Greetings,
Here we go with another summer of fun in the Roaring Fork Valley. Hopefully before the summer heat is upon us we have a nice cool and wet spring. NO WILDFIRES in 2021!
Outline:
- Forest Service Work Days
- Trail Opening Dates
- Basalt Mountain Late Opening
- Ambassador Program
- CBTRA Membership
- Common Sense
Work Days:
Last season CBTRA once again partnered with the Forrest Service to help improve the trail system on Basalt Mountain. We held 3 work days on Basalt Mountain where we built fences, re-routed trails, and held a meet and greet at the Basalt Mountain Park Lot and the Red Table OHV park lot.
For 2021 we plan on holding 4 work days. One of the work days this summer will be a Kid’s Day. Please bring your son or daughter and let’s show the Forrest Service that we care about the future of dirt biking in the Roaring Fork Valley. The dates below are tentative. Please try to attend these work days. And as always we will be heading to New York Pizza after each work day to enjoy some great pizza and beverages and as always it’s on CBTRA’s tab.
Scheduled FS Work Days:
- June 27 Sunday
- July 25 Sunday
- August 29 Sunday
- September 26 Sunday
Trail Opening Dates:
Basalt Mountain - North Fork, Lone Pine, Green Gate all open on 6/21. The gate at the bottom of Red Table rd. and Cottonwood Pass will open before 6/21. This does not mean that the above trails listed are open. Please respect gate closures until 6/21.
Triangle - Triangle Peak, 6/21
Hardscrabble- opens 4/15
Bocco- opens 5/1
www.cotrex.com is a great web site/app that shows you all the trails in Colorado and their opening and closing dates.
Why is Basalt Mountain open so late to dirt bikes?
The reason why Basalt Mountain trails open so late is to help protect the young Elk & Deer during the spring calving season. In my recent meetings with the FS and Parks & Wildlife the main topic of concern is people riding Basalt Mountain before it legally opens. This season you should see more signage on kiosk about the calving season.
DO NOT POACH BASALT MOUNTAIN SINGLE TRACK BEFORE THE OPENING DATE OF 6/21!
Ambassador Program:
This summer the Forest Service will be promoting the Trail Ambassador Program. This program allows people to be trail ambassadors for the Basalt to Gypsum trail system. As a Trail Ambassador, after your ride you will be responsible for logging into the trail ambassador survey and answering a short questionnaire. The questionnaire is specific for the Basalt to Gypsum trail system. This includes Green Gate, North Fork, Lone Pine and One Mile single track. The questionnaire is short and very easy to fill out and only takes a couple of minutes. If we want any new routes to be opened in the Basalt to Gypsum trail system we need to get information to the Forest Service thru the Ambassador Program. Please let me know if you have any questions about this program and how to register to become an Ambassador. We will also be posting information on how to become a Trail Ambassador on our website.
CBTRA Membership:
I had the privilege this past summer to go on a 5 day ride with Cameron Steele and his group the Desert Assassins. We left from Gateway Colorado and made our way back to Aspen. Cameron and his crew are class acts and definitely rip on dirt bikes. They were very generous to CBTRA and donated $500.00 to our club. Big thanks to those guys!
We also received a $500.00 check from the Colorado 500. Even though there ride didn’t take place in 2020 because of Covid-19, Janet Lohman and Tony Thompson still managed to donate to our club. Big thanks to these folks and all the Colorado 500 family.
If you’d like to join or renew your membership, please go to our web site and join.
The basic membership is $25.00.
Common Sense:
Pack It In Pack It Out-
And better yet, pick up somebody else’s trash. Last week I spent 3 hours on trail # 529 picking up cans and bottles. It’s pretty sad to see all this trash on the trails. But it is also sad to say that I really never see any trash on single track trails, it’s all on the two track. Let’s stay ahead of the critic’s because you know we will get blamed for this.
Show Respect to Other Users-
When you encounter other trail users show respect. If its hikers ride by slowly and don’t dust them out. If you encounter horses on the trail, come to a complete stop, kill your engine, talk to the horse owner and ask them if it’s ok to pass. If its mountain bikers slow down and wait for a good place to pass.
Purchase Your Current OHV Sticker-
This might be the most important thing you can do as a dirt bike rider. The money that your OHV sticker cost you goes directly back into our trail system. So many grants that are given to local motorcycle clubs are supported by your OHV sticker purchase. I know for a fact that if you come across a Forest Service Employee or a Parks & Wildlife Officer they will be looking for your current OHV sticker.
Spark Arrestors-
If we go into a stage one fire restriction Spark Arrestors are required. I don’t believe we are there yet but I’m sure we will be soon enough. With our current history of wildfires in and around the Roaring Fork Valley, I would highly recommend putting one on your bike if you don’t already have one.
Social Media-
CBTRA has a Facebook page which we use to post pic’s and give updates to what is going on with the club. Please fill free to post pics of the local trails and conditions.
Thanks for reading and we hope to see you out on the trails,
Dave Fond,
e: fonddmk@comcast.net
CBTRA