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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2001-14 Expressing the Town of Vails's Support for the CO WIlderness Act of 2001w-J ~ RESOLUTION No. 14 Series of 2001 A RESOLUTION EXPRESSING THE TOWN OF VAIL'S SUPPORT FOR THE COLORADO WILDERNESS ACT OF 2001 WHEREBY DESIGNATING CERTAIN BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT LANDS FOR WILDERNESS DESIGNATION WHEREAS, Congressional Wilderness designation provide permanent protection to the natural, scenic, recreational, and biological values of federal land and certain lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management in Colorado that possess such natural, scenic, and biological values of an outstanding nature; and WHEREAS, A variety of uses, including high impact activities such as resource extraction, and low impact activities such as non_motorized recreation are appropriate on lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management; and WHEREAS, Wilderness designation of such sites as Castle Peak, Bull Gulch, Deep Creek, Pisgah Mountain and Hack Lake (Flat Tops Addition) that are administered by the Bureau of Land Management would leave many other lands open to higher impact uses; and WHEREAS, These potential wilderness sites are highly valued by Colorado residents along wi#h our guests and visitors of the Town of Vai] for activities such as hunting, hiking, horseback riding, site seeing, wildlife viewing, camping and grazing; and WHEREAS, Colorado residents, including many in the Town of Vail and our guests, place a high value on natural and scenic landscapes as an important aspect of their quality of life, and protection of land in its natural state helps to preserve our quality of life; and WHEREAS, Many Colorado residents, including the Town of Vail, support permanent protection of additional Bureau of Land Management lands in the State of Colorado for wilderness area designation; and WHEREAS, The Town of Vail wishes to express its support for the designation of sites such as Castle Peak, Buli Guich, Deep Creek, Pisgah Mountain and Hack Lake Flat Tops Addition) as some of Colorado's newest wilderness areas; and WHEREAS, The Town of Vail represents the voice and concerns of its citizenry to our state and national wilderness area decision-makers who value local input. NOW, THEREFORE, be it resolved by the Town Council of the Tawn of Vail, Colorado: The Vail Town Council, of Vail, Colorado, generally supports the wilderness designation of lands in Colorado and strongly urges our state and national wilderness area decision-makers to support the designation of Castle Peak, Bull Gulch, Deep Creek, Pisgah Mountain and Hack Lake (Flat Tops Addition) sites as wilderness areas, as described in the "Citizen's Wilderness Proposal for Bureau of Land Management Lands". INTRODUCED, READ, APPROVE© AND ADOPTED this 18'" day of December, 2001. rug, `C ~--~ E ~ ~+ ~ __ Ludwig Kurz~IVlayor, Town of Vail 1 L rele' onaldson, Town Clerk, Town of Vail ti41~ l Pisgah NXuuntain Colorado Wilde~ess Network Citizens' ~V~derrteas i<nvEntory Preliminary ttesults, Jane ZQOX 1=YelI bslotiv the elevation of mpst Colorado ylTilderness tireas, the steep topo~r .~;hy along the Colorado River includes red sarndstorre cl~s, Arid rock grasslands tzrtd aspen groves. L~/ HT~l~i Resource Area: Grand .function RA Pis Mountain' 15,667 aeries Location Three mites southwest of McCoy and four miles west of Hoed, this unit's northern boundary is the Colorado River. wilderness Qualitties t The land of man is noticeably absent within the Pisgah Mountain unit. Except for traces of early human settlement, dame identified as I1te, the area is primarily affected by the forces oI'nature. l~isga,h I1Qoutrtain rises Z,OOU Feet from the Colorado River, which has carved` an extensive and scenic canyon on the north and east sides of the unit. The presence of the river's riparian ecosystem affords a meat variety of flora and fauna and adds to the unit's autstaindirxg scenic qualities. This is a diverse area in the foothills and lower montane life canes. The $,d00-foot elevation of Pisgah Mountain, which is the unit's high point, puts Piste well below the altitude of nnost designated Wilderness areas in Colorado, The rigged topography of the Pisgah Maunta~n unit reduces the frequency of visitation. This gives the area a wild, unpopulated feeling and makes it a prime resource for noel m-otorixed, aan-developed .~~.;.wtion. Red rack cliffs of the State HridgG formation fringe 1'lsgah Mptrnfaln and add to its sense of isolation. Pandemsa piees grow along the Cfllorado River and arid, tacit grasslands cover the flanks of Pisgah Mountain. Sc.~:1:...:d aspen groves acid diversity to act otherwise . austere desert enviranrnent. 'Fhe unit pro~des a "habitat linkage zone" for the lynx. tlYentary HL7tOry The Pisgah Mountain taut was inve~ried by th'e BLM in the late 1970's. The BI.,M dropped Pisgah from further coxlsideration for Wilderness because they found the area #o lack ot.;a~ding opportunities for solitude and unconfined recreation. The BX,M's finding was based on steep topography, a narrow configuration, and sparse vegetation. Citizens' inventories found the area to eorrtain ample Wilderness Characteristics. The unit's topography, configuration and vegetation make for art outstanding Wilderness experience. Resource Info~r•tnataon I The cutting o:f pinyon jumper forests for wildlife habitat, notably sage grouse, has impacted the Pisgah 1Vlaevrtain, unit. There are vestiges of an old stagecoach road off the old Colorado River road, both of which are foot trails. There is potential for significant Ute/Paieo artifacts, though no surrey Itas yet been performed. 13eveloped ~Y.;.,,gs, ditches and stock poAds far iR _:.aawlC exist, bR# &17G gl1rC1[ly lyemg 7eVCgGlHted natural progression. There are no dams or water diversions. Isere are no active oil and gas leases is the unit. t losed roads have been ripped and .:a;,;,,led. ss part of the Castle Peak Travel 11~anagement Plan. 1Vlatorixed use is Limited to designated, summer-only routes. The one road within tlxe uni# (Road 8585] could quickly and easily be closed and t+educed to foot trail status. An old wates• troagh acrd water tank at 8aienced Rock Spring could be hauled ~y to eliminate sights of man. i2/i1/U1 17:42 Felg 3038444886 lixnr+e "~'""'"~` 1. -. J!. • r ~ •~ '1 r ~. ati t •~ I / .+;r' .~ i~°.. P; _ Imo. N,••~ ~: J _ _ 'jSl'• ~.1, 1. ,, ./, r. --_ • _ '..,t -,.j ' -- _ ,~~ . i. /• /I. ~ T ~ l ~ _ .- _C-. ~._ .Il rte- - „ •i °' -_ ~:~ - i . ~ r. r=~,~: -~ ~;..: ~'•' ~-~' ;. ' - I Ni~• ': '-. I ~- ~ ~~ ~ -~ ~' ua it ~ sa 3~ ~~' / .-.L^_ '~.•~,*y,4 ~ •. -- ~ .j !i ='~` - f~ 'ter •~ :.-_ - . ~' ~, f - ~ •." 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