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County staff recommends trailhead location in Lyons
Hearing Thursday on parking for trail connecting town to Heil Valley Ranch
Photo by Mark Leffingwell
Valerie D'Ambrosio, left, and Lauren Gennett ride their mountain bikes up the Wapiti Trail at Heil Valley Ranch on Wednesday. The Boulder County Parks and Open Space Advisory Committee is holding a public meeting tonight to help decide the final location of a trailhead for a path connecting Hall and Heil Valley ranches.
If you go
What: Public hearing in front of the county’s Parks and Open Space Advisory Committee on the future location of a trailhead in Lyons that will access Heil Valley Ranch via the Picture Rock trail.
When: 6:55 p.m. Thursday
Where: Third floor of the Boulder County Courthouse, 1325 Pearl St.
For more information: www.bouldercounty.org/openspace
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After years of scouting sites, Boulder County staff members are suggesting a trailhead site — on Red Gulch Road southwest of Lyons — for a long-awaited hiking and biking path that will connect the popular Hall and Heil Valley ranch areas.
The trailhead will provide access to the Picture Rock Trail, which will eventually connect the town of Lyons to Heil Valley Ranch and its existing trailhead in Lefthand Canyon. Staff members will present their suggestion to the Parks and Open Space Advisory Committee at a public meeting Thursday night.
“We have been working on trailhead options since 2005,” said Summer Adamietz, natural resource planner for the county. “Siting a trailhead is complex. We’ve been trying to work with the community as we always do.”
Even so, a vocal group of neighbors is vigorously opposing the county’s preferred trailhead location on the Olsen property — a patch of open space along Red Gulch Road. Opponents argue that locating the trailhead on the Olsen property, which is also where the Picture Rock Trail starts, will cause traffic congestion on a narrow road, route cars through already-crowded downtown streets and impact the environment.
“They haven’t done a really thorough social or environmental assessment,” said Rudy Pucel, whose property looks out onto the Picture Rock Trail. “We’re asking for a more thorough assessment — to put the project on hold.”
Mike Barrow, who heads the Boulder Mountain Bike Alliance, couldn’t disagree more. He’s been involved with planning the Picture Rock Trail, which will be open to bikers, hikers and equestrians, since the idea of connecting Heil Valley Ranch to Lyons was first kicked around a decade ago.
“The county has done an exemplary job of listening to everybody and trying to make the best decision they can,” he said. “But it’s simply a no-win situation. Somebody is going to be (angry) no matter what.”
Barrow said he believes the vast share of the 1,500 trail users on his group’s contact list are extremely excited about the trail, and he is concerned that a few loud neighbors could drag out the process.
“I don’t know anybody (in my group) that isn’t excited,” he said. “It will be the finest trail on Boulder County open space on day one. ... There’s a dozen people making all the noise.”
Boulder County has seen a record number of volunteers turn out to help build the Picture Rock Trail, which will open when it’s finished, likely in October, whether a trailhead is in place or not. It will allow users to connect Heil Valley Ranch with Hall Ranch, which lies just on the other side of Colo. 7.
There are five trailhead possibilities on the table right now, including one at Bohn Park, one along U.S. 36 and one behind Lyons High School.
Posted by l.quinn on July 24, 2008 at 8:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)
There is no disagreement on the need for this trail. The county residents, Lyons Town Board and the staff of Lyons High School have all expressed their support for the High School alternate. This would provide a better access, plenty of overflow parking at the school on peak weekend days, offer water supply and wastewater disposal, and not cause major impacts to neighbors and non-motorized traffic on the adjacent county roads. It is a total win-win solution to this long process, but the county and Boulder groups seem locked into a Red Gulch trailhead site without any good justification.
Posted by aslan4124 on July 24, 2008 at 8:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Anyone else notice that Valerie and Lauren, the 2 shown riding their mountain bikes in the photo, have a dog with them? Gee, I wish I felt free to disregard the rules and signs about no dogs being allowed in Heil Valley. Somebody issue them a ticket!
Posted by bouldereric on July 24, 2008 at 8:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I noticed the pooch in the photo accompanying this story. Dogs are not allowed at Heil Valley Ranch.
Thanks again Daily Camera for portraying mountain bikers in an unflattering fashion and giving critics of our legitimate use of tax payer funded trails something else to use to restrict our access.
I love my dog but rules are rules. I hope BoCo contacts these women and reminds them of that.
Posted by cgjj1 on July 24, 2008 at 8:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Rudy,
It's time to change your diapers.
Posted by tdelker on July 24, 2008 at 9:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I disagree that the High School alternative is the best location. They would have to relocate the softball field, a very costly expense, $375k more, doubling the cost of the trailhead. An alternate location would have to be found for the softball field, using up town owned land.
I think that's pretty good justification!
Posted by jackstraw on July 24, 2008 at 9:21 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I applaud the county, BMA and the town of Lyons for getting this thing going and hopefully completed soon. Can't wait to ride it!
To the riders pictured, use your head. You represent all of us through your actions.
Posted by noboresident on July 24, 2008 at 9:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Lauren and Valerie-
Way to be poster children for Arrogant Trail Users Everywhere.
"I know the sign says 'no dogs' but that's for everybody else!"
Posted by Buzz on July 24, 2008 at 10:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)
After three years of study, hearings, and public meetings, Boulder County Parks and Open Space is ready to get this done for the benefit of it's citizens. Good. While they've spent massive time on the public process, it's literally impossible to make every last person happy; NIMBY'ism is a potent motivating force, and unfortunately, there's not much one can do about that. Decisions simply have to be made that are in the best interest of the community as a whole.
By nature I usually take the side of the smaller constituency, but sympathy is hard to come by in a case whereby one's property values and quality of life are dramatically improved by proximity to 8,000 acres of Open Space - which we bought, not them - and then these same beneficiaries fight to not allow us access to what we paid for.
Posted by plastard on July 24, 2008 at 10:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Seriously,..Bouldereric is correct.
I have a dog and I love taking her out on hikes etc. But, if the trail says.. leash.. she's on a leash.. if the trail says no dogs.. then she stays home, or we go on a dog friendly trail. And, I always pack bags to pick up any mess. Why is this so hard for people to follow? Valerie and Lauren should preemptively pay their fines and make a good showing for those who Mnt. Bike.
Posted by nfosMike on July 24, 2008 at 10:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)
the good news is that by choosing Red Gulch most of the pollution from 80000+ vehicle miles per year will end up in town .... 80k per year for the life of the open space
seems like the downstream downwinders might be interested in what's coming their way
9 extra vehicles per hour
from Section 8.1 of Drexel Barrell Report, Olson Alternative multiplied by
12 hours per day
(because you can't use the trail at night) multiplied by
300 sunny days per year multiplied by
3.5 extra miles per round trip from town
and then round down to get a conservative (!) guess of
80185.1 of vehicle miles per year
Posted by oneofmany on July 24, 2008 at 3:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Not sure I see what is so bad about being a NIMBY Vs "It's all about me and my fun" (IAAMAMF).
Posted by oneofmany on July 24, 2008 at 3:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
How is it that 1500 bike people get to be right on issues but the people that live in the area and see how things work on a daily basis are not allowed to have an opinion without being call a little bunch of trouble makers. We get to see the things the county and others don’t, like how many near misses happen on our road, how people just park where they want to with no regard for others safety. Oh, and we get to see the really nice things like bikers stopping along the road to urinate on the nice Sunday morning and flipping us off if you don’t give them the entire road. Why can’t we have an option that works for us also.
Posted by MikeEllis on July 24, 2008 at 3:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)
You're right, that is rude. No cyclist should need the entire road to urinate.
Posted by fgd135 on July 24, 2008 at 7:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I'd suggest a combination shooting range/mountain bike/dog trailhead. and everything will take care of itself.
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