The Alpine Triangle is a Special Recreation Management Area (SRMA) made up of about 150,000 acres managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service in the San Juan Mountains of southwest Colorado. An SRMA is a place where we recognize the outstanding recreation values and opportunities available in this area and focus extra time, effort and funding on managing these outstanding resources. Our basic goals are simple:
To facilitate the public’s enjoyment of these recreation opportunities and
To minimize the negative effects that recreation has on other resources in the area.
We are beginning the process of updating the Recreation Area Management Plan (RAMP) for the Alpine Triangle. This is a specific plan that will guide how we manage recreation in this area for the next 20 years or so.
What area is covered by this plan?
All BLM and some Forest Service lands between Lake City, Silverton and Ouray
BLM lands around the Lake Fork of the Gunnison River, North of Lake City
See the Map of the area to be covered in the plan.
What types of decisions will be made in the RAMP?
- The overall goals that will guide recreation management in this area. What do we want things to look like in 5, 10 and 20 years?
- The activities, settings, and experiences we should be managing for. What benefits do we hope to get from this management?
- The realistic actions and infrastructure that will be needed to support these goals.
- How will we work with our partners to accomplish these goals and actions?
- We also need to include a Byway Plan for the Alpine Loop Scenic Byway.
What process will we follow for the RAMP?
- Review existing information and plans.
- Ask the public their thoughts on what issues and concerns we should focus on (Scoping) – get comments back by November 6th, 2006.
- Work with our partners to develop goals and identify alternatives (Winter 2006/2007).
- Prepare a Draft RAMP and Environmental Assessment (EA) showing alternatives for management ( Fall 2007). Allow for public review.
- Incorporate comments and prepare Final RAMP and EA (Winter 2007/2008).
- Work with our partners to implement the Final RAMP.
The Scoping Process
Since these are public lands we are anxious to hear the public’s ideas on how the area should be managed. This process at the beginning of a plan is called Scoping. We would like to hear the issues and concerns that you think should be addressed in the plan – What is going right? What could be improved? What should be our goals for the future in this area? Here are some examples of issues and concerns that could be addressed:
- What changes, if any, should be made to our Travel Designations?
- What activities and experiences should we be managing for in this area?
- Do we want to increase appropriate recreation activities in the shoulder seasons and winter to expand business opportunities in the surrounding communities? If so, how?
- Are there opportunities to work with landowners to stabilize, interpret, and/or allow the public to visit historic structures on private and/or county land?
- How can heritage resources be protected and heritage tourism opportunities be developed?
- What facilities should we build and maintain to support desirable recreation opportunities? Where should they be located?
- What commercial activities and special events should we manage for? Where should they occur?
- Are there conflicts brewing between visitors? If so, what can we do to avoid them?
You can submit your ideas to us using the Scoping Comment form or simply by writing down your thoughts, ideas, issues, concerns or goals and sending them to us before Nov. 6th, 2006. You can email them to Arden_Anderson@co.blm.gov or send them by regular mail to:
Arden Anderson
BLM – Gunnison Field Office
216 N. Colorado St.
Gunnison, CO 81230
For more information you can email Arden at the address listed above or call at
(970) 642-4454.
How can you participate?
- Formal Opportunities
- Scoping workshops in Silverton, Ouray and Lake City have already been held in early Oct., 2006.
- Submitting scoping comment forms with issues, concerns, suggestions and ideas before November 6, 2006
- Work with us to develop Alternatives in Lake City, Silverton or Ouray.
- Comment period on the Draft RAMP and EA
- Informal Opportunities
- Contacting Arden Anderson at the Gunnison Field Office at (970) 642-4454 or Richard Speegle at the Columbine Field Office in Durango at (970) 375-3310.
- Face-to-face meetings and/or potential field visits with Arden and/or Richard.
- Regular updates through emails, mailings, notices in local papers, and information through the Gunnison Field Office website
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