Dear Jeff Burch, 

My husband and I have the great fortune of being the Colorado Trail adoptees of Section 22.2 (Big Buck Creek to Coney Peak) above Lake City on the Colorado Trail and Continental Divide National Scenic Trail.  We have been working the trail exclusively for 7 years and we have seen change for the good on this section of trail.  We do a lot of our trail work off of our mountain bikes.  We also backpack in the 8 miles with heavy tools and work the trail every summer.  

We live in Gunnison County and chose to do most of our mountain biking at timberline or on the Continental Divide.  We love the views, the remoteness of the experience and the wilderness of the trails. 

The section of trail being proposed for a re-route is an area we frequent on foot and bike. 

We ask that you consider travel management on the new constructed area to be for mechanized use.  The Cochetopa Hills are unique and undiscovered by many folks.  There are few users in the hills off the main full size routes (roads).  The addition of a singletrack trail traversing the area would be welcomed and protected by some of us mountain bikers.  It would not be for the average biker, but neither is the existing trail experience.  

A mechanized travel management decision on this section would create the possibility of trail stewardship that is currently not evident in the proposed area.  We have seen equestrian ride around downed trees creating resource damage in the Tank Seven/Middle Creek area.  From Silver Creek to Lujan the CT/CDNST is in dire need of adoptees and trail rerouting.  If the mountain bike community was welcomed into the area more, the possibilities are endless.  Did you know that the CT from Durango to Big Buck Creek is adopted and worked by proud mountain bikers?  

Thank you for your time and effort of this planning effort.  Please let Mark and I know if you ever have a formal trail day in the area that we can help out with.  We love the area and want to protect, nurture and enjoy our back yard.  

Joellen and Mark Fonken
970.641.6642
18 Columbine Road
Gunnison, CO  81230