Hello from Miss Mountain Manners!
Today we have a little history lesson plus a talk about proper trail etiquette. I want to show you what happens when visitors to the parks fail to #StayOnTrail.
Rarely do we post about parks or trails that are not part of Open Space, but this trail deserves special attention. The Jack D. Lubahn Trail, a trail that belongs to the City of Golden, snakes up South Table Mountain from the eastern terminus of 18th Street in Golden.
The Lubahn Trail has a long history. It was begun by Jack Lubahn in 1965, shortly after he and his family moved into a house at the corner of 19th Street and Table Drive. This was a labor of love; each morning Jack would work on trail building for an hour before heading to his day job at the School of Mines.
The trail took six years to finish; it was completed in 1971. To build the switchbacks, Jack had to move boulders that weighed up to two tons with just his block and tackle – truly a labor of love! The rock retaining walls on the trail stand as a tribute to his efforts.
https://stewardsofgolden.org/lubahn-trail%2Fsouth-table
The trail tracks through land that belongs to the City of Golden. In 1995 and 1996 Jeffco Open Space paid 70% of the cost of 7.5 acres on the western slope of South Table Mountain, which the County then deeded back to the City of Golden with a reverter clause – typical of JCOS investments that partner with a city or rec district. The reverter clause ensures that the land will be used for recreation; otherwise, the property will revert back to Open Space.
According to Colorado Lifestyle: “No one ever hikes the Lubahn Trail by itself. Instead they use it as the primary way to get part way up South Table Mountain in Golden and then use one of the many unofficial (social) trails to the top of Castle Rock (formally known as Table Rock). According to the city, this additional excursion is illegal because it traverses private property.”
http://colorado-lifestyle.blogspot.com/2009/05/lubahn-trail.html
These photos show what can (and does) happen to a trail when it’s abused. Over its lifetime, trekkers and hill climbers, on foot and mountain bike, have short-cut the switchbacks, causing damage – in some places, significant damage – to the original rock work that forms the walls that line the trail. As a knowledgeable Park Visitor, I’m sure you would never do something like this, because if you did, then you would be adding to the damage on the trail.
Hiking the Lubahn can be challenging. The base of the trail is 5676 feet in elevation. By the time you get to the top of the official trail, you’ve gained 400 feet, and if you persist in trespassing and climb to the top of the castle rock (a total of 643 feet from base to top of the castle rock), you’ll encounter multiple social trails and the crumbing Lubahn itself. But, Dear Visitor, I’m sure you would never knowingly trespass on private land.
As you can see from these photos, the Lubahn Trail can be narrow in parts. Social distancing in this age of Covid is not possible when encountering others coming in the opposite direction, so have your mask ready and put it on.
Note: stepping off the trail is not a good idea, since South Table is known rattlesnake territory. Even though a rattlesnake cannot lunge much beyond 1/2 to 1/3 of its length, an encounter with a rattlesnake that results in a bite is not something that you want to experience.
The Lubahn trail emerges on top of the mesa on private land; it’s the most obvious route up to the castle rock, which is where most visitors want to go. The castle rock itself is on private land. Continued and ongoing short-cutting, perhaps because of the steepness of the grade, has continued to tear up the trail, causing loss of the rock walls’ integrity and serious erosion of the slope.
There is no clear boundary between the private and JCOS land, although there are some recently installed posts on the JCOS border along the new JCOS trail, saying that it is private land behind the posts. None of these posts are visible from where one attains the mesa top via the Lubahn trail, and no one taking the Lubahn would have any way of knowing they were on private land. It’s also not clear where the border is between city of Golden and private land.
Today there are two trailheads within 1/2 block of each other, on a neighborhood street, both very visible. The Lubahn trail has a sign and a trashcan at the entrance plus an information board on local geology. The plaque in the top photo is a short distance up the trail.
A half-block away is the new JCOS trail. It has a COVID signboard plus a newly installed map of South Table Mountain open space. There is no official parking or public restrooms. The neighborhood street is almost always packed with parked cars. Any park visitor would assume both trails are sanctioned for use. A very common hike is to go up one trail and come down the other.
The new trail construction on South Table Mountain is beautiful. Many people are excited about it. The field patroller who provided the information for this article has talked to many visitors who are really excited about the new trail, and two equestrians who were making their way up to the mesa top – something that was not previously possible for a horse.
The Lubahn trail has done well for being over 50 years old and not having had a dedicated maintenance program. Mike Foster, JCOS Stewardship Manager, has been in conversation with Golden about building an alternate to the Lubahn that would require less rock work and would integrate more closely with the contours of the land. At this time it’s not clear what will happen to the Lubahn.
Many thanks to our PLAN Jeffco Board Member and JCOS Field Patroller Lydia Andrews-Jones for providing these captioned photos on the historic Lubahn Trail. So remember, Dear Visitor, when you’re hiking South Table, Lydia will be watching and welcoming, and can tell you the story of the Lubahn trail.
Update February 9, 2021 – the City of Golden Parks Board is evaluating future options for the Lubahn trail. “The trail has been around for a long time and it is in really poor condition,” said Rod Tarullo, the director of Golden’s parks department. “There’s probably a variety of reasons for that but it was never really built to today’s trail standards and we have a lot more people using our trails then we did in past years.” Read the entire article here.
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TOP TEN Ways to Become a Trail Hazard
/0 Comments/in Calls to Action, Park & Trail Courtesy /by BlogMasterHere’s a list of ideas on how you can make yourself a real pain in the @$& when visiting our Jeffco Open Space Parks.
1. Drive as far from home as you can to hike in a Jefferson County Open Space Park. The oil companies will welcome your gas money.
2. When you reach your destination at a Jeffco Open Space park, if the parking lot is full, park on any road shoulder, even outside the park, and preferably over the white line or less than 18 inches from main roadway. Your parking fine will help alleviate the County’s financial stress.
3. Hike when the park is most crowded – between 8:00 AM and 6:00 PM. That way you can expose COVID-19 to (and be exposed by) the most people.
4. Don’t bother to wear a mask. When you wear a mask people won’t be able to see your smile or catch your bugs. Besides, if everyone else is wearing a mask you can’t catch anything, so you’re good to go.
5. It’s OK to walk off trail. The parks don’t have enough trails. More informal social trails can accommodate more hikers and give maintenance crews something to do restoring damaged vegetation. The rattlesnakes are waiting for you.
6. Hike in big groups. The bears will appreciate having options.
7. Ignore the 6-foot social distance guideline. All those open areas will just be filled in by somebody else, putting you in an even more dangerous situation. That’s what you want, right?
8. Go as fast as possible. The object of being outside on the trail is to pass as many people as possible, given your superior speed capabilities. But wait — this minimizes interaction times, so maybe it’s not such a good idea?
9. Leave your dog poop bag next to the trail. The poop fairy will pick it up.
10. No need to observe park rules. The rangers and volunteers need to have a reason to be in the parks, and the fines you’ll have to pay will help the Open Space budget.
Enjoy your outing!
Open Space Update 8/20/2020
/0 Comments/in JeffCo Open Space, Parks, Parks & Trails /by BlogMasterOn Saturday, we hosted our first public volunteer project at South Table Mountain. A total of 30 enthusiastic volunteers were able to finish 1,200 feet of the new Lava Loop Trail alignment. A big thank you goes out to the Trails Team for successfully leading our volunteers and implementing our new COVID protocols, which kept everyone safe.
Apex Park – Gate Installations
With the September 10th management change at Apex Park on the horizon, the Team has been hard at work installing gates to accommodate the new odd/even day requirements. Rock solid work, team!
Clear Creek Canyon Park Trail Improvements: Gateway Segment
In order to make the necessary repairs to the wooden flume we need to bring lots of materials and equipment onsite. There is one major problem though, Clear Creek stands in the way! Our contractor has come up with ingenious, custom solution to this problem. Take a look at the high line now crossing the creek approximately where our suspension bridge will be located. Built out of lots of pieces of parts that run off of a skid steer and a generator, this beauty can haul upwards of 2,000 pounds. What was the first thing sent across the creek? The wheels for the drill that will make the structural repairs to the flume.
Mental Health First Aid Training
The Ranger Team completed mental health first aid training this week. This is a required training that is refreshed annually. Facilitated by our very own in-house instructors Maria S. and Shaun H. This training better prepares the team to deal with visitors in the park that may be in a mental crisis. This could be due to illness, substance abuse, depression, suicide etc.
The Lubahn Trail on STM, Ignored But Not Forgotten (updated)
/1 Comment/in Articles That Educate, JeffCo Open Space, Land Preservation, Parks & Trails /by BlogMasterHello from Miss Mountain Manners!
Rarely do we post about parks or trails that are not part of Open Space, but this trail deserves special attention. The Jack D. Lubahn Trail, a trail that belongs to the City of Golden, snakes up South Table Mountain from the eastern terminus of 18th Street in Golden.
The Lubahn Trail has a long history. It was begun by Jack Lubahn in 1965, shortly after he and his family moved into a house at the corner of 19th Street and Table Drive. This was a labor of love; each morning Jack would work on trail building for an hour before heading to his day job at the School of Mines.
https://stewardsofgolden.org/lubahn-trail%2Fsouth-table
The trail tracks through land that belongs to the City of Golden. In 1995 and 1996 Jeffco Open Space paid 70% of the cost of 7.5 acres on the western slope of South Table Mountain, which the County then deeded back to the City of Golden with a reverter clause – typical of JCOS investments that partner with a city or rec district. The reverter clause ensures that the land will be used for recreation; otherwise, the property will revert back to Open Space.
http://colorado-lifestyle.blogspot.com/2009/05/lubahn-trail.html
Hiking the Lubahn can be challenging. The base of the trail is 5676 feet in elevation. By the time you get to the top of the official trail, you’ve gained 400 feet, and if you persist in trespassing and climb to the top of the castle rock (a total of 643 feet from base to top of the castle rock), you’ll encounter multiple social trails and the crumbing Lubahn itself. But, Dear Visitor, I’m sure you would never knowingly trespass on private land.
Note: stepping off the trail is not a good idea, since South Table is known rattlesnake territory. Even though a rattlesnake cannot lunge much beyond 1/2 to 1/3 of its length, an encounter with a rattlesnake that results in a bite is not something that you want to experience.
The Lubahn trail emerges on top of the mesa on private land; it’s the most obvious route up to the castle rock, which is where most visitors want to go. The castle rock itself is on private land. Continued and ongoing short-cutting, perhaps because of the steepness of the grade, has continued to tear up the trail, causing loss of the rock walls’ integrity and serious erosion of the slope.
Today there are two trailheads within 1/2 block of each other, on a neighborhood street, both very visible. The Lubahn trail has a sign and a trashcan at the entrance plus an information board on local geology. The plaque in the top photo is a short distance up the trail.
The new trail construction on South Table Mountain is beautiful. Many people are excited about it. The field patroller who provided the information for this article has talked to many visitors who are really excited about the new trail, and two equestrians who were making their way up to the mesa top – something that was not previously possible for a horse.
The Lubahn trail has done well for being over 50 years old and not having had a dedicated maintenance program. Mike Foster, JCOS Stewardship Manager, has been in conversation with Golden about building an alternate to the Lubahn that would require less rock work and would integrate more closely with the contours of the land. At this time it’s not clear what will happen to the Lubahn.
Many thanks to our PLAN Jeffco Board Member and JCOS Field Patroller Lydia Andrews-Jones for providing these captioned photos on the historic Lubahn Trail. So remember, Dear Visitor, when you’re hiking South Table, Lydia will be watching and welcoming, and can tell you the story of the Lubahn trail.
Update February 9, 2021 – the City of Golden Parks Board is evaluating future options for the Lubahn trail. “The trail has been around for a long time and it is in really poor condition,” said Rod Tarullo, the director of Golden’s parks department. “There’s probably a variety of reasons for that but it was never really built to today’s trail standards and we have a lot more people using our trails then we did in past years.” Read the entire article here.
Firewood Sale at Flying J Ranch Park – UPDATE
/0 Comments/in Calls to Action, JeffCo Open Space, News & Views /by BlogMasterShelter at the Flying J Ranch Park
Back by popular demand, Jeffco Open Space is pleased to announce their 2020
Firewood Sale at Flying J Ranch Park.
Purchase of firewood sale permits will only be offered online. Permits will be available for online purchase starting at 9:00 A.M. on August 10, 2020. The dates of the sale are September 12-13, September 19-20, and September 26-27. A total of 40 (two hour) slots will be available for each day of the sale.
A permit costs $25 with a strict limit of two permits per customer. An
additional fee of $25 will apply for filling a truck and a trailer.
Before you purchase a permit, you will first need to create an account. To create an account or to purchase firewood sale permits, please visit:
https://secure.rec1.com/CO/jefferson-county-open-space/catalog
For written instructions on how to purchase a firewood sale permit or create an account, visit:
https://www.jeffco.us/DocumentCenter/View/18210/2020-Firewood-Sale-Purchase-
Instructions
If you have questions, please contact Matt Robbins, Community Connections Manager, mr******@*************co.us, 303.271.5902, 303.522.6218 (cell)
Like us at www.facebook.com/PLANJeffco Follow us @PLANJeffco
P2P Bridge to close Highway 6 near Tunnel 1
/0 Comments/in Calls to Action, JeffCo Open Space, Parks /by BlogMasterClear Creek Canyon Trail Gateway Segment, in preparation for the new bridge.
US Highway 6 through Clear Creek Canyon is scheduled to close at 6 p.m. Monday, August 3rd for a period of about 12 hours while a bridge is set in place east of Tunnel 1 over Clear Creek. This is about 1 mile west of the Colorado Highways 93/58 intersection in Golden. Highway 6 will be closed from this intersection to Colorado Highway 119 at the top of the canyon. Drivers will need to take Interstate I-70 to Highway 6 to detour around this closure.
While the highway is closed, a 163-foot-long bridge will be delivered in three sections for onsite assembly. The structure is designed to accommodate pedestrians and cyclists on the Gateway segment of the P2P Clear Creek Canyon Park trail.
The 450 and 500-ton cranes that will lift the bridge will also be erected during this closure. It will take an estimated two hours to place the bridge east of Tunnel 1. Once this is done, the cranes will be removed, the site cleaned up and then Highway 6 can reopen for travel Tuesday morning Aug. 4.
If weather conditions Monday night aren’t conducive, the work it will be rescheduled for Tuesday night.
For additional information about this project, visit the project website at Jeffco.us/p2p.
You can also reach the project team at pe**********@***il.com or 720-893-1313. Please share this information with anyone who might need to know about it.
— By Jefferson County Open Space
Hi-yo, Silver, Away!!
/0 Comments/in Calls to Action, JeffCo Open Space, Park & Trail Courtesy, Parks & Trails /by BlogMasterSouth Valley, Mann Reservoir – photo courtesy of CarbonFibrePhotos
Don your mask and make like the Lone Ranger – with your nose and mouth covered when near others. The Lone Ranger says, “There comes a time when good man must wear a mask.” That time is now. Take your trusty steed – boots, bike, dog (leashed), or horse (properly controlled) – and head out to some Jeffco Open Space on your own or with a trusted friend (preferably one). But beware, Jefferson County Open Space Parks are being overwhelmed by so many of us who are seeking respite from the COVID-19 restrictions and stressful uncertainties our lives. Our dedicated park rangers and volunteers are out again helping us all do the right thing, but they are stretched thin and need your support and cooperation. Their numbers are limited, and they can’t be everywhere at once.
We are faced with this “new normal” now. It requires more awareness of our responsibilities to ourselves, others and the land we love. On Thursday, 7/16/20, our Governor announced a statewide mask mandate. The executive order says that it’s best to wear a mask whenever you cannot keep a safe distance (at least 6 feet) from other people, and encourages mask wearing in crowded spaces, either indoors or out. For more information on the executive order, read about it here.
PLAN Jeffco respectfully offers these guidelines and thanks everyone, not only for following the guidelines, but also for your support via the ½ cent sales tax that goes to Open Space every time you buy something in Jefferson County.
* Walk close to home, enjoy your neighbors’ flowers.
* If you find the Open Space parking lot full, move on to another park. Check out the parking lot app (LotSpot) to find a Park not currently overcrowded.
* Come at a time when the park is less crowded such as weekdays, before 8 am or after 6 pm.
* Wear a mask, neck gator or bandana.
* Stay on the trail whenever possible, while honoring social distances. Be careful where you step as vegetation is in full growth this time of the year—and yes, there may even be snakes near or on the trails!
* The 6-foot social distance recommendation refers to still air. If the wind is at your back, increase the distance between you and the person in front of you.
* To minimize interaction time consider giving downhill hikers the right-of-way.
* Observe park, trail or area closures.
* Follow guidelines posted at trailheads.
* Be considerate of other park users and Open Space staff.
Who is that intrepid masked person??? – It should be you!!
Survey to help guide Mt. Morrison upgrades
/0 Comments/in Articles That Educate, JeffCo Open Space, Parks, Parks & Trails, Uncategorized /by BlogMasterMt. 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
Steps Mark Progress in Canyon Project
/0 Comments/in JeffCo Open Space, News & Views, Uncategorized /by BlogMasterPHOTO 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
Open Space Camping Reservations Suspended
/0 Comments/in Calls to Action, JeffCo Open Space, News & Views, Sticky /by BlogMasterFrom Matt Robbins, Community Connections Manager, Jefferson County Open Space:
Some background leading us to this decision:
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
Are You a “CARE” Person?
/0 Comments/in Calls to Action, Featured, JeffCo Open Space, News & Views /by BlogMasterAre 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.