RED MOUNTAIN HISTORIC DISTRICT ENHANCEMENT Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, Gunnison National Forests Ouray Ranger District

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1 RED MOUNTAIN HISTORIC DISTRICT ENHANCEMENT Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, Gunnison National Forests Ouray Ranger District Project Summary The Red Mountain President s Initiative Project proposes a comprehensive planning and improvement effort for approximately 20,500 acres of National Forest in the Red Mountain Area on the Ouray Ranger District of the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests. The Red Mountain Area is truly a national treasure, nicknamed the Switzerland of the America. It is bisected by the acclaimed San Juan All American Road. It receives heavy and diverse recreational use with an estimated 1.2 million annual visits. The area is punctuated by the historic Red Mountain Mining District and is extremely rich in historic features. Recreation facilities in the Red Mountain Area are inadequate to support this use or promote high quality recreation experiences, protect natural and cultural resources, or safeguard the public from the hazards of congested roadside parking and mining ruins. The goals of this project are to enhance and expand recreation opportunities in the project area, improve public health and safety, and protect and restore natural and cultural resources in the Red Mountain Area. The project has five interdependent components: facilities maintenance and improvements, Crystal Lake Dam reconstruction, historic site work and interpretation, easement acquisition, and travel planning and implementation for recently acquired lands in the area. The total cost of the project is estimated to be nearly $27 million, with partners contributing approximately $7 million. The Red Mountain Area is favored by many partners who have demonstrated a strong commitment to it in the past, and high levels of support for the project are expected. Minimal environmental assessments would be required to implement most of the project. The project would be completed in phases, requiring four years. Another Red Mountain Project was initiated in 1998 by the GMUG National Forest, in partnership with several other entities. The goal of the project was to acquire 10,500 acres of private, historic lands within the Red Mountain Mining District and promote the stabilization of historic features in the area. This effort has added approximately 9,000 acres to the National Forest System and stabilized several historic features. Most of the remaining 1,500 acres are likely to be acquired in future, and 700 additional acres are about to be acquired under CERCLA. These lands lack management plans and their future has yet to be determined. The travel planning component of this project would address this need, resulting in the designation of motorized and non motorized routes and removing (decommissioning) unneeded or poorly located routes. The direct benefits of the project associated with enhanced and expanded recreation opportunities, improved public safety, and stabilized historic features would become apparent almost immediately upon completion of each phase, with the indirect benefits of heightened stewardship levels and reduced impacts to natural and cultural resources being realized over time. The project would result in substantial reductions in operation and maintenance costs and deferred maintenance and promote the sustainability of both the built and natural environments. 1

2 Project Area The Red Mountain Area was one of Colorado s richest and most productive mining districts. During its heyday, thousands of people lived and worked in the area. Ghostly remnants of this bygone age are found throughout the area. 120 year old mining headframes and equipment, cabins, boarding houses, powder sheds, narrow gauge railroad ruins, seemingly impossible mining roads, and even mine shafts and adits abound and many are easily accessed by curious visitors. The area is framed by massive mountains that drain into Red Mountain Creek and the Uncompahgre River before passing through the City of Ouray. The landscape is defined by its extreme vertical relief, colorful mineralization, and deep canyon gorges. Generations of National Forest visitors have enjoyed recreating in this rugged landscape and it is now receives an estimated 1.2 million visits each year. There are few recreation sites in the area and they are inadequate to support current use, but there is an extensive network of NFS roads and trails. In the summer, hiking, OHV use, camping, mountain biking, driving for pleasure, fishing, and heritage tourism are popular. In the winter, cross country and backcountry skiing and snowshoeing are popular. A 13 mile segment of the San Juan Skyway passes through the center of the Red Mountain Area on US Highway 550, from the Ouray Visitor Center to Red Mountain Pass. This highway has the distinction of being one of only 21 All American Roads in the country, designated in 1996 by the America s Byways Program under the FHWA. It also boasts designations as a Colorado Scenic and Historic Byway (1989) and a National Forest Scenic Byway (1998). This remarkable stretch of highway, historically known as the Million Dollar Highway, is perched precariously on a narrow ledge high above the Uncompahgre River as it travels south from Ouray. It levels off for a few miles near Crystal Lake and passes through the historic ghost towns of Ironton and Red Mountain before resuming its steep climb to Red Mountain Pass. The pass is the GMUG National Forest boundary, shared with the San Juan National Forest, and is also the Red Mountain Creek watershed boundary. The Red Mountain Area essentially encompasses all National Forest lands visible from Highway 550 between Ouray and Red Mountain Pass. The area includes the entire Red Mountain Creek watershed and an adjoining segment of the upper Uncompahgre River as it flows to and through Ouray. The boundary deviates three miles up Canyon Creek near Ouray to incorporate lower Camp Bird Road, due to its proximity to Highway 550 and the fact that the facilities located along it at Angel Creek and Thistledown directly support use of the greater Red Mountain Area serving as a basecamp for many visitors to the area. The Red Mountain Area comprises approximately 20,500 acres of National Forest and includes the following key attributes: 51 Miles of NFS/County Roads, 13 Miles of the San Juan Skyway, & 101 Miles of NFS Trails Ouray Visitor Center (Ouray Chamber Resort Association) Bear Creek National Recreation Trail & Perimeter Trail Access to Imogene, Engineer, & Black Bear Passes Red Mountain Overlook Red Mountain Pass (highest US Highway in 018 ft) Crystal Lake (9.616 ft) Red Mountain Creek & the Uncompahgre River Gorge 9,000 Acres of Recently Acquired (Unplanned) Lands Angel Creek, Thistledown, & Amphitheater Campgrounds Historic Ghost Towns of Ironton & Red Mountain, Ruins of the Red Mountain Mining District 2

3 Red Mountain President s Initiative Project Project Area Map Major Project Components Facility Maintenance & Improvement: Deferred maintenance/improvement of recreation sites, including accessibility enhancements Restoration of areas currently being impacted by heavy, unmanaged use Deferred maintenance on NFS roads and trails Deferred maintenance and hazard mitigation on the Bear Creek National Recreation Trail Crystal Lake Dam Reconstruction Deferred maintenance/reconstruction of Crystal Lake Dam (high hazard, poor condition) 3

4 Historic Site Work & Interpretation: Interpretive, on site signing in developed recreation sites and/or near historic features Brochure and audio recording for self guided heritage touring Interpretive presentations and/or signing at the Ouray Visitor Center Stabilization of high profile historic features and associated AML work Deferred maintenance in historic sites included in the Forest Priority Heritage Asset list Easement Acquisition: Easement acquisition in the Sprit Gulch area Easement acquisition from Red Mountain Pass to Brown Mountain Road, east of Hwy 550 Travel Planning & Implementation: Travel planning for recently acquired lands in the Spirit Gulch and Brown Mountain areas Travel plan implementation, including obliteration of closed routes in these planning areas Estimated Costs Major Project Component CIM Grant Partners Total Cost Facility Maintenance & Improvement $9,000,000 $6,000,000 $15,000,000 Crystal Lake Dam Reconstruction $2,000,000 $0 $2,000,000 Historic Site Work & Interpretation $6,500,000 $750,000 $7,750,000 Easement Acquisition $500,000 $0 $0 Travel Planning & Implementation $2,000,000 $250,000 $2,250,000 Total Estimated Project Cost $20,000,000 $7,000,000 $27,000,000 Potential Partners BLM, Gunnison Field Office San Juan National Forest CO Department of Transportation CO State OHV & Trails Programs City of Ouray Ouray Chamber Resort Association Ouray County Ouray County Historical Society Ouray Trail Group Ouray Nordic Council CO Snowmobile Association Uncompahgre Valley Trail Riders Backcountry Snow Sports Alliance Colorado Off Highway Vehicle Coalition Yankee Boy Conservation Association Thunder Mountain Wheelers Western Slope Four Wheelers The Trust for Public Land Fort Lewis College, Community Services CO Historical Society CO Scenic and Historic Byways Commission FHWA, National Scenic Byways Program CO Preservation, Incorporated Private Land Owners within the Project Area Selection Criteria 1) How does the project support high priority restoration work for the place? The project would fund deferred maintenance of historic sites included in the Forest Priority Heritage Asset list, stabilization of high profile historic features, and associated AML work. These sites and features are already being affected by a growing number of visitors. The project would 4

5 also fund deferred maintenance and improvements in recreation sites that would facilitate proper use of facilities, expand their capacities, contain impacts, and draw visitors away from sensitive areas or historic sites. Restoration of areas being impacted by the current pattern of use would be integral to the project. The travel planning component of the project would promote restoration of the area by designating and repairing open routes, obliterating closed ones, and discouraging crosscountry travel. Most of these routes, as well as other areas currently being impacted by visitors, are clearly visible from the San Juan Skyway. Crystal Lake Dam reconstruction would prevent imminent failure, which could be catastrophic to National Forest lands and the City of Ouray below. The project would improve visual quality, restore several historic features, promote natural regeneration of impacted areas, and improve water quality. 2) How will the project reduce long term operation and maintenance costs and improve sustainability of the built environment? The project would fund deferred maintenance and improvements in recreation sites that would facilitate proper use of facilities, expand their capacities, contain impacts, and draw visitors away from less suitable, undeveloped areas. This work would significantly improve the sustainability of the built environment, as well as reduce long term operation and maintenance costs associated with patrolling, cleaning up, restoring, and attempting to manage heavy use in undeveloped areas along the highway corridor. Roads and trails in the project area are generally in poor repair. The project would reduce maintenance costs and enhance the sustainability of designated routes by repairing many of them. Stabilization of historic structures would significantly reduce the costs of retaining them. Reconstruction of the Crystal Lake Dam would practically eliminate operation and maintenance costs that have grown to nearly $34,000. 3) Are partnership funds available to leverage appropriated funds? The project has many potential partners who highly value the Red Mountain Area, several of whom would likely contribute to the project as they have in the past. Members of the Red Mountain Task Force, who initially developed the Red Mountain Project, are expected to be instrumental in pursuing and securing leveraging opportunities. This proposal was prepared on very short notice and potential partners have not yet been consulted, so the degree to which partnership funds would be available has not yet been determined. However, the project area is indeed a beloved national treasure and high levels of support are expected. Nearly $15 million have already been spent to acquire approximately 9,000 acres within the project area, and at least $300,000 has been spent by partners to stabilize historic structures. An additional 700 acres are about to be acquired, with the potential to acquire up to 1,500 more acres over the next several years. The Colorado Department of Transportation is prepared to spend $5 million to replace a critical highway bridge in the project area. The Ouray Trail Group donated over 5,700 hours of volunteer labor at a value of over $110,000 in 2009 alone, most of which was in the project area. The Colorado State Trails Program granted more than $42,000 to the project area in Several other partners have made significant and regular contributions to the project area as well, mostly in the form of volunteer labor. 5

6 4) How will the project enhance outdoor recreation opportunities? The project would greatly enhance recreation opportunities in the project area by funding deferred maintenance and improvements in recreation sites that would facilitate proper and safe use of facilities and expand their capacities, including accessibility improvements that would better serve visitors with mobility impairments. These improvements would accommodate current and future demand, reduce user conflicts, and protect natural and cultural resources. The project would also support destination based heritage tourism, one of the fastest growing recreation markets, and potentially augment the experiences of all visitors by stabilizing historic features and creating opportunities to discover the rich mining history of the area and appreciate the wealth of artifacts that remain. Both motorized and non motorized users would find roads and trails in far better condition and enjoy an expanded system of designated routes, as a product of travel planning for newly acquired lands and easements that would improve access to these lands and link recreation facilities and trails. Anglers and other visitors that appreciate the recreation values afforded by Crystal Lake would benefit by its preservation, since failure to reconstruct the dam will eventually result in its destruction. The project would enhance virtually all current uses of the area, including: hiking, camping, OHV riding, mountain biking, cross country and backcountry skiing, snowmobiling, scenic driving, fishing, and heritage tourism. 5) How does the project improve employee or public health and safety? Most notably, the project would provide more and safer parking for visitors to the project area. Many visitors currently park on the shoulder of Highway 550, often in large numbers and often with trailers, which has created an extremely hazardous situation for them as well as other motorists in several locations. Improvements would expand parking, ensure safe access and egress, and reduce the amount of human waste being left exposed in popular undeveloped areas (a very serious problem in some locations). The project would repair miles of roads and trails, many of which have known safety hazards. This type of work is particularly vital to the Bear Creek National Recreation Trail, on which even a minor misstep would be fatal in several places. Crystal Lake Dam would be reconstructed, which has a high hazard rating, a condition index of only 10, and mission critical status. It poses a serious threat to Ouray and private lands far below. Five road and trail bridges would be replaced, three of which (trail bridges) are known safety hazards. Public safety would be further improved by stabilizing high profile historic features, completing associated AML work, and reducing deferred maintenance in high priority historic sites. Such work would discourage visitors from entering unstable structures and mine shafts. 6) How much deferred maintenance will be eliminated by the project? Given the short notice on which this proposal was prepared, it was not possible to accurately calculate all deferred maintenance that would be eliminated by the project. However, the following numbers are believed to be reasonable estimates. Deferred maintenance would be reduced in historic sites on the Forest Priority Heritage Asset list by approximately $1.5 million. Reconstruction of the Crystal Lake Dam would reduce deferred maintenance by another $3 million. Critical work on the Bear Creek National Recreation Trail would reduce deferred maintenance by approximately $185,000. Critical work on other NFS roads and trails in the project area would reduce deferred maintenance by another $1.5 million, and road decommissioning would reduce it by at least $1 million. The project would reduce deferred maintenance on recreation facilities by an estimated $4 6

7 million and on road and trail bridges by at least $2 million. Total deferred maintenance eliminated by the project is estimated to be over $13 million. 7) What are the consequences of not doing the project? Failure to complete the project would result in continued impacts to natural and cultural resources related to inadequate infrastructure and heavy, unmanaged use along a highly celebrated scenic byway; persistent user conflict over newly acquired lands and poor access to those lands; unmitigated safety hazards associated with congested roadside parking, a failing high hazard dam, three unsafe trail bridges, an extremely dangerous National Recreation Trail, and unsafe historic features; continued accumulation of human waste in popular areas; and an eventual and probably permanent loss of historic integrity throughout the Red Mountain Mining District. This would also be a lost opportunity to significantly enhance the recreation experiences of 1.2 million annual visitors to National Forest lands in the project area and leave them with a lasting reverence for its extraordinary historic and scenic qualities. 7