Survey to help guide Mt. Morrison upgrades

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Mt. Morrison from Red Rocks Elementary School. Jan. 28, 2020. By Vicky Gits

Jeffco Open Space is launching an online public survey to address possible improvements on the trail to the top of Mount Morrison.

While the trail begins and ends on Denver Mountain Parks land, most of it is on Jeffco Open Space

The survey is now available at the Jeffco Open Space website. Click on: Matthews-Winter Park web page.

The survey is intended to collect information on how and why people are using the trail. “Based on that feedback we will develop some trail ideas that balance visitor needs with resource protection,” said Mike Foster, Open Space stewardship manager.

A couple of options will be provided to the public for more comment and then construction could begin in winter 2021.

Mount Morrison ascends almost 2,000 feet to 7,877 feet over numerous difficult, dangerous rocky places. Mountaineers have been known to use it as a training site for much harder and longer international climbs.

There is very little room to park cars ear the trailhead at Titans road and Highway 8 west of Morrison.

From about 1909 to 1919, Mount Morrison was a popular tourist destination, featuring a cable incline railway and two 100-passenger railcars.

–Vicky Gits

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Steps Mark Progress in Canyon Project

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PHOTO BY NATHAN MCBRIDE, JEFFCO OPEN SPACE TRAILS SPECIALIST

Jeffco Open Space recently completed a flight of stone stairs connecting the Clear Creek Trail in Golden to the Welch Ditch Trail above it. In the future, the stairs will give hikers-only access to a route that was originally built to carry creek water to farms and orchards.

For the time being the area is a construction zone and the public won’t have access until 2021, while crews work on the concrete trail and bridges.

The stone is granite obtained from nearby Clear Creek Canyon. Jeffco Open Space Trails Team designed and built the stairs using an excavator and hoist.

The stonework is part of an Open Space effort to restore the area where Clear Creek enters the foothills in Golden and is known as the Mouth of the Canyon Project.

One of the biggest building projects Open Space has ever undertaken, the projected cost is $15 million with completion projected in spring 2021.

The bulk of the work will take place in 2020 with a crew of about 40 to 45 people. Construction began in June 2019 on the south side of Clear Creek near the intersection of Highway 93 and US 6/58. (See complete story in February 2020 Plan Jeffco Update newsletter).

Crews have been taking advantage of less traffic due to health restrictions and installing culverts under US 6 to Black Hawk and Central City.

For a progress report on the Mouth of the Canyon Project, click on the link to the YouTube video.

— Vicky Gits
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Open Space Camping Reservations Suspended

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From Matt Robbins, Community Connections Manager, Jefferson County Open Space:

Due to high park visitation, Jeffco Open Space will be suspending all camping reservations until further notice. The increased visitation has demanded staff resources, as well as campground management taking Park Rangers away from other essential duties of managing visitor safety and resource protection during peak times. All existing camping reservations will be honored, but no new camping reservations will be accepted.

Some background leading us to this decision:

  • Park visitation is at an all-time high. While high use is concentrated on weekends and holidays, we are also seeing record use on weekdays.
  • With park visitation so high, park maintenance needs have increased by 66%. We have gone from an average of three service trucks to average five daily.
  • With park maintenance stretched thin, park rangers have taken over basic maintenance including restrooms and trash at all parks with resident rangers.
  • With added park maintenance duties, campground management and maintenance are taking park rangers away from essential duties managing visitor safety and resource protection during peak visitation times.

For these reasons, JCOS will stop taking new campground reservations effective Friday, May 15. We will honor all current reservations.

For additional information, please contact Matt Robbins, Jeffco Community Connections Manager

303.271.5902, 303.522.6218 (cell), https://www.jeffco.us/1531/Alerts-Closures

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Are You a “CARE” Person?

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Are you a considerate and responsible, enlightened (“CARE”) person during these times of uncertainty? Do you stay home if you don’t feel well? Do

you wear a mask outside? When visiting the beautiful parks in Jefferson County, do you stay on the trail to minimize your environmental impact? Are you considerate of other hikers and Open Space staff? Is your dog leashed? Do you pick up after it? Do you only gather to hike with those with whom you share your home? Do you refrain from short-cutting trails, even to avoid other people?

So many things to think about these days, but these are just a few requirements of the current situation. We are in a different, delicate, hopefully short-term (but possibly longer than we think) era—particularly if we shun the experts’ guidelines. It requires more awareness of our responsibilities to ourselves, others and the land we love.

Today, Jefferson County Open Space Parks are being overwhelmed by all of us seeking respite from the COVID-19 stay-at-home orders and seeking exercise and relief from restrictive directives. For safety reasons there are no park volunteers to give us friendly reminders of proper behaviors, leaving the 12 full-time and 3 seasonal staff rangers the near impossible task of trying to cover 56,000 acres, and 244 miles of trails by themselves. We must each willingly embrace the responsibility of honoring the rules.  PLAN Jeffco respectfully offers these guidelines and thanks everyone, not only for following them but also for your support via the ½ cent sales tax collected for Open Space at Jeffco businesses:

* Walk close to home, enjoy your neighbors’ flowers, as well as your own.

* If you find the JCOS parking lot full, please, please move on to another park.

* Wear a mask.

* Stay on the trail whenever possible, while honoring social distances. Be careful where you step as there may be delicate new plant growth this time of the year, even snakes!

* The 6-foot social distance is in still air. If the wind is at your back, don’t walk more than 6 feet behind the person in front of you.

* To minimize interaction time consider giving downhill hikers the right-of-way.

* Step aside (find a rock or bare spot to stand on) and let equestrians pass, even if you’re on a bike.

* Observe park, trail or area closures.

* Visit at non-peak hours, such as before 10:00 AM and after 3:00 PM.

* Follow guidelines posted at trailheads.

Be a “CARE” person. 

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