Fossil Ridge Trail

[OkieBoy2]

What's the latest on the gate on Fossil Ridge Trail? Still there? I am going to be at Taylor the last week of August and I am planning my rides.

?

[Trailryder42]

Last I heard was you could still ride the trail up to the gate, but then you have to turn around, so it's essentially and out and back trail.

[Duct Tape]

Rick Ramsey has also posted on his site that the alternative access point up (or down) Willow Creek Tr. is blocked by gates on private property at both ends.

At this link http://www.rickramsey.net/FossilRidgeProblem.htm

[Gee]

My inside sources tell me it's a pretty short section (100yds) that is "blocked off" and that you might be able to just ride around it, but I certainly wouldn't condone such behavior. The land owner is a fine, outstanding guy, I wouldn't dare cross his land.... ?

[cbff33]

I plan on approaching the forest service this winter to discuss reroutes around the property next spring. Keep tuned to CBTRA.org for more over the coming months.

[wvmountainman]

We rode it around July 25th. The gate on the Gunnison Spur side was open. We continued our ride and came to the Gate on the Gold Creek side and it was locked. People are riding around both of them. The Gates are not very far apart. We would not have transversed the area but we were unaware that there was an issue with a property owner.

[rockieman]

We tried it last year and they had a guy up there on horseback with a sidearm advising us to turn around. He was very nice about it and said he was up there primarily to keep bow hunters from coming onto the property. I never argue with anyone who has a gun.

[OkieBoy2]

Guys,thanks for all of the information. I am in a delimina here as to ride the trail or not. I have been riding this trail for at least 15 years and now there is a gate stopping me! ? It has been one of my favorite loops out of Taylor. I hate to ride around gates especially ones with armed guards. Unarmed guards maybe. Rockieman,what time of year was it when you saw the guy on horseback?

[Enterprise]

As of 8/27 the gates are easily avoided (assuming there's no armed guard present - of which, I heard no reports this past weekend).

The section of this incredible 16 mile trail that crosses private property is less than 1/10th of a mile long (unfortunately right in the middle).

I think it's a crime that someone would close access to such a great trail by installing gates across a 1/10th of a mile section - gates that have no other purpose than to eliminate the publics access to and/or the usefulness of this trail (the gates are little more than the trail width wide - i.e. they're not linked to any other fence that could be used to control livestock/wildlife).

Based on stories I've been told of other private property owner's dealings with the Forest Service, this appears to be a blatant attempt to blackmail the forest service - probably into some concession that will be financially lucrative to the land owner.

It's seems amazing that the government can condemn homes for a Walmart, yet some jackass can close (useful) access to hundreds of acres and 16 miles of trail with such a small claim. Seems like there must be a better solution.

[Gee]

Here's a little history regarding the land owner.

http://www.hcn.org/servlets/hcn.Article?article_id=3947

http://www.hcn.org/servlets/hcn.Article?article_id=5166

[Enterprise]

Thanks for the info - it's just as I feared! If I had known this last weekend I would have spent a little more time and done some extra work in that area.

Does anyone know/have the address of the relevant forest ranger? I'd love to get a letter writing campaign going to increase the visibility of this offensive attempt to commandeer public lands.

[ramz]

The letter from James Dawson, shown on my web site, has his contact information....

Fossil Ridge Trail Problem ?

[scott_01_xr400]

any new news here ?

[jonpowderski]

any new news here ?

Don't quote me, but there are db tracks just going around the gate. It's a gate without a fence.

[no2tracks]

Someone's bored to bring up a 2 year old thread.

[scott_01_xr400]

not bored, just heading to colorado and wanting to know if the trail is still closed.

[no2tracks]

Technically, yes. Really, no. It's 2 gates up by timberline with no fence. Everyone just rides around them. They mark an old mining claim some dude bought and 'gated' to try and force the forest service into a swap for other land. He's does this for a living, developing remote parcels with hi $ homes. He got his start by trying to develop a chunk of land in a Wilderness area. The FS conceded and traded him some land. The only people that got upset about this closure were us bikers. Nobody else seemed to care, so for now it's kinda blown over.