Golden Article on North Table Mtn.

[Ascentrek]

http://www.goldentranscript.com/1editorialbody.lasso?-token.folder=2005-12-08&-token.story=146449.112112&-token.subpub=

FYI

[SkaredShtles]

Who's this "Shull" character? He sounds like a friggin' yahoo. :think: ;)

[Ascentrek]

he's a loser

[Pau11y]

Hey Ascentrek, do you know of a good place to ride in/around Golden now? My car's busted so I can't go ski. I thought I'd give it another day to warm up a bit and do some roading (it's gonna kick my ass, I'm so out of shape!). But are there any trails that's solid enough to go play on w/o wrecking the hell out of them? SS, chime in if you got something as well.

[SkaredShtles]

Hey Ascentrek, do you know of a good place to ride in/around Golden now? My car's busted so I can't go ski. I thought I'd give it another day to warm up a bit and do some roading (it's gonna kick my ass, I'm so out of shape!). But are there any trails that's solid enough to go play on w/o wrecking the hell out of them? SS, chime in if you got something as well.
Green Mountain is your best bet. If that's sketchy you can make the trip down to Bear Creek Park on Morrison Road. Not alot of fabulous trails there, but it *is* dirt. :thumb:

[Pau11y]

Sweet, it's right by the highway too! So when my out-of-shape ass puke's my brains out on the up, everyone from the highway will be able to see me.

[SkaredShtles]

Sweet, it's right by the highway too! So when my out-of-shape ass puke's my brains out on the up, everyone from the highway will be able to see me.
Seek out the secluded trails on Green Mountain. They're extra fun. :D

[Ascentrek]

Did anyone hit up Green Mtn? how were the trails?

I managed to get in a short ride on Mathew's/Winters before xmas, wasn't too bad. I'm sure by now its even more dried out.

I will be without Kids/wife for a month. we should hook up and ride....like in Utah or something for a quick weekend.

[mtbdirteater]

I requested the following press release from the Open Space director and staff, I received it today, it will be on the Open Space website soon. I am one of the bikers on the Ad-Hoc committee. Myself and the others have been working very hard on this, I will post progress and updates when available. I intend to see any challenge park built somewhere else more suitable and accessable, and for NTM to remain multi-use without any alternating bans. We will present our unified report through the Ad-Hoc Group to OSAC and the Open Space staff when we reach a consensus agreement on use and preservation of natural resources on NTM. And those of you that know me know that I am not going to agree to any discrimanatory bike ban.

Cheers,

Dave Cohen
JeffCo Trails Use Task Force Biker Representative



Status Update
North Table Mountain Park Management Plan
December 2005

Adoption of Open Space Park Management Plans, particularly for properties recently acquired or undeveloped, is accomplished through the informed consent of the Park Management Planning Team, commentary collected at public open house forums, Executive Summary review by the Open Space Advisory Committee (OSAC) and Board of County Commissioners and final signature by the Open Space Management Team.

The North Table Mountain Park Management Plan has been drafted to account for the specific conditions of the resource and its values. Recognizing that park management plans will never be considered "completed," they will be considered "mature," and ready to be acted upon, when they have been approved by the Director of Jefferson County Open Space after consensus with OSAC and the Board of County Commissioners. Once endorsed, all individual plans will be reviewed annually so they have the ability to take into account environmental, social and political changes and reflect those changes.

The North Table Mountain Park Management Plan was presented to the OSAC in the fall of 2004. Continued dialogue relating to the preferred management options outlined in the Plan created an "unsettled feel" by several user and constituency groups. Open Space agreed that additional time would be allowed for comments from the OSAC, Trail Use Task Force and other groups interested in the property's management until November 2005. At that time, various users organized as the Ad Hoc Group, requested additional time for study to formulate a consensus recommendation to staff and OSAC for the management of North Table Mountain. The OSAC and staff have agreed to defer action on the plan for nine to 12 months to approximately November 2006.

While the plan continues to evolve, Open Space will maintain a conservative day-to-day management approach of North Table Mountain. Open Space will continue to work with concerned individuals/groups/organizations to further protect sensitive areas along the trails, on the mesa and implement interim signage and communications to encourage park users to stay on established paths. Presently no user group is excluded. The alternating loop and bike challenge course concepts have been eliminated from the plan due to lack of support. Management activities will include continued communication regarding North Table Mountain’s natural resource significance and management concerns. Open Space will continue to utilize the Trail Use Task Force to help with monitoring and communications associated with trail use on North Table Mountain. No activity related to development of parking lots and trails will occur until the management plan has been endorsed.

[SkaredShtles]

<snip> Presently no user group is excluded. The alternating loop and bike challenge course concepts have been eliminated from the plan due to lack of support. This is very good news! Thanks for posting.

[mtbdirteater]

This is a public document. Keep in mind it is dated before the December 2005 OSAC meeting where we were granted the (second) NTM extension for the Ad-Hoc group to submit our report.

JPG below or scroll down for clearer PDF file.

Cheers,

Dave Cohen
JeffCo Trails Use Task Force Biker Representative

http://www.actionphotographic.com/advocacy/NTMManagPos1.jpg

[mtbdirteater]

As you know, the alternating loop schedule use plan on North Table Mountain was abandoned (we defeated it) and the Open Space director and staff now favor multi-use. Here are two current maps for additional refference. One is the existing roads (or mostly existing two-track) along with the trails, and one map of the current staff proposal for trail layout. Compare the two. This is not final yet. It will not be until myself and the rest of the Ad-Hoc committee present our final NTM study report to OSAC before the end of the year and that proposal is approved and a park management plan (PMP) is signed by the director. NTM is currently being managed de-facto per the staff memo above, as a multi use park with the existing trail system, including one small redundant segment closure just south of the radio tower as noted, for resource management.

Cheers,

Dave
JeffCo Trails Use Task Force Biker Representative

http://www.actionphotographic.com/advocacy/roadsovertrails-sm.jpg

http://www.actionphotographic.com/advocacy/ProposedTrailLayout-sm.jpg

[Ascentrek]

Thanks for posting this. This is great.

[BarbaRosa]

cool mostly flat, but some pitch

[stringcheese]

that's awsesome

[Beast]

I requested the following press release from the Open Space director and staff, I received it today, it will be on the Open Space website soon. I am one of the bikers on the Ad-Hoc committee. Myself and the others have been working very hard on this, I will post progress and updates when available. I intend to see any challenge park built somewhere else more suitable and accessable, and for NTM to remain multi-use without any alternating bans. We will present our unified report through the Ad-Hoc Group to OSAC and the Open Space staff when we reach a consensus agreement on use and preservation of natural resources on NTM. And those of you that know me know that I am not going to agree to any discrimanatory bike ban.

Cheers,

Dave Cohen
JeffCo Trails Use Task Force Biker Representative



Status Update
North Table Mountain Park Management Plan
December 2005

Adoption of Open Space Park Management Plans, particularly for properties recently acquired or undeveloped, is accomplished through the informed consent of the Park Management Planning Team, commentary collected at public open house forums, Executive Summary review by the Open Space Advisory Committee (OSAC) and Board of County Commissioners and final signature by the Open Space Management Team.

The North Table Mountain Park Management Plan has been drafted to account for the specific conditions of the resource and its values. Recognizing that park management plans will never be considered "completed," they will be considered "mature," and ready to be acted upon, when they have been approved by the Director of Jefferson County Open Space after consensus with OSAC and the Board of County Commissioners. Once endorsed, all individual plans will be reviewed annually so they have the ability to take into account environmental, social and political changes and reflect those changes.

The North Table Mountain Park Management Plan was presented to the OSAC in the fall of 2004. Continued dialogue relating to the preferred management options outlined in the Plan created an "unsettled feel" by several user and constituency groups. Open Space agreed that additional time would be allowed for comments from the OSAC, Trail Use Task Force and other groups interested in the property's management until November 2005. At that time, various users organized as the Ad Hoc Group, requested additional time for study to formulate a consensus recommendation to staff and OSAC for the management of North Table Mountain. The OSAC and staff have agreed to defer action on the plan for nine to 12 months to approximately November 2006.

While the plan continues to evolve, Open Space will maintain a conservative day-to-day management approach of North Table Mountain. Open Space will continue to work with concerned individuals/groups/organizations to further protect sensitive areas along the trails, on the mesa and implement interim signage and communications to encourage park users to stay on established paths. Presently no user group is excluded. The alternating loop and bike challenge course concepts have been eliminated from the plan due to lack of support. Management activities will include continued communication regarding North Table Mountain’s natural resource significance and management concerns. Open Space will continue to utilize the Trail Use Task Force to help with monitoring and communications associated with trail use on North Table Mountain. No activity related to development of parking lots and trails will occur until the management plan has been endorsed.



Dave,

Anything new with regard to the proposal?