On June 28, 2024, the White River National Forest released their final Decision Notice authorizing the construction of a seven-mile, multi-use trail from Redstone to McClure Pass, which would become a part of the larger 83-mile Carbondale to Crested Butte trail.
While exciting to overnight cyclists and thruhikers looking for safer passage up the Crystal River than the shoulder of Highway 133, the proposed trail has been criticized for the duration of its planning process and continues to receive critiques by some organizations.
In spring of 2023, the trail received 20 objection letters primarily critiquing the Environmental Assessment process for the trail. The Environmental Assessment was criticized as taking a “piecemeal” approach, which only considered the environmental impacts of a seven-mile section of the trail as opposed to considering its impacts as part of a larger proposed trail network.
After negotiating with parties including Wilderness Workshop, Roaring Fork Audubon (RFA) and the Colorado Sierra Club, several concessions have been made. Importantly, the entire trail will be subject to a comprehensive impact assessment should any future segment be constructed, and construction will be halted during bird breeding season.
After withdrawing formal objections, RFA and the Sierra Club continue to criticize the plan. Representatives of the two organizations have drafted a joint letter outlining their formal opinion on the plan. After reviewing the concessions, the letter lists the significant concerns the organizations still hold:
Inadequate wildlife surveys: Initial surveys by the environmental consultant and the U.S. Forest Service failed to include avian species and did not consider the broader impacts of habitat fragmentation on other native wildlife including elk, mule deer, black bear and others. The disregard for scientific evidence is troubling, particularly given that many bird species in the area are declining and of conservation concern.
Ignored scientific insights: The failure to account for cumulative impacts undermines the integrity of environmental stewardship. Recreational trails have been shown to negatively affect breeding birds, many of which are already in decline. North America has lost over a third of its bird populations (3 billion birds) in the last 40 years — a crisis that the proposed trail could exacerbate.
Limited protections: The promise to save a small patch of habitat, while beneficial, is insufficient. Viable alternatives to trail construction through natural, intact habitats exist, and these trail alternatives have not been chosen by [Pitkin] County. The priority for “user experience” over ecological sustainability is disappointing and undermines the ecological integrity of the Crystal Valley.
While the letter supports protecting elk, it also argues on behalf of 45 bird species which will not be protected by the current plan. The letter also calls upon the local community to prioritize conservation of our natural resources and reiterates the organizations’ commitment to protecting our remaining wildlands against further development. The entire letter will be sent to their 900 members, as well as printed in the Crystal Valley Echo on Aug. 1.
The official planning document for the trail from Pitkin County states that the trail will not endanger current efforts to designate the Crystal River as Wild and Scenic, and argues that the current plan “would only further support and bolster the status” of the corridor by improving its recreational values. However, the Crystal River Caucus wrote that potential negative wildlife impacts do not support claims of cumulative benefits.
The Crystal Valley Environmental Protection Agency (CVEPA) also drafted a letter in 2023 “adamantly recommending” that commercial use of the trail be prohibited, fearing that outfitters will shuttle mountain bikers up and down the pass.
However, CVEPA Board President John Armstrong stated that, because sections of the trail will be constructed on preexisting decommissioned roads — including the old Bunker Hill and McClure Pass roads — his organization is optimistic that habitat destruction resulting from trail construction will be minimal and CVEPA remains impressed with the trail’s current respect for riparian habitat and elk populations.
In addition, Armstrong supported the increased safety for those traveling up and down the Crystal River Valley and theorized that the trail may help foster a sense of community along the river corridor.
As populations increase, Pitkin County stated that the trail will continue to support the local recreation economy, which accounts for nearly a third of direct employment in the county, and will contribute to the economic health of the Crystal River Valley.