County officials plan to tackle the degradation of Mount Bierstadt

Clear Creek County hopes to meet with stakeholders to find a solution to the public’s overuse of Mount Bierstadt.

Commissioners met with Forest Service officials on June 27 to create a plan to address the wilderness area’s continual degradation. They plan to identify the groups that should be part of the discussion.

“If we let this thing unravel, it is going to get to the point where it’ll either have to be closed or people aren’t going to have any (reason to) go,” said Brian Banks, district ranger for the South Platte Ranger District.

It is estimated that 35,000 people use the popular 14er every year. During the week, as many as 17 people are on the summit at once, and on the weekend, that increases to 28. According to the Forest Service, there have been 133 people counted at the summit at one time. The area has 106 designated parking places, but the site sees as many as 375 to 400 vehicles at peak times.

The same concerns have Clear Creek’s commissioners continuing to discuss the creation of a toll or permitting system to control access to Guanella Pass to curtail the damage being done by overuse.

“We have reached a tipping point I’d say in the last three years,” Banks said. “So we’re getting to the point where we’re going to have to make some really tough decisions.”

Read more here: www.clearcreekcourant.com/content/county...tion-mount-bierstadt
By Ian Neligh
Wednesday, July 5, 2017 at 1:30 pm (Updated: July 6, 3:33 pm)