It’s Miss Mountain Manners again. Lots has been happening behind the scenes at our Open Space program. Here’s the word from our Director, Tom Hoby, in his own words:
South Valley Park, South Trailhead restrooms.
COVID – KN95 Masks Are Now Available for Staff
Please stop by the shop and see Dave Smith, our Shop Coordinator, who will gladly provide you a new mask. The KN95 is the cousin to the N95 and both masks are rated equal in capturing micron particles.
South Valley Park, South Trailhead is Open!
The trailhead is open to the public as of Wednesday morning, September 23rd! This is a great example of what Open Space, Road and Bridge and Transportation and Engineering can accomplish when we put our heads together. Great partnerships and team collaboration! A big shout-out to Buildings & Historic Sites, Park Services and Ranger Teams, as well as Region Coordinators, Daniel Rubenstein and Scott Timmons for all the help to complete this project swiftly.
North Table Mountain Park – Mud Lab Complete
North Table Mtn Park mud lab.
The Mud Lab Extension on North Table Loop is officially complete! If you’re at NTM, give it a ride, run or walk and let us know what you think.
Clear Creek Canyon Park – Gateway Restroom Foundation Poured
The foundation has been successfully poured at the CCC Gateway restroom and soon it will be out of sight and out of mind once the walls start going up. What lies beneath will be ½ mile of in-floor heat pipe and over 2 tons of reinforcing steel (which is more weight than Mary Ann’s Mini & Pedro combined!).
Firewood Sale – Last Weekend
Preparations are underway to host the last firewood sale of the year. The team will be logging a few hours this weekend to help residents remove the remaining wood.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee
With the increased news and cultural conversations around equity and racial justice, many staff members recognize that it is past time that we bring these conversations to JCOS. The ideals of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) are important to our staff, volunteers and visitors in the parks. A new JCOS DEI Committee is being established with the goal of fostering a diverse visitor base that feels empowered to be lifelong stewards of the outdoors and a workplace that is comfortable and welcoming for everyone.
What is diversity, equity, and inclusion?
- Diversity is welcoming of differences between people that may include gender, religion, race, sexual orientation, nationality, socioeconomic status, age, disability, or political views.
- Equity is the promotion of justice, fairness and lack of judgement within the processes, procedures and the dissemination of valuable resources within an institution.
- Inclusion is the outcome of people of diverse backgrounds being and feeling welcomed.
Do you want to join the JCOS Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee? Contact Lilly Bock-Brownstein – lb******@****co.us
All are welcome, whether you are committed to helping long-term or are just curious and want to sit in on one meeting! If you have any specialized skills, education, or experiences that may help in this effort, please mention it, but it is not required.
Camping Will Resume November 27
The current plan is to resume camping at Sawmill and Idylease campgrounds beginning November 27. Additional enhancements include a minimum seven-day reservation window and improved method for campers to secure hangtags. More information will be available as we move closer to the date.
Park Ranger Mark Oline Retirement
Following 37 years of exemplary service as a Resident Ranger (Elk Meadow) and Lead Ranger, Mark Oline retired yesterday. To say that Mark was an institution is understated. His dedication to service, compassion, wisdom, and stewardship set the compass for the Jeffco Ranger culture as it is today. His work will continue in the daily accomplishments of the Jeffco Ranger Team.
As part of his retirement send off, this is the script that JeffCom dispatch read yesterday when Mark went end of watch for the last time. This message reached all law enforcement and first responders throughout Jefferson County.
“End of Watch for 1-Ranger-2. Thank you for 37 years of exceptional service to Jeffco Open Space as a leader, mentor, and friend. You will leave a lasting legacy with your commitment to protect the residents of the community, our natural resources, and heritage. You will be missed by everyone that had the honor to work with you. We have the watch from here. Happy Retirement!”
Mount Falcon Park – Parking Expansion at Mount Falcon – Morrison Trailhead
Mount Falcon parking lot expansion
Temporary expansion of the parking lot at Mount Falcon Park – Morrison Trailhead will start early next week. Following in the success of the South Valley Park South Trailhead expansion, this is another Open Space, Road & Bridge and Transportation & Engineering special. The project will take 2-3 weeks and once complete, will roughly double the available parking spaces to 113. We hope to relieve the neighborhood parking on Vine Street before we design and construct a new entrance from Highway 8.
Alderfer/Three Sisters Park – Boardwalk Complete
The new boardwalk construction is complete and is receiving a lot of positive feedback from park visitors.
Alderfer/Three Sisters Park – Overflow Parking
To help with congestion at the East Trailhead at Alderfer/Three Sisters Park, JCOS finalized a parking agreement with Jeffco Schools that allows visitors to park at Wilmot Elementary School during non-school hours. Visitors can now park at the school and take a 10-minute walk along the Wilmot Trail to access the Park.
Deer Creek Canyon Park – Visitors Report Mountain Lion Activity
The following are excerpts from actual reports submitted through the Human-Wildlife Interactions portal on our website:
Thursday, September 24th: “Running on Red Mesa Loop. Ran up onto cat on blind corner past the tight switchback. I think it surprised the both of us as the cat initially had its back to me. Roughly 10ft distance. Cat spun around and crouched down and had its ears back. I started throwing rocks and yelling. Cat didn’t move until I made contact with a rock then it slowly walked off the trail to the north. It walked off trail maybe 30ft around me. I kept throwing rocks and yelling, but it didn’t move away further. Through the entire encounter, the cat didn’t make any noise or show teeth. I continued clockwise down the loop but walking sideways to keep an eye it. It didn’t seem to pursue me, at least not that I saw.
Mountain lion, photo courtesy of all-free-download.com
Thursday, September 24th: “I was descending Red Mesa Loop, after the first switchback. The trail bends to the left and I heard a rustling in the bushes next to me. Out of my peripheral I saw brown on the trail between the bushes and at first, I thought it was a squirrel. Then it jumped and landed just behind me, within 1-2ft. My first thought was could this be a lost dog? Should I stop? I looked over my shoulder and saw the cat with a big tail. Between looking back and realizing what it was I almost crashed in a small rock garden, but I saved it and kept riding. I looked back once and still saw it. I started yelling and screaming at the top of my lungs and pedaling harder. I knew I couldn’t outrun it and if I looked back one more time and saw it, I would have to stop, lift my bike up to make myself bigger, and face it. I didn’t see it so I kept going as fast as I could, pedaling and looking over my shoulder over and over.”
Sunday, September 27th: “Two different sets of hikers reported that a trail runner told them she had encountered a mountain lion while running on the Homesteader Trail at about 7 am. According to both sets of hikers, the runner reported that the lion was about 100 yards off the trail and went away after being spotted.”
Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) responded to the Park on the evening of the 24th, on the 25th and again on the 27th to monitor the situation. JCOS placed a mountain lion advisory sandwich board at the trailhead and Open Space Rangers hosted mountain lion safety and awareness pop ups throughout the weekend. CPW determined that the animal did not act aggressively, and the behavior may have been due to a kill site or cache being located near the trail.
Do you know what to do if you encounter a mountain lion? Stop. Make yourself look big. Shout forcefully at the lion. Slowly back away. Do not turn and run. If approached, wield a walking stick, throw rocks or use your bike to create a zone of safety. If attacked, fight back.
3rd Annual Colorado Trails Symposium
JCOS staff played a key role in helping to plan and organize this year’s virtual event. The symposium was held on September 30th and included fifteen land management agencies from across the state. Participants heard an array of topics including: Rebuilding the Historic Notch Trail, Best Practices for Partnering with Land Managers, Design & Construction for Resilient Vehicle-Accessible Trails and a Roundtable Discussion on COVID and Trails. By all accounts, this was a big success.
Exploring the Hiwan – Denver Art Museum Connection
In case you don’t know your Hiwan history, Eric’s House was built for Frederick (Eric) Douglass, grandson of Mary Neosho Williams, who purchased the original barn that has transformed into the Hiwan Museum.
In 1929, Eric Douglass joined the Denver Art Museum (DAM) as Curator of Indian Art, with an objective to define the manner in with American Indian objects were re-contextualized in a museum setting. Eric was considered the contemporary expert in Indian Art and Culture. Eric served as curator until 1946 and went on to be the Director of the Museum from 1940-1942. He was also a Trustee of the museum and in 1947 became curator of Native Art, until his death in 1956. Eric acquired thousands of objects with his own funds and most were given outright to the DAM. Through his efforts, Eric created “a whole new and universal approach to the subject of art, Native American peoples and the necessary contextual relationships between societies. He utilized the resources of his Native American relationships and the depth of the DAM collection to reintroduce historical skills and pride in material culture.” (Friends of Native Arts, DAM) Eric would often spend months re-educating the women of a reservation on how to create traditional beadwork with the help of the authentic examples of beadwork provided by the museum. Want to learn more? Visit the indigenous arts page https://denverartmuseum.org/collections/indigenous-arts-north-america
Congratulations to the Advisory Committee Reappointments
On Tuesday September 29th, the Board of County Commissioners took action to reappoint the three expired term Open Space Advisory Committee members. Congratulations and thank you to John Litz, Kathleen Staks and Sarah Gomach.
2020 National Public Lands Day
National Public Lands Day is the nation’s largest single-day volunteer effort. This past Saturday, JCOS hosted 24 volunteers along the Clear Creek Trail where we were able to remove over 900 lbs. of trash, spread over 60 yards of crusher fines and trim back 1,024 feet of vegetation to improve line-of-site for our visitors. A huge shout-out to the Trails and Park Services Teams for keeping our volunteers safe and providing stellar leadership.
Now that you know how hard our dedicated Open Space staff, volunteers and partners work to make these parks such special places, the next time you see a Ranger, Park Host or Patroller, take a moment to say “thank you”. And don’t forget your mask!
Open Space Update 11/06/2020
/0 Comments/in OSAC, Parks, Parks & Trails, Uncategorized /by BlogMasterClear Creek Canyon Park – Gateway Segment
The south side trail in Clear Creek Park is starting to take shape! We’ve been able to take advantage of the warm weather and pour approximately 1,600 linear feet of the trail. This section connects into the new bridge, has great curves to it and will award visitors with fantastic views.
Mount Falcon – Morrison Trailhead Expansion
The temporary expansion lot at Mount Falcon East is coming along nicely. Road & Bridge was moving dirt at the end of October and is at finished grade. Construction is progressing on the expanded parking area. The asphalt millings, drainage features, and revegetation will be completed by the end of this week. Parking lot striping is scheduled for Sunday and the new lot is scheuled to open to the public early next week. Visitors have already been showing excitement for this temporary parking expansion and we are working hard to get it open next week. Thanks to everyone who had a part in this great achievement!
Clear Creek Canyon Park – Restroom Construction
Construction on the two restrooms continues to make great progress. The electrical in Tunnel 1 restroom is being installed while the Gateway restroom roof rafters and sheathing is going up.
Open Space Update 10/18/2020
/0 Comments/in JeffCo Open Space, News & Views, Park & Trail Courtesy, Parks, Parks & Trails /by BlogMasterMiss Mountain Manners here…wonder what’s been going on at Jeffco Open Space? Here ya’ go, the latest and greatest, from our Director, Tom Hoby:
Deer Creek Canyon Park – Mountain Lion Incident
Mountain lion, photo courtesy of all-free-download.com
On Friday, October 9th, about 5 p.m., an adult female mountain biker encountered an adult mountain lion on the Red Mesa Loop Trail. The lion emerged from the vegetation and was traveling “about 2 feet away” from her on her right. She immediately dismounted and put her bike between her and the lion. As she shouted and used the bike to clear a safe zone between her and the lion, she made one 11-mintue call to her boyfriend, who coached her to remain strong and continue to fight back while attempting to back away. After that call dropped, she called 911 and a JeffCom dispatcher coached her through an additional 22 minutes of vigilantly keeping the lion away from her while she attempted to back away. The lion would disappear into the shrubland cover and then reappear on the trail. It would also lie on the trail, sphinx-style and make deep, loud purring sounds. At one point, the lion made contact with her bike tire with its nose, but never made physical contact with her. The incident ended when two additional riders arrived on scene, apparently startling the lion out of the area. CPW and JCOS interviewed the reporting party and one thing she indicated was that she “had seen and read the mountain lion signs” and knew mountain lions were in the area and what to do if she sees one.
JCOS closed the Park while CPW officers conducted an investigation. The Park re-opened on Tuesday with enhanced safety signage, enhanced safety messaging on social media and a schedule of ranger and volunteer-staffed mountain lion safety and awareness education pop ups for the trailhead.
Clear Creek Canyon Park – BCC/Advisory Committee Tour
As part of their yearly meeting the Board of County Commissioners and the Open Space Advisory Committee toured Clear Creek Canyon Park to check out progress on the Gateway Segment. It was great to showcase all the progress we have made on the project thus far! Check out Commissioner Dahlkemper’s Twitter feed for pictures of the tour.
https://twitter.com/LDahlkemper/status/1311813207590232065
Mount Falcon – Morrison Trailhead
Road and Bridge broke ground at the Mount Falcon – Morrison Trailhead last week and they are currently grading the site for the temporary expansion lot. There will be no parking along the stretch of Vine Street that is on our property, or between the neighborhood and the existing parking area, for the duration of the project AND moving forward. The completion of construction is scheduled for the end of October/early November. Big thanks to Park Services, Road and Bridge and Transportation and Engineering for coordinating another inter-divisional project.
Cathedral Spires Park – climbing access trail
Cathedral Spires Park- Climbing Access Trail Constructed
Front Range Climbing Stewards (FRCS) completed contract work for 2020! Stone steps and plenty of rock work help formalize a climbing access trail. The JCOS Trails Team also performed tread work and stone walls on switchbacks to clean up the access trail and make it more sustainable.
Lot Spot: Additional Parks
Over the last 1.5 years or so, many visitors and staff have enjoyed using the Lot Spot application to see how many parking spaces are available at specific parks. This application is a great tool for our visitors to help plan their visit before they leave home.
We currently have 7 parks that have Lot Spot cameras installed. Open Space will be adding the following 10 parks to Lot Spot:
Stay tuned for more information to come on when the installation will begin on the ground!
Miss Mountain Manners again — I hope you’re following Park regulations for safety and distancing while you’re enjoying the Open Space experience. As always, fellow visitors, stay well, stay safe.
Open Space Update 10/02/2020
/0 Comments/in JeffCo Open Space, Park & Trail Courtesy, Parks & Trails /by BlogMasterIt’s Miss Mountain Manners again. Lots has been happening behind the scenes at our Open Space program. Here’s the word from our Director, Tom Hoby, in his own words:
South Valley Park, South Trailhead restrooms.
COVID – KN95 Masks Are Now Available for Staff
Please stop by the shop and see Dave Smith, our Shop Coordinator, who will gladly provide you a new mask. The KN95 is the cousin to the N95 and both masks are rated equal in capturing micron particles.
South Valley Park, South Trailhead is Open!
The trailhead is open to the public as of Wednesday morning, September 23rd! This is a great example of what Open Space, Road and Bridge and Transportation and Engineering can accomplish when we put our heads together. Great partnerships and team collaboration! A big shout-out to Buildings & Historic Sites, Park Services and Ranger Teams, as well as Region Coordinators, Daniel Rubenstein and Scott Timmons for all the help to complete this project swiftly.
North Table Mountain Park – Mud Lab Complete
North Table Mtn Park mud lab.
The Mud Lab Extension on North Table Loop is officially complete! If you’re at NTM, give it a ride, run or walk and let us know what you think.
Clear Creek Canyon Park – Gateway Restroom Foundation Poured
The foundation has been successfully poured at the CCC Gateway restroom and soon it will be out of sight and out of mind once the walls start going up. What lies beneath will be ½ mile of in-floor heat pipe and over 2 tons of reinforcing steel (which is more weight than Mary Ann’s Mini & Pedro combined!).
Firewood Sale – Last Weekend
Preparations are underway to host the last firewood sale of the year. The team will be logging a few hours this weekend to help residents remove the remaining wood.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee
With the increased news and cultural conversations around equity and racial justice, many staff members recognize that it is past time that we bring these conversations to JCOS. The ideals of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) are important to our staff, volunteers and visitors in the parks. A new JCOS DEI Committee is being established with the goal of fostering a diverse visitor base that feels empowered to be lifelong stewards of the outdoors and a workplace that is comfortable and welcoming for everyone.
What is diversity, equity, and inclusion?
Do you want to join the JCOS Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee? Contact Lilly Bock-Brownstein – lb******@****co.us
All are welcome, whether you are committed to helping long-term or are just curious and want to sit in on one meeting! If you have any specialized skills, education, or experiences that may help in this effort, please mention it, but it is not required.
Camping Will Resume November 27
The current plan is to resume camping at Sawmill and Idylease campgrounds beginning November 27. Additional enhancements include a minimum seven-day reservation window and improved method for campers to secure hangtags. More information will be available as we move closer to the date.
Park Ranger Mark Oline Retirement
Following 37 years of exemplary service as a Resident Ranger (Elk Meadow) and Lead Ranger, Mark Oline retired yesterday. To say that Mark was an institution is understated. His dedication to service, compassion, wisdom, and stewardship set the compass for the Jeffco Ranger culture as it is today. His work will continue in the daily accomplishments of the Jeffco Ranger Team.
As part of his retirement send off, this is the script that JeffCom dispatch read yesterday when Mark went end of watch for the last time. This message reached all law enforcement and first responders throughout Jefferson County.
“End of Watch for 1-Ranger-2. Thank you for 37 years of exceptional service to Jeffco Open Space as a leader, mentor, and friend. You will leave a lasting legacy with your commitment to protect the residents of the community, our natural resources, and heritage. You will be missed by everyone that had the honor to work with you. We have the watch from here. Happy Retirement!”
Mount Falcon Park – Parking Expansion at Mount Falcon – Morrison Trailhead
Mount Falcon parking lot expansion
Temporary expansion of the parking lot at Mount Falcon Park – Morrison Trailhead will start early next week. Following in the success of the South Valley Park South Trailhead expansion, this is another Open Space, Road & Bridge and Transportation & Engineering special. The project will take 2-3 weeks and once complete, will roughly double the available parking spaces to 113. We hope to relieve the neighborhood parking on Vine Street before we design and construct a new entrance from Highway 8.
Alderfer/Three Sisters Park – Boardwalk Complete
The new boardwalk construction is complete and is receiving a lot of positive feedback from park visitors.
Alderfer/Three Sisters Park – Overflow Parking
To help with congestion at the East Trailhead at Alderfer/Three Sisters Park, JCOS finalized a parking agreement with Jeffco Schools that allows visitors to park at Wilmot Elementary School during non-school hours. Visitors can now park at the school and take a 10-minute walk along the Wilmot Trail to access the Park.
Deer Creek Canyon Park – Visitors Report Mountain Lion Activity
The following are excerpts from actual reports submitted through the Human-Wildlife Interactions portal on our website:
Thursday, September 24th: “Running on Red Mesa Loop. Ran up onto cat on blind corner past the tight switchback. I think it surprised the both of us as the cat initially had its back to me. Roughly 10ft distance. Cat spun around and crouched down and had its ears back. I started throwing rocks and yelling. Cat didn’t move until I made contact with a rock then it slowly walked off the trail to the north. It walked off trail maybe 30ft around me. I kept throwing rocks and yelling, but it didn’t move away further. Through the entire encounter, the cat didn’t make any noise or show teeth. I continued clockwise down the loop but walking sideways to keep an eye it. It didn’t seem to pursue me, at least not that I saw.
Mountain lion, photo courtesy of all-free-download.com
Thursday, September 24th: “I was descending Red Mesa Loop, after the first switchback. The trail bends to the left and I heard a rustling in the bushes next to me. Out of my peripheral I saw brown on the trail between the bushes and at first, I thought it was a squirrel. Then it jumped and landed just behind me, within 1-2ft. My first thought was could this be a lost dog? Should I stop? I looked over my shoulder and saw the cat with a big tail. Between looking back and realizing what it was I almost crashed in a small rock garden, but I saved it and kept riding. I looked back once and still saw it. I started yelling and screaming at the top of my lungs and pedaling harder. I knew I couldn’t outrun it and if I looked back one more time and saw it, I would have to stop, lift my bike up to make myself bigger, and face it. I didn’t see it so I kept going as fast as I could, pedaling and looking over my shoulder over and over.”
Sunday, September 27th: “Two different sets of hikers reported that a trail runner told them she had encountered a mountain lion while running on the Homesteader Trail at about 7 am. According to both sets of hikers, the runner reported that the lion was about 100 yards off the trail and went away after being spotted.”
Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) responded to the Park on the evening of the 24th, on the 25th and again on the 27th to monitor the situation. JCOS placed a mountain lion advisory sandwich board at the trailhead and Open Space Rangers hosted mountain lion safety and awareness pop ups throughout the weekend. CPW determined that the animal did not act aggressively, and the behavior may have been due to a kill site or cache being located near the trail.
Do you know what to do if you encounter a mountain lion? Stop. Make yourself look big. Shout forcefully at the lion. Slowly back away. Do not turn and run. If approached, wield a walking stick, throw rocks or use your bike to create a zone of safety. If attacked, fight back.
3rd Annual Colorado Trails Symposium
JCOS staff played a key role in helping to plan and organize this year’s virtual event. The symposium was held on September 30th and included fifteen land management agencies from across the state. Participants heard an array of topics including: Rebuilding the Historic Notch Trail, Best Practices for Partnering with Land Managers, Design & Construction for Resilient Vehicle-Accessible Trails and a Roundtable Discussion on COVID and Trails. By all accounts, this was a big success.
Exploring the Hiwan – Denver Art Museum Connection
In case you don’t know your Hiwan history, Eric’s House was built for Frederick (Eric) Douglass, grandson of Mary Neosho Williams, who purchased the original barn that has transformed into the Hiwan Museum.
In 1929, Eric Douglass joined the Denver Art Museum (DAM) as Curator of Indian Art, with an objective to define the manner in with American Indian objects were re-contextualized in a museum setting. Eric was considered the contemporary expert in Indian Art and Culture. Eric served as curator until 1946 and went on to be the Director of the Museum from 1940-1942. He was also a Trustee of the museum and in 1947 became curator of Native Art, until his death in 1956. Eric acquired thousands of objects with his own funds and most were given outright to the DAM. Through his efforts, Eric created “a whole new and universal approach to the subject of art, Native American peoples and the necessary contextual relationships between societies. He utilized the resources of his Native American relationships and the depth of the DAM collection to reintroduce historical skills and pride in material culture.” (Friends of Native Arts, DAM) Eric would often spend months re-educating the women of a reservation on how to create traditional beadwork with the help of the authentic examples of beadwork provided by the museum. Want to learn more? Visit the indigenous arts page https://denverartmuseum.org/collections/indigenous-arts-north-america
Congratulations to the Advisory Committee Reappointments
On Tuesday September 29th, the Board of County Commissioners took action to reappoint the three expired term Open Space Advisory Committee members. Congratulations and thank you to John Litz, Kathleen Staks and Sarah Gomach.
2020 National Public Lands Day
National Public Lands Day is the nation’s largest single-day volunteer effort. This past Saturday, JCOS hosted 24 volunteers along the Clear Creek Trail where we were able to remove over 900 lbs. of trash, spread over 60 yards of crusher fines and trim back 1,024 feet of vegetation to improve line-of-site for our visitors. A huge shout-out to the Trails and Park Services Teams for keeping our volunteers safe and providing stellar leadership.
Now that you know how hard our dedicated Open Space staff, volunteers and partners work to make these parks such special places, the next time you see a Ranger, Park Host or Patroller, take a moment to say “thank you”. And don’t forget your mask!
Open Space Update 9/17/2020
/0 Comments/in JeffCo Open Space, News & Views, Parks, Parks & Trails, Uncategorized /by BlogMasterMore COVID-19 Info
During our [Jeffco Open Space] All Team meeting last week most of the questions and comments pertained to COVID-19. This shows our ongoing awareness and commitment to prevention and that we are not succumbing to the pandemic and letting our guard down. For that, I applaud all of you and encourage your continued commitment to prevention and following safety protocols.
As an additional resource, we are preparing a short video on prevention and response. I hope you view this periodically to refresh your memory about best COVID practices and protocols.
In the event of a suspected or confirmed COVID case in the workplace, supervisors and managers will begin the process of contact tracing to determine which, if any, employees have been in close contact within the last 48 hours with the person in question.
What constitutes close contact? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines close contact as: a person that has been within six feet of the infected person for greater than 15 minutes.
So, what is Contact Tracing? It is this simple process of asking questions of employees that have been in close contact with the person or persons in question to gather information including:
Were you closer than six feet for more than 15 minutes with any of your colleagues/coworkers with or without a face covering?
If you must be closer than six feet to anyone, keep the time you are close to fewer than 15 minutes. This will mitigate exposure risk considerably. You can further mitigate exposure risk by wearing a face covering, opening windows, propping doors open, and reducing strong or animated conversation.
2020 Conservation Awards Canceled
The tough decision was made to not host the Conservation Awards this year. Rather, we will be developing a celebration video to be shared with all Staff, Volunteers and Partners.
A
pex Park – New Trail Management Implementation Begins Today [September 10,2020]!
With the new management change at Apex Park happening today, several JCOS teams braved the cold weather earlier this week to replace 20 trail signs and infographics to reflect the updates as well as cleared hanging branches and drains in preparation for what will likely be a busy weekend. As a reminder, you must now know the calendar date to safely use the Park.
[Bikes in the restricted segments of trails only on even-numbered days; no bikes on odd-numbered days.]
Centennial Cone Park Travois Trail – BLM Right-of-Way
Since 1995, the County has leased two parcels of land totaling 240 acres from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) north of Highway 6 in Clear Creek Canyon. The JCOS Centennial Cone Park Travois Trail traverses through portions of the property.
During the lease term, BLM policies changed, and these parcels now fall under BLM’s Right-of-Way (ROW) permit system. JCOS worked with BLM to establish a permanent, 25-foot-wide ROW permit along the length of the Travois Trail.
South Valley Park: South Trailhead Scheduled to Open the week of Sept. 21
We are on schedule to have the trailhead completed and open the week of September 21. Towards the end of last week, the concrete flatwork around the kiosk and restroom was poured and the curb and gutter were completed by Road & Bridge’s contractor. Due to the weather this week [it snowed], asphalt paving will be pushed back to next week, along with striping and revegetating the site.
Cartegraph Asset Management – Pavement
The Cartegraph Implementation Team has reached a major milestone with the launch of a new Open Space asset into the test environment. The preliminary footprint of the Open Space Pavement Asset covers over 2.4M sq. ft. equaling 57 acres. Assets like pavement are crucial in providing visitors and staff safe and sustainable access to the Open Space system. Big shout out to Christy Bouchard, Cory Marusin, Rob Thayer, Sean Perkins, Park Services and Building & Historic Sites for getting this asset and its data to where it is now.
Governor Polis Provides Update on COVID-19 Response (9/15/2020)
Please see the press release below from the Governor’s office. On Tuesday, the state announced a new format for the reopening plan, called A New Dial for Protect Our Neighbors, Safer at Home and Stay at Home. This tool will provide transparency and predictability for local governments and allow for a visual representation of a county’s success in suppressing the virus.
https://covid19.colorado.gov/data/covid-19-dial
Dinosaur Ridge – Crocodile Creek Stairs Project
Phase 1 construction at the Crocodile Creek Stairs project at Dinosaur Ridge has been completed. Improvements include rock scaling and stabilization, along with the installation of storm water diversion structures and concrete piers. The piers will serve as the foundation for future stairs and a viewing platform to be installed in Phase 2, once fundraising is complete.
If you are interested in helping Dinosaur Ridge bring this project to completion, you can find out more information here: https://dinoridge.org/support-dino-ridge/
This week, undesignated trail (UT) restoration work began at South Table Mountain. The UTs will be chewed up using a mini excavator then a native seed mix will be put down. Once completed later this month, approximately 1.4 miles of undesignated trails will be closed. The goal is that by next spring these UTs will be officially restored.
Heritage Square Land Exchange
On Tuesday morning [9/14/2020], the Board of County Commissioners approved the Heritage Square Exchange Agreement with Martin Marietta Materials (MMM), which proposes to exchange approximately 64 acres of the Matthews/Winters Park property for approximately 131 acres of MMM property located in the vicinity of Heritage Square. MMM will now submit an application to Jeffco Planning & Zoning requesting that the 64 acres be rezoned to permit mining, a process that will take 9-12 months. If the rezoning is approved, JCOS will request approval to proceed with the land exchange in late 2021.
Flying J Ranch Park – Firewood Sale Begins
This past weekend [9/12 – 9/13] kicked off our annual firewood sale and approximately 100 cords of wood were removed. This is a great start and we have two weekends left to continue chipping away at the log pile.
23 Volunteer Group Projects will be Completed by Month’s End
By the end of the month, Volunteers will have completed 23 group projects including a women’s only trail runners volunteer project, three light trail maintenance projects with NREL and a project with Life’s Too Short fitness. Thanks to all of those who helped facilitate these valuable projects.
Now that you know how hard our dedicated Open Space staff, volunteers and partners work to make these parks such special places, the next time you see a Ranger, Park Host or Patroller, take a moment to say “thank you”. And don’t forget your mask!
LET’S GET SERIOUS ABOUT FIRE
/0 Comments/in Articles That Educate, Calls to Action, Features & Opinions Archive, JeffCo Open Space, Parks /by BlogMasterMiss Mountain Manners here. I want to talk to you about something very important, and I want you to pay attention. Wildfire!
The elements are all here. We live in an arid region, and the wildland/urban interface is known as the geographic “red zone” for wildland fires. It predominates in the foothills of Jefferson County, where most of our beloved Jeffco Open Space Parks are located. Evergreen and Conifer are #1 in Colorado and in the top 10 nationally for risk of property loss to wildfire. Due to our recent persistent dry weather there is an increasingly potent risk of wildfires.
Currently there are four major fires in Colorado. With over 56,000 acres of Open Space Parks in Jefferson County, we must all be ever alert to prevent wildfires here. Nearly 85 percent of U.S. wildfires are human caused.
The increased use of our Open Space Parks due to persons seeking COVID-19 relief increases wildfire risks. Many park visitors are unfamiliar with (and/or are disinclined to familiarize themselves with) the park regulations, and are not mindful of the close proximity of the parks to home developments.
Here are the rules:
* It is unlawful to smoke or use an electronic smoking device on Open Space Lands, except within an enclosed vehicle or on a portion of a parking lot or developed trailhead that is devoid of all vegetation.
* Any fires are unlawful except liquid or gas fueled grills or camp stoves in designated camping and picnic areas.
* It is unlawful to ignite or discharge fireworks or other explosive or incendiary devices. (From Jefferson County Open Space Lands Rules and Regulations C.12.a. &b.)
Please be sensible and comply with these very logical restrictions. Also, when you encounter someone violating park regulations, call the Jeffco Dispatch non-emergency number, 303-980-7300 to report it. It is the best way to get a park ranger on the scene in a timely manner.
Wildfire mitigation work (careful forest thinning) has been ongoing at Jeffco’s Flying J Ranch Park since 2019. Fire mitigation work along Buffalo Park Road has been completed. (JCOS Director’s Report, 9/3/20) This 34-acre project will create safer ingress and egress for firefighters and evacuees in the event of a wildfire. The Conservation Greenprint 2020-2025 has $3 million dedicated to Forest Health by reducing tree density and fuel sources on 1,000 of JCOS 17,000 acres of forested lands. Priority parks are Reynolds, Alderfer/Three Sisters, Elk Meadow, Meyer Ranch, White Ranch, Lookout Mountain Preserve and Coal Creek Canyon Study Area.
Now it is your turn. Do your part and fire won’t start.
Open Space Update 8/27/2020
/0 Comments/in JeffCo Open Space, Parks, Parks & Trails /by BlogMasterAll Team Meeting – Tuesday, September 1, 2020 4PM to 5PM
This will be a different kind of meeting – one with no set agenda – an open forum that will be most beneficial with your participation. It will be another opportunity for me to hear what’s on your mind, how you are doing, what needs you have and your suggestions. We’re going to, actually Karey is going to, do her best to make it easy for you to participate whether you are tech savvy or not. There will be options for you to call-in and video-in via WebEx. We will also have all conference rooms available for people to join in without having to deal with technology (limited space available to provide proper social distancing). You will also be able [to] email, text, chat (WebEx) or carrier pigeon or cup n’ string (ok, the last two are lies) your thoughts, concerns and suggestions. More details coming on Monday. We will start with a few clarifications and perspectives about pace, workload, adaptability and our recently adopted Conservation Greenprint and then move to your questions, comments and suggestions. By now, you should have received an invitation to our All Team meeting scheduled for Tuesday, September 1st from 4pm to 5pm. Please take a minute to write down your questions, concerns and suggestions and feel free to send them to Karey prior to the meeting.
Volunteers Support the Apex Park Management Change
As we move closer to the September 10th date, a group of volunteers have been preforming pop-up events to educate and inform visitors on the upcoming change. They are also collecting data on the following: interactions, assessment of visitor knowledge of changes and which tools are most useful when communicating with visitors. A special thank you to everyone who has helped support this initiative.
Visitor Surveys
Visitor Surveys were conducted from July 22nd to August 12th at Mount Galbraith and Van Bibber Parks where JCOS requested feedback on access issues at Mount Galbraith and the potential of a trail connection at Van Bibber between Indiana Street and [the] Fairmount Trail. The summary response report for each survey is available at:
Mount Galbraith Visitor Survey Summary Response Report (also available on our website at Mount Galbraith Park)
Van Bibber Visitor Survey Summary Response Report (also available on our website at Van Bibber Park)
In addition to receiving feedback on access and trails, respondents also provided insightful comments on facilities, regulations and enforcement and general experiences about the parks. Much of this information was provided in the open-ended response questions that are available for review in the following documents. Please consider taking some time to look over this feedback.
Mount Galbraith Survey123 Full Results
Van Bibber Survey123 Full Results
Clear Creek Canyon Park: Gateway Segment
As you know, there’s lots of great work happening in Clear Creek Canyon! Check out Anne Friant’s latest update video to see the progress Buildings and Historic Sites has made on the Tunnel 1 restroom, the new bridge during the day and the custom-made high line the contractor created to ferry equipment and materials across the creek to repair the wooden flume. https://youtu.be/lLtucYCQSjw
We are on the final stretch of construction with Road & Bridge working to prep the area around the restroom and kiosk for concrete flat work. The trail will be closed to the north, at the intersection of Coyote Song and Prairie Falcon, during the final weeks of construction when concrete and asphalt pavement will be installed. We plan to open the trailhead the week of September 21st to accommodate revegetation efforts and striping.
Virtual Learning for Spanish Speakers
As the Ranger Team adapts to virtual education programs, the Communications Team is taking the extra step to have the videos translated into Spanish. Utilizing a County contract with A&A Languages, the ESI: EcoSystem Investigation videos, designed to replace the cancelled fourth grade field trips, will now reach an even larger group of future land stewards. In fact, JCOS is partnering with the Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education, E-movement, and Thorne Nature Experience, to share this curriculum in classrooms throughout Colorado to increase environmental literacy and build a stewardship ethic within today’s youth.
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