If you really think that lands can keep their wild character while allowing many uses, then I suggest you go mountain biking on the Roan Plateau, the San Juan Basin, the Raton Basin, the Powder River Basin, etc. In fact, a few new gas rigs just popped up here, near McClure Pass — adjacent to one of the areas the Hidden Gems is trying to protect. Let’s stop pretending that our favorite recreational activity is the only important activity in the world and start looking at the bigger picture. If we don’t protect these lands then we will have drilling on our doorstep!

Unfortunately public land is all too easy to turn into things we all don’t like. The NCA designations and other alternative designations sound great to me at first. And indeed there are places they might be appropriate. But as Sue mentions, it is a two year process that doesn’t guarantee any kind of protection for these lands in the end. It allows for other special interests like oil and gas, mining, and motorized use the avenue they want to keep these lands open to them. Their resources are huge and the political climate can always change to their favor. And while I know Sue has a ton of energy, I’m not sure she can match the time and $$$ that all of these industries and interested parties can.

I know we all want what is best for Colorado, but I can’t honestly see a better option than giving these valuable ecosystems the best protection we can get them in a world that is closing in on our last bastions of “Wild.” As a 6th generation Coloradan I feel the most important thing we can do for this state is to protect it. And as of right now this is the best tool we have.

If you sit down and look at the maps and talk to the “Wilderness Jihadists” you might find they are willing to take your ideas into consideration and quell some of the misinformation that is spreading out there about “trail closures.” Land can’t even be considered for wilderness if it doesn’t meet a fairly strict criteria. Wilderness quality land is a very rare thing these days in Colorado. We have to take a good long look at this and ask ourselves if these untracked places are worth sacrificing for a few trails that realistically will never exist. Many of the roads/trails RFMBA has gripes with are going to be decommissioned by the Forest Service regardless of Hidden Gems. More than 1.3 million acres of White River National Forest remain as is even if the Wilderness proposal is adopted.

We can all see things differently, but let’s not forget to communicate and work together for Colorado. I think its wrong for us to be so polarized on this. I also think its wrong to lump everyone into the same category – Mountain bikers Vs. Wilderness. Not all Mountain Bikers in Colorado think wilderness expansion is a bad idea.

Fair enough. Although it does roll off the tongue, eh? ;)

The really sad part to me is that their approach to the issue has divided people who, by rights, should be firm and fast allies. There aren’t going to be many people who read your blog (or who play in the backcountry at all) who are going to disagree with the need for wilderness. It serves a powerful and important purpose. Why, then, should we be fighting over this?

There should be room enough out there for everybody to recreate responsibly, including the moto-folk. But if one group – the group that holds the cards on this issue politically – takes a “my way or the highway” approach to the issue, all the rest of us can do is fight them. Which is a HUGE waste of energy that should be focused on protecting the backcountry from abuse.

It’s also good to remember that the less name calling you use, the more convincing your take might be to someone who is on the fence.

Lou