Survey to help guide Mt. Morrison upgrades

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

–Vicky Gits