Despite a cold and snowy start to the month of May, JCOS was able to make good progress on many project fronts…read on!

Beaver Ranch Park

Trail construction is underway, and the Trails Team is making great progress.

Through an extensive community engagement process, the Beaver Ranch Park Master Plan was completed in 2017 and includes an outline for park-wide improvements.  The primary focus of the proposed improvements is to create a main trailhead at the Park’s entrance and limit the vehicular access beyond this new space.  The trailhead will become the primary parking destination for most visitors, and most amenities not included in the new trailhead design will be accessed on foot.

As a part of park-wide improvements included in the Master Plan, Jefferson County Open Space is considering a relocation of the dog off-leash area.  To get a better understanding of the community needs, a Beaver Ranch Dog-Off Leash survey was issued, which ran from April 1 – April 30.  To follow what’s happening at Beaver Ranch, click the link to the Open Space Beaver Ranch Park page.

Peak to Plains Trail

The Buildings & Historic Sites Team repaired railing along the trail damaged from a rockslide in early May (freeze-thaw, anyone?).

Lots of great progress happening in Clear Creek Canyon as JCOS races towards the Grand Opening in August.

The entire trail segment south of Clear Creek has been poured and awaits stain in late July.  The concrete entry drive for the Gateway Trailhead was poured in late May and the permeable pavers were scheduled to be completed by the end of that week.

At the Tunnel 1 Trailhead, the last lift of asphalt in the parking lot as well as the two new deceleration lanes were completed.  There’s still a lot of work to do, but JCOS is on track to open on August 5!

P2P Trail – Clear Creek Canyon Park Gateway Segment

Wet and cold temperatures in the early part of May allowed interior work to continue with electrical, plumbing fixtures and finishes installed.  Warmer temperatures in mid-month allowed for the installation of exterior stone, window manufacturing, more concrete and pavers.

As of the end of May, restroom roofing was completed and the roofing and rough plumbing both passed inspection.

 

South Valley Park – Raptor Report

One of the many reasons why South Valley Park is STAY ON TRAIL and STAY OFF ROCKS is to protect excellent raptor nesting habitat.

This year, the Natural Resources team has observed FIVE different species of raptors actively nesting in the Park, including golden eagles, prairie falcons, red-tailed hawks, great-horned owls and the smallest falcon, the American kestrel.

The hogback rock formations offer protected locations for nests and the surrounding grass/shrublands provide plenty of hunting habitat to feed young.  In the photo, a male (right) and female (left) kestrel share a small mammal snack.  Photo by volunteer raptor monitor, Audrey Boag.

Van Bibber Park

The Trails Team prepared for the Earth Day volunteer project on Saturday, April 24.  The focus of the project was natural surface trail construction, unauthorized trail restoration, fence installation and shrub/forb plantings.

Land Acreage Verification Project – Complete!

The Land Acreage Verification Project (LAVP) began with the need to understand the different types of acreage Jefferson County Open Space has contributed to preserving. Through an exhaustive and meticulous three-year collaboration between the Real Estate and GIS Teams, each JCOS land record was examined and its acreage verified, which has led to an accurate count of the preserved acreage: 54,318 acres. Moving forward, the Real Estate and GIS Teams will work together to ensure this number is accurate and up-to-date, and have developed processes to ensure that whenever someone asks how many acres JCOS is preserving, they can answer that question with confidence.

One of the later ideas that came of the LAVP was to create a simplified list of our land association types. The list below, called Land Preservation Types, is intended to make the information more easily understood, both internally and by the public. It will eventually make its way into our public-facing maps and applications.

 JCOS Owned in Fee

JCOS Jointly Owned in Fee

JCOS Owned in Fee Managed by Others

JCOS Conservation Easement

JCOS Easement

Agreement Held by JCOS (licenses/leases)

Deeded to Local Governments

Partners in the Outdoors 2021 Virtual Conference Details and Registration

The Colorado Parks and Wildlife Partners in the Outdoors Conference unites partners in the outdoors community as they continue to explore the complicated relationship between conservation and recreation in our state.

This year’s virtual conference continued efforts to advance the priorities identified in Colorado’s Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP), while also supporting Colorado’s Outdoor Principles.  Conference sessions began April 22 and continued through June 3.  JCOS was a conference sponsor and a presenter, specifically highlighting the May 20 session, “Effectively Managing Increasing Visitation to Colorado’s Public Lands”.

2020 Preservation Progress

In the week of May 13^th, JCOS posted the 2020 Preservation Progress. This year’s addition is a reflection of the Conservation Greenprint 2020-2025, a strategic framework for the preservation of open space and parkland, protection of park and natural resources, and provision of healthy, nature-based experiences in Jefferson County. This document outlines the ten goals for the next five years and provides accomplishments from 2020. The 2020 Preservation Progress document can be found on the Reports page of the Open Space website.

Rachel Brenna – New Trails Program Manager

Welcome Rachel Brenna to the Open Space team as the New Trails Program Manager.  She started in this position in late May.

“I am inspired by the beauty of the landscape and the richness of human connections.  As I have moved through my life in Colorado, Mississippi, and the Mid-West, I continue to be amazed by the power of connecting people to each other and their environment.  These inspirations ground me as a person and inform my career as a landscape architect. I have worked at many levels of detail – from creating community-wide park and trail master plans to construction detailing for public art installations – all to provide opportunities to make the environment a part of people’s daily experience.

Aside from brief stints at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the National Park Service, I have been in the private sector for most of my career and am excited to return to public service working on one of the most essential parts of our communities – trails!…”

Miss Mountain Manners agrees completely with Rachel, without the beautiful and responsibly planned and maintain trails, how would we be able to enjoy our Open Space parks? Thank you, Rachel, for agreeing to join JCOS!

Miss Mountain Manners wants to let everyone at JeffCo Open Space know how proud we at PLAN Jeffco are of the terrific work that they’re doing. The next time you’re in one of our Parks and you see a JCOS Staffer or Volunteer, introduce yourself and say “thank you”.

 

If March saw a lot of snow, it seems like April saw just as much if not more! However, that didn’t seem to slow down the teams at our Jeffco Open Space Parks:

 

North Table Mountain Park – West Trailhead

The entry sign received a new sign face with updated trailhead name and new timbers.

 

 

 

Clear Creek Canyon Park Gateway Segment

The Gateway Segment is getting some new steps leading down to the Peaks to Plains Trail. The contractor is installing steel stairs, steel shade structures, and pavers, while the Trails Team is constructing timber stairs.

The Buildings & Historic Sites Team has installing interior plumbing and a snow melt system, while the contractor has installed concrete in front of the restroom.

 

 

Peak to Plains Trail

JCOS staff is currently in the midst of a listening tour with Peaks to Plains Trail partners and stakeholders for the Plains Segment from Golden to Adams County.  The objective of the effort is to identify and act on opportunities for improvement in this trail corridor of statewide significance.  Download the Peak to Plains Collaborative Fact Sheet for more detailed information.

The Buildings & Historic Sites Team repaired railing along the trail damaged from a rockslide.

Van Bibber Park

The Trails Team prepared for the Earth Day volunteer project on Saturday, April 24.  The focus of the project was natural surface trail construction, unauthorized trail restoration, fence installation and shrub/forb plantings.

Beaver Ranch Park

Through an extensive community engagement process, the Beaver Ranch Park Master Plan was completed in 2017 and includes an outline for park-wide improvements.  The primary focus of the proposed improvements is to create a main trailhead at the Park’s entrance and limit the vehicular access beyond this new space.  The trailhead will become the primary parking destination for most visitors and most amenities not included in the new trailhead design will be accessed on foot.

As a part of park-wide improvements included in the Master Plan, Jefferson County Open Space is considering a relocation of the dog off-leash area.  To get a better understanding of the community needs, a Beaver Ranch Dog-Off Leash survey has been issued.  The survey can be accessed by scanning the QR code with the on-site signage or by clicking the link to the Beaver Ranch Park page.  The survey ran from April 1 – April 30.

Wednesday Forums Are Back

For the first time in more than a year, the Planning Team hosted the first of the virtual Wednesday Forums of 2021 in early April.  More than 70 attendees joined the forum to learn about the South Table Mountain Park Land Exchange and park improvements, as well as the work that’s happening at Beaver Ranch Park.  The following week the Planning and Projects Teams discussed the latest developments for Alderfer/Three Sisters and Tincup Ridge Parks. Want to get notifications prior to the meetings? Go to the Open Space Calendar Page and click the “Notify Me” icon at the top of the page.

South Table Mountain Park – Department of Energy (DOE) Land Exchange

On April 8, JCOS held a virtual community meeting to discuss the proposed DOE land exchange and planned access and trailhead updates to South Table Mountain Park.  Over 100 community members attended the live virtual meeting, which is available for viewing on our STM park page. The public comment period runs through May 12. If you are interested in providing feedback, please send comments to ST*@****co.us.

Trails Partnership Program 2021 Success! 

As a part of Conservation Greenprint Goal #8, Easy and Equitable Access, JCOS created the Trails Partnership Program to help support our partners who are interested in building and improving the greater Jefferson County Trail System.  Partners were required to apply for funding, and a review team of JCOS staff and Open Space Advisory Committee members decided on the following projects to receive funding:

City of Arvada – A new trailhead at Standley Lake Library providing an outdoor classroom for the library and an ADA accessible connection from Kipling Parkway to the Rocky Mountain Greenway.

Buffalo Park Improvement Association – A permanent vault restroom will replace the current port-o-lets at the Buffalo Creek Trailhead.

City of Lakewood – Maintenance to Bear Creek Trail and the construction of a parallel crusher fine trail to relieve visitor conflict.

Leawood Metro Rec & Park District – Bridge maintenance at Weaver Park.

City of Wheat Ridge – The addition of two trail connections from the sidewalks on either side of Wadsworth Boulevard down to the Clear Creek Trail.

All of these projects will add great value to our Jefferson County community, and we are looking forward to the next four years as we continue the Trails Partnership Program and help more of our partners achieve their goals.

Abandoned Mine Closures

The Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety (DRMS) has begun an abandoned mine reclamation project on JCOS properties, which will run through the end of June.  There are 14 stopes or adits that will be closed and/or fenced at no expense to JCOS.  All of the sites have been evaluated for bat habitat and will be remediated accordingly.  Please note that the conditions when mines may open, enlarge, or reopen continue to change, so operate with extreme caution when in the vicinity of former mining locations.  Just to be on the safe side, please report any unsecured mine openings to the closest Park Ranger or Volunteer.

First Quarter Camping Reservations

With camping reservations already being scheduled through the beginning of July at all three Open Space campgrounds, the word is out.  Below are the year-to-date camping reservation totals and the 10-year comparison for the first quarter of 2021.

 

 

 

Land Acreage Verification Project – Complete!

The Land Acreage Verification Project (LAVP) began with the need to understand the different types of acreage Jefferson County Open Space has contributed to preserving. Through an exhaustive and meticulous three-year collaboration between the Real Estate and GIS Teams, each JCOS land record was examined and its acreage verified which has led to an accurate count of the preserved acreage: 54,318 acres. Moving forward, the Real State and GIS Teams will work together to ensure this number is accurate and up-to-date and have developed processes to ensure that whenever someone asks how many acres JCOS is preserving, that question can be answered with confidence.

Partners in the Outdoors 2021 Virtual Conference Details and Registration

The Colorado Parks and Wildlife Partners in the Outdoors Conference unites partners in the outdoors community as we continue to explore the complicated relationship between conservation and recreation in our state.  This year’s virtual conference will continue efforts to advance the priorities identified in Colorado’s Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) while also supporting Colorado’s Outdoor Principles.  Consider registering (required) for a session to learn about key issues in the industry while generating innovative solutions to advance and balance both recreation and conservation in Colorado.

Conference sessions began April 22 (Earth Day) and will continue through June 3.  JCOS is a conference sponsor and we are specifically highlighting the May 20 session, “Effectively Managing Increasing Visitation to Colorado’s Public Lands”. Expanded conference details can be found here: Colorado Parks & Wildlife – Partners in the Outdoors Conference (state.co.us)

 

There’s always a lot going on in our Open Space Parks! The to-do list must be longer than any of us could imagine!

Miss Mountain Manners wants to let everyone at JeffCo Open Space know how proud we at PLAN Jeffco are of the terrific work that they’re doing. The next time you’re in one of our Parks and you see a JCOS Staffer or Volunteer, introduce yourself and say “thank you”.

 

February was a short month, and with all the snow that fell in March, it seemed reasonable to pair the reports for these two months together. Despite the time limit and the weather interruptions, JCOS got a lot done!

 

Centennial Cone Park – 2020-2021 Hunting Numbers

During this past hunting season, there were a total of 225 unique hunter sign-ins, the majority of whom had a companion with them.  A total of 15 deer and two elk were harvested.  Two hunters called to report that their harvested deer tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease.  Based on hunter observations, as many as 50 elk were observed in the Park at one time during the two month period.

 

 

 

Clear Creek Canyon Park Improvements – Gateway to Huntsman Trail Segment

In preparation for design of the next trail segment in Clear Creek Canyon, a drone flew through the Canyon in early February to collect more accurate survey data to help with the design phase of the project.  The steep canyon walls, dense trees and rocky overhangs led to some inaccuracies with the plane-based LiDAR survey data which was originally gathered for the project. The weather and the light were so perfect that the drone survey was finished in two days instead of the four that was originally planned.

Clear Creek Canyon Park, Gateway Segment

The Gateway Trailhead is inching closer to completion.  The crews continue to make great progress as they get closer to opening this summer.

Restroom Update

The Building & Historic Sites Team has completed installing drywall and the drywall has passed inspection.  HVAC layout and installation has begun, with lots of piping and a boiler for in-floor heating. The roofing was completed just before the big March snow. Interior wall finishes are being completed. Way to go Buildings & Historic Sites Team!

Stairs

The Trails Team completed the timber stairs and retaining walls that connect the Peaks to Plains Trail to the east side of the wooden flume.

Permeable Paver Install

Installation of the interlocking concrete permeable pavers at the Gateway Trailhead began in early March.  These pavers are very similar to the trailhead surface at Hildebrand Ranch Park and allow surface water to seep back into the ground instead of being carried into a traditional storm water system.  This not only eliminates the need for a storm water quality pond and frees up space for more parking, the pavers are a key piece in low-impact development. Check out the latest update video to learn how interlocking concrete permeable pavers are installed.  https://youtu.be/4M0XVveM35o

Board of County Commissioners Approves Design Contract for Next Segment

The next segment of the Peaks to Plains Trail and the continued development of the Clear Creek Canyon Park cleared a major hurdle in early March.  The BCC approved the contract with the Design-Build team led by Concrete Express and Muller Engineering.  This 3-mile segment is funded by $10.25M from the Denver Regional Council of Governments’ Transportation Improvement Program, and will run from where the Gateway Segment ends at the west portal of Tunnel 1 to Huntsman Gulch.  It will include two new trailheads, multiple bridges and numerous creek access points.  Design has begun, with construction to commence in 2022.  The entire project should open to the public in 2024.

Mount Falcon Park – Entry Sign Update

The entry sign at the West Mount Falcon Trailhead has been updated to provide clear direction to Park visitors.

 

Matthews/Winters Park – Dakota Ridge Trail Fencing

Thanks to the collaboration of the Trails and Park Services Teams, 56 feet of high tensile fence was installed on a portion of the Dakota Ridge Trail for visitor safety and resource protection.

Preparation for Unauthorized Trail Restoration – Log Harvesting

The Trails Team has finished harvesting and peeling lodgepole pine for buck-n-rail fencing material used to close unauthorized trails.

 

Snow Removal Operations

Great pride, appreciation and respect towards the field staff and the efforts taken toward an efficient response to Winter Storm Zylia.  Without hesitation the Park Services, Ranger, Trails, Community Connections, Buildings & Historic Sites and Natural Resources teams collaborated to both prepare for and respond to the Metro Area’s fourth largest snowstorm in recorded history.  This effort enabled JCOS to restore access to all of the main trailheads, provide at least 50% available parking at those locations, clear the paved trails and ensure the functionality of the facilities in just two days!  Huge thanks and appreciation to Jeffco Road and Bridge and local transportation departments for maintaining the roads and assisting with some of the more challenging trailhead locations.  Same for the Facilities Department who worked towards having the JCOS office open and available.  Following on the heels of Zylia, additional snowfall has pushed full recovery into subsequent weeks as JCOS staff continues to open trailheads, improve access and further clear parking lots and other trailhead amenities.

Beaver Ranch Park – Jeffco Open Space Foundation/Hanna Trust Property

Thanks to the persistence of the Real Estate Team and a little help from the Jeffco Open Space Foundation, JCOS can finally provide legal access to the south entrance of the Valley Trail at Beaver Ranch Park!  The addition of this 0.44-acre property eliminates the gap between the Park and neighborhood access from Black Hawk Drive and will enable JCOS to install visitor information at this entry point.

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North Table Mountain – Spring Snake Emergence

With the official start of spring just around the corner and two feet of snow on the ground, the Front Range is sending its usual mixed seasonal signals, including the first reported snake sightings of 2021. Garter snakes have been observed crossing trails at a few locations along the Front Range, and JCOS herp volunteer Ryan Borgmann photographed this bull snake parked at the entrance of its hibernaculum on March 7^th at North Table Mountain Park.  Snakes are not likely to venture far from the shelter of their wintering den, but warm, sunny spring days may bring them out for a healthy bask.

Apex Park – Mountain Lion Encounter

March 13, 2021: From the HWI (Human-Wildlife Interaction) reporting app: “I (adult female) was hiking down Paydirt Trail and noted an adult mountain lion walking down the hill, about 50-75 yards away.  It heard me, turned and looked at me, but continued to descend towards Magic Mountain Trail.  I took a short video since it appeared uninterested in me.  I was still and just watching, and when it disappeared from view, I noticed a trail runner above me on the Hardscrabble. I yelled “mountain lion, mountain lion, cougar, puma!  Careful!  I just saw it go down this hill!” and the runner turned around.  I continued to descend slowly and saw another trail runner coming up the Apex/Magic Mountain towards where I had last seen the lion, yelled to alert them, and they also turned around.  I was afraid I’d see it as I got on Magic Mountain back to the trailhead and walked slowly backwards on the trail until it curved.  I did not see the lion again.  A few minutes later two trail runners were coming up the trail towards me.  I warned them I had just seen it disappear in this area, they said they knew about it, and (foolishly) decided to continue running onwards towards where I had last seen it.  I got to the parking lot, saw a ranger’s truck and told Adam Campbell about it.  He gave me his business card and I emailed him the video.”

Stormwater Operations and Cartegraph

Storm water operations are evolving thanks to leadership, team effort and Cartegraph. JCOS is starting to get a bird’s eye view of its assets and a good overall understanding of their condition.  The Park Services Team completed their first round of field collecting and test inspections, entering assets and essential details into the asset management system, Cartegraph.  The GIS Team has done an amazing job giving teams the tools needed to inventory the system, discover concerns and plan strategic repairs.  This improves collaboration with Planning and Zoning, supporting MS4 permit compliance.  It also improves the ability to prepare for and respond to disasters. It may not seem important to know how many culverts there are and where they’re located, until a catastrophic flood happens.

Colorado Front Range Trail

A Request for Proposal was advertised last week to find a design team to complete a Feasibility Study for the northern Jefferson County segment of the Colorado Front Range Trail.  This multi-modal segment will connect North Table Mountain Park to the border with Boulder County. The Feasibility Study will identify the most feasible trail alignment, develop a preliminary design of this alignment, and create design/construction cost estimates.  The Study is funded by the Trust for Public Land, City of Arvada, JCOS, and the Denver Regional Council of Governments’ Transportation Improvement Program. More to come in the near future as the selection process moves forward!

JCOS Fun Fact – Pavement

Thanks to recent GIS and Cartegraph efforts JCOS has been able to quantify many assets, including pavement. JCOS maintains 3.8 million square feet of paved surfaces including concrete, asphalt, recycled asphalt, road base, crusher fines, and pavers. That is equivalent to 89.7 acres or 31 miles of a two-lane roadway.

Forest Health Successful Grant Award

JCOS received notice in February that they had been awarded $47,653.70 to help purchase a second masticator (also called a forest brush cutter).  For those who are keeping track, the Natural Resources Team is 2-for-2 on grant applications this year.

Invasive Species 101 Webinar Series Receives More Than 430 Registrations

Jeffco Invasive Species Management and Jeffco CSU Extension have partnered with Boulder and Larimer County CSU Extension to present a webinar series focused on invasive species issues along the Front Range.  This four session speaker series aims to educate and inform landowners on invasive species terminology, identification, treatment, and latest trends.  Sessions are held virtually from 6:00–7:30 pm from late March until early May. The first session had 181 attendees and to date, a total of 432 registrations.  More information can be found on Jeffco CSU Extension’s webpage https://jeffco.extension.colostate.edu/2021/02/03/upcoming-webinar/

Whew! Despite the short month of February and the very snowy month of March, it’s readily apparent that JCOS has been busy!! Even throughout the winter and all this construction, visitor numbers in the Parks are above what they have been historically, so keeping the Parks maintained for everyone’s enjoyment has been a priority. And JCOS has risen to the challenge!

Miss Mountain Manners wants to let everyone at JeffCo Open Space know how proud we at PLAN Jeffco are of the terrific work that they’re doing. The next time you’re in one of our Parks and you see a JCOS Staffer or Volunteer, introduce yourself and say “thank you”.