veiled attempt to push mountain bikers out of Apex Park entirely.[/i:2l3z5qn2] With stated objectives which included: "Eliminate ‘downhill biking‘ (shuttling)", and "Minimize new trail construction", [i:2l3z5qn2]this misguided plan calls for travel restrictions against only cyclists, including making Enchanted Forest an uphill-only trail for mountain bikers. [/i:2l3z5qn2]Furthermore, [i:2l3z5qn2]mountain bikers would be prohibited from descending on Apex between Sluicebox and Pick N Sledge, thus requiring all bike traffic to climb out of the gulch via Sluicebox, up and around back down Pick N Sledge to the lower trailhead at Heritage Square. To be clear, this management policy would prevent any cyclist from directly descending from top to bottom along Apex, and take away the classic Front Range experience of Enchanted Forest, while severely impeding the popular Up-Chimney-Down-Apex loop.[/i:2l3z5qn2]
We encourage you to read the plan for yourself (PDF).
This update is just to make you aware of the situation and to assure you that COMBA opposes this revised plan and will do everything we can to make sure it isn’t implemented as policy. To that end, please consider taking two steps to assist in our efforts on your behalf: 1) send a firm yet polite message to the leaders of JCOS indicating your dissent with this plan; 2) plan to attend the October 1st OSAC meeting where JCOS staff will present this plan for approval. To facilitate the former, COMBA has set up an automated email alias which will forward your message in its entirety, untouched by us, to the relevant parties at JCOS: [email protected] (this also allows us to track our support). Tell all of your friends to do the same.
Additionally, please look to our website in coming days as we roll out our strategy to fight this nonsense. We will most definitely need the full support of the MTB community if we are to succeed. If this policy is ratified, how long until we see notices for "Improving Visitor Experiences at White Ranch" or Chimney Gulch, or Mount Falcon- all of which also share an upper access ingress? We don’t intend to find out.
Stay tuned.
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bump
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This is worrisome news. One of the things that sets Colorado apart from other states I’ve lived in is the openness to mountain biking at pretty much every park and open space. Like BFD says, if this happens it could open the door to more restrictions at Apex and other Jeff Co. open spaces like Matthews/Winter Park, Mount Falcon, White Ranch, and Alderfer/Three Sisters just to name a few.
Is IMBA taking a position on this? If they sent an email blast I’m sure there would be plenty of comments in a flash!
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I just moved to Fort Collins last month and the open spaces and MTBing is awesome… I have even gotten my wife in to it!!! I hope this does not come to pass… Please keep us updated and let me know if a petiton gets started!!!
Mike -
Boy,,,,,,,,,Please make the effort to support mtn bikers rights to trail use at Apex park.Here is another informative link to read up on with contacts to state your concerns;
[url:3k8h31qk]http://www.5280mtb.com/?p=492#more-492[/url:3k8h31qk]
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I’ll be in attendance on October 1st for the meeting…I encourage anybody within driving distance to attend as well…we need to show our support for our own community, nobody else is going to…that much is now perfectly obvious. We’re being pushed out. Do something about it Mountain Bikers!
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Here in Anchorage we have been up against something similar within the Far North Bicentennial Park and adjoining areas, here the original long range plan was written 20 years ago when no one knew just how popular MTB would become, so basically we weren’t even in the plan. The MTB community did just what you are suggesting- we got involved in the planning process, attended meetings and wrote a lot of letters. In the end we did not get all the proposed usage we wanted but we are now a very big part of the long range plan for the park, which now includes the newly created STA Trails and a few more to come.
Keep in mind if you are riding on land that is managed by someone else there is always going to be a give-and-take, and the area riders need to come together like BFD is suggesting here. Just a few renegades can really screw things up for the rest of you, so policing yourselves also comes into the picture. Long story short, your riding on land that is under someone elses management, by becoming a pro-active part of the solution (even if you don’t really see the problem), volunteer days, have the MTB community take on certain projects or problem areas, keep the place clean, etc, you will come out a lot farther ahead in the long run than if you protest each new rule.
Best of luck to you, and keep us posted, Id sure like to ride there someday too! -
I’ll be in attendance on October 1st for the meeting…I encourage anybody within driving distance to attend as well…we need to show our support for our own community, nobody else is going to…that much is now perfectly obvious. We’re being pushed out. Do something about it Mountain Bikers!
It’s not just this one trail were talking about here,most if not all front range trails are linked and lined with neighborhoods that are hiked by long time residents and it seems to me that if they get the "inch" that they are hoping to get by banning us mtn bikers from trail usage at Apex park,it will only grow from here and soon there will be a very big dark cloud hovering over the front range mtn biking community.Apex park is popular with downhillers because of the shuttling access from the top plus the trail is steep and technial and attracts downhillers.
Like BFD says,attending THIS meeting on October 1st. in force and in numbers,we mtn bikers can sway the opinion back the other way.Apex park is a tight trail with little option for new trail to be built relatively speaking.It is on a very steep mountain and the terrain is very rocky with basically one possible route up and around the mountain and I personally am thinking that this point plus some very opinionated long time local hikers have organized and logged there complaints well enough that these two factors are what’s leaning on us mtn bikers at this very time to push the tide against us.The front Range is a very popular after work and weekend destination for many bikers,hikers,and horses and to make one side suffer while the others get to keep on playing is not fair.There are other parks that use rules,planning,and sharing techniques that are working to keep everyone happy,although Apex park is actually thinking of banning one group over another and that will ultimately cause hard feelings and ill will towards the county and the opposing opinions that are cutting mtn bikers rights.
LET’S ALL SHOW UP TO THE MEETING WITH OUR HEADS SCREWED ON RIGHT AND SHOW WHY MOUNTAIN BIKERS HOLD JUST AS MUCH RIGHTS TO THE TRAILS AS ANYONE ELSE…………………………………… -
[url:2vf22roj]http://comba.org/node/85[/url:2vf22roj]
Some more reading about Apex park
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I just sent out emails to a bunch of different people listed in articles posted above and the SaveApex email address listed above, and HIGHLY encourage others to do so as well. I’ve only ridden the trail a couple times, but this is bigger than just Apex – if this goes through, it’s only a matter of time until all of our trails are restricted. Even if you’ve never ridden Apex, it is a worthy cause to send out an email for all trails in JeffCo, not to mention Boulder County and others in the area. Please take a quick minute and send an email to the SaveApex address posted in this thread. In doing so, you’ll be helping mountain bikers throughout the county, state, and country
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[url:1whcoc6q]http://comba.org/node/91[/url:1whcoc6q]
COMBA is asking concerned trail users to meet at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 1, at the lower Apex Park
parking lot to demonstrate their opposition to the plan. Bikers will then ride over to the Jefferson County
Open Space Administrative Office, 700 Jefferson County Parkway, Suite 100, Golden, Colo., where the
county’s Open Space Advisory Committee is scheduled to consider the Apex Park management plan at 7
p.m. -
SADDLE UP PEOPLE!!!
***Apex Park Update***
GOLDEN, Colorado (September 28, 2009) – After meeting with Jefferson County Open Space leaders and other stakeholders, the Colorado Mountain Bike Association board of directors has decided to oppose the county’s current proposed plan for managing Apex Park.
COMBA is asking concerned trail users to meet at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 1, at the lower Apex Park parking lot to demonstrate their opposition to the plan. Bikers will then ride over to the Jefferson County Open Space Administrative Office, 700 Jefferson County Parkway, Suite 100, Golden, Colo., where the county’s Open Space Advisory Committee is scheduled to consider the Apex Park management plan at 7 p.m.
"We are encouraging folks to bring their bikes and ride to the OSAC meeting in solidarity to ask the members of OSAC to reject the current proposal," COMBA President Terry Breheny said. "Although this plan is touted a ‘compromise’ position for Jefferson County and is less restrictive than the county’s initial proposal, it remains inherently biased against a single user group, in this case mountain bikers.
"In addition to setting dangerous precedent for bike-exclusionary policy, this plan does not address the real issue – the need within JCOS for trails designed and managed for mountain bikers, which would, in fact, also help mitigate the ‘speed differential’ at crowded multi-use parks. COMBA believes the revised Apex management plan, in its current state, is akin to prescribing aspirin for someone with a broken leg."
The proposed plan limits the direction of travel for mountain bikers on popular trails within Apex Park-where cyclists comprise the majority usage-on an alternating-day schedule. The plan places no travel restrictions on other user groups.
"We are asking the mountain bike community to voice their dissent as soon as possible," Breheny said. "It’s crucial that OSAC members have a clear understanding of this plan and the broad opposition to it before making a decision. Again, this plan, which unfairly discriminates against the cycling community, will not solve the underlying problem."
COMBA came to this position following a meeting on Friday, Sept. 25, 2009, between members of the COMBA board of directors, biker representatives from the Trails Use Task Force and Ralph Schell, director of Jefferson County Open Space. The purpose of the meeting, which also included other JCOS managers, was to discuss the county’s management proposal for Apex Park ("Revised – Compromised Actions – 9/21/09").
The 90-minute discussion was informative and included prepared comments from JCOS regarding Open Space values and perspectives. Dialogue covered the immediate matter of Apex and also included broader aspects of shared-use policy, user-group needs and other long-term issues. In addition, COMBA presented a counter proposal to Jefferson County that promoted targeted education and outreach – the most requested management tactic during the June public comment period.
"We are disappointed that our counter-proposal for Apex was rejected," COMBA Vice President Jason Bertolacci said. "The COMBA proposal was based on management strategies which have proven successful in parks across the country. The current proposed policy should not be evaluated as just ‘lines on a map’ by folks who may have never recreated at Apex Park. They need to understand the real world consequences and ramifications for cyclists should this plan get approved."
Breheny concluded, "Regardless of the outcome for Apex, we will move forward with proposals for bike-specific trails or parks with hopes of demonstrating to county officials the value this approach provides to the user-experience of all park users."
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Who is going tomorrow night? We need numbers people!
I’d like to have a strong showing of singletracks.com members at this meeting.
Line up, find a buddy, who’s coming with me?! -
I’ll be at the meeting BFD,I got a B-Day party to go to at 6,although I’m trying to find the way to go for the ride as well.Are you doing the ride as well BFD?
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I’ll be coming straight from work, so I’ll have to drive in order to get to the meeting by 7. I wish I could do the ride though, solidarity is important.
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Latest from COMBA:
If you plan on attending the OSAC meeting tonight, please read the link below. Join COMBA for a pre-meeting rally at 5 PM. Please meet and park at Apex and then proceed to Wrigly’s (18200 W Colfax Ave, Golden, CO) where we can eat, talk, and plan before heading by bicycle to the JCOS offices. Feel free to arrive at anytime after 5, there will be someone at Apex to direct you to Wrigley’s. The OSAC meeting is at 7 PM at the JCOS Administrative Offices, 700 Jefferson County Parkway, Golden, CO. Remember, voice your concerns, but be respectful. http://www.comba.org/PDF/apex_meeting_whitepaper.pdf
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UPDATE…
COMBA would like to express our thanks to the approximately 400 mountain bikers who attended last night’s meeting of the Jefferson County Open Space Advisory Commission regarding Apex Park. It was truly one of the finest hours for Front Range mountain bikers. You should all be tremendously proud.Everyone carried themselves with respect and class, sending a clear message to Jefferson County officials: Mountain bikers are an important constituency that cannot and should not be ignored. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Like many of you, COMBA board members are still scratching their heads at the outcome of the meeting, which went well past midnight. OSAC members did not formally vote on the proposed plan to restrict mountain bike travel on specific trails within Apex Park on an alternating-day schedule. However, Director Schell does not need the approval from OSAC to implement this plan.
It was clear, however, that a majority of members supported the proposed management plan in some form or another, but many of the members had different caveats for their support. Some said it was dependent upon building new trails first, some wanted "tweaks" to the plan, others would support it if it was a temporary solution and still others said their support was contingent upon making sure alternating days Apex did not conflict with alternating days for bicycles at Centennial Cone, another Jefferson County park.
Yes, it’s muddled. While that is not what we wanted in terms of an outcome, there were some very positive signs to come out of the meeting. First, several of the members expressed the desire for mountain bike-friendly changes in the Apex plan, including new trails and directional downhill on Enchanted Forest. Second, almost every OSAC member spoke in support of purpose-built bicycle trails! This is huge change. We’ve been asking for it for years, but we have seen any acknowledgment of the need until now. That’s major progress in the right direction.
COMBA will be reaching out to Jefferson County Open Space staff very quickly to get a sense of what happens next. We will report back to you as soon as we know more. The book clearly has not yet been written on the future of Apex Park, but the incredible display of unity and community on behalf of mountain bikers last night means that we will continue to have a say on how this thing turns out.
Obviously, our work as mountain bikers is not done. We hope you will continue to support COMBA as we push forward in our effort to build a strong mountain bike community that can effect change. You certainly proved last night that, working together, we can make a difference.
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[url:187spz6a]http://www.5280mtb.com/?p=548#more-548[/url:187spz6a]
Just a little update from comba from the meeting thursday night that went from 7 p.m. to well past midnight with about 400 mountain biker’s in attendance.
Thanks to all who attended the OSAC meeting on Thurs. Oct. 1!
COMBA would like to express our thanks to the approximately 400 mountain bikers who attended last night’s meeting of the Jefferson County Open Space Advisory Commission regarding Apex Park. It was truly one of the finest hours for Front Range mountain bikers. You should all be tremendously proud.
Everyone carried themselves with respect and class, sending a clear message to Jefferson County officials: Mountain bikers are an important constituency that cannot and should not be ignored. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Like many of you, COMBA board members are still scratching their heads at the outcome of the meeting, which went well past midnight. OSAC members did not formally vote on the proposed plan to restrict mountain bike travel on specific trails within Apex Park on an alternating-day schedule. However, Director Schell does not need the approval from OSAC to implement this plan.
It was clear, however, that a majority of members supported the proposed management plan in some form or another, but many of the members had different caveats for their support. Some said it was dependent upon building new trails first, some wanted "tweaks" to the plan, others would support it if it was a temporary solution and still others said their support was contingent upon making sure alternating days Apex did not conflict with alternating days for bicycles at Centennial Cone, another Jefferson County park.
Yes, it’s muddled. While that is not what we wanted in terms of an outcome, there were some very positive signs to come out of the meeting. First, several of the members expressed the desire for mountain bike-friendly changes in the Apex plan, including new trails and directional downhill on Enchanted Forest. Second, almost every OSAC member spoke in support of purpose-built bicycle trails! This is huge change. We’ve been asking for it for years, but we have seen any acknowledgment of the need until now. That’s major progress in the right direction.
COMBA will be reaching out to Jefferson County Open Space staff very quickly to get a sense of what happens next. We will report back to you as soon as we know more. The book clearly has not yet been written on the future of Apex Park, but the incredible display of unity and community on behalf of mountain bikers last night means that we will continue to have a say on how this thing turns out.
Obviously, our work as mountain bikers is not done. We hope you will continue to support COMBA as we push forward in our effort to build a strong mountain bike community that can effect change. You certainly proved last night that, working together, we can make a difference.
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[url:bc28lkik]http://cbs4denver.com/video/?id=62750@kcnc.dayport.com[/url:bc28lkik]
One of the news clips on our Apex situation here in colorado.
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In the report it says that the vote for the proposal was "eight to one" in favor and it "looks like it’s going to pass"…Ahem…There WAS no vote at the meeting. I went into the wrong business, you can get it 100% wrong, still get paid and people will still thank you for the fine job you did.
Nice that they got some interviews from both sides of the trail though. -
There WAS no vote at the meeting
No they did not end up voting,although the vote is only a sidebar so to speak,
OSAC members did not formally vote on the proposed plan to restrict mountain bike travel on specific trails within Apex Park on an alternating-day schedule. However, Director Schell does not need the approval from OSAC to implement this plan.
Director Schell can do whatever he see’s fit,but he is letting them vote to help him weigh the situation and help him make a decision,what really makes a difference though is the fact that so many mtn biker’s showed up to support themnselves at the meeting and showed that we ARE a community of mtn bikers that care about our trails.
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I applaud you all for the number of MTB’s that showed up at the meeting, just showing up carries a lot of weight in the process of the decisions made behind closed doors.
I am not familiar with the area in question but it sounds like it is a very heavily used set of trails, I would probably consider it quite a hassle being on an alternating schedule if they were right next door to where I lived.
The only other trails I know on a schedule like that are certain sections of the Tahoe Rim Trail, the section that connects with the Flume Trail is probably the most heavily used. While I lived in Reno it was never a big deal, but it wasn’t something I was trying to ride everyday after work, and you always had one day on the weekend that it was open.Keep up the involvement in the process, it’s the only way they know we really care about the decisions’ they are making.
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[url:10gycbur]http://www.9news.com/rss/article.aspx?storyid=125110[/url:10gycbur]
[url:10gycbur]http://5280mtb.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/apex_decision.pdf[/url:10gycbur]
Apex and the new rules starting 2010.
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what did they mean by "downhill biking" and "shuttling"? And with the one way thing, what happens when you need to get back to the other side where you parked your vehicle at? And is the "one way direction" all uphill and stuff that makes the ride slower?
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Shuttling means leaving a car at eh "bottom" of the trail, then driving to the top, so the only bike riding is the downhill portion.
When you get tot he bottom you take that car back to the trailhead to regroup. Porcupine Rim in Moab works this way.
Yes, the new one-way is all uphill, on one of the most pleasant downhill runs in all of the front Range (Enchanted Forest)
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I thought that about the shuttling part. Just wanted to make sure that what they were referring to.
THAT F-IN BLOWS!!!! 😬 😬 😬 😬 😠 😠 😠 😈 😈
Why would anyone want to do that to MTB’ers That’s saying to a littel kid…"Eat all your squash and brocalli and then we will only show you the ice-cream, but you won’t be able to eat it".
So let me get this straight…You can ONLY ride uphill one-way, but you cant turn around and come back down???
If thats the case then how the heck are you gonna get back to your vehicle all the way on the other side of the park???
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It’s a network, so yuo have to come back down a different trail.
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How can you help others without being rich?
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