SHORT TERM PLAN
Riders Off The Road
OVERVIEW
For decades, CBMBA has been dedicated to providing the best trail experiences possible. We’ve grown since 1983, but our vision remains the same – work with local partners, stakeholders, landowners, municipalities, government agencies, and our biggest partner, the US Forest Service – to realize responsible, sustainable, and positive recreation amenities for a variety of users. In 2009, CBMBA put together a long term Master Plan, revised it in 2016, and further refined it into this 2020 short term plan: Riders Off the Road.
Goal: Provide a better user experience in the greater Crested Butte area by facilitating safe, responsible, and sustainable recreation improvements within the current trail system by connecting existing trails, realigning non-sustainable routes, and designating proper trail access points to facilitate a better recreation infrastructure. This plan presents a 5 – 8 year roadmap and is the result of extensive public, stakeholder, and agency input. While CBMBA still maintains a long term plan and is excited to partner in a comprehensive way for a future countywide trails plan, this short term plan is an effort to focus on less impactful trail improvements and connections within the existing network.
COMMUNITY BENEFITS
• Improved trail and recreation infrastructure in already-impacted areas
• Working alongside agencies with plans for parking, bathrooms, access, and centralized
impacts (hubs)
• Increased connectivity between drainages and existing trails
• Users away from and off of busy roads, onto trails
• Responsibly located, sustainable trails
• Trails for all users and all levels of ability
• Trails and access entirely on public lands
• Expanded access points for users
• Re-routes to mitigate resource damage from existing poor trail alignments
• Recreation planned for a healthy wildlife and forest habitat
Download the most recent (Dec. 2020) Riders Off The Road Trail Plan for more details, trail descriptions, public feedback, and retracted trails.
LONG TERM PLAN
CBMBA LONG TERM PLAN GUIDING PRINCIPLES
CBMBA’s Guiding principles are a list of concepts CBMBA refers to when deciding the validity and priority of proposed projects.
- CBMBA believes that recreation engenders authentic connections to the environment and seeks to use recreation as a tool for environmental awareness.
- CBMBA encourages the use of existing trails and proposed new trails throughout all the drainages so that any one particular drainage does not get overwhelmed.
- Trail diversity. CBMBA believes in developing a network of trails that offer options for riders with a wide spectrum of skill and fitness levels.
- CBMBA values the importance of trail projects that encourage bikers to ride off of roads and onto singletrack trails.
- Trail projects close to high population areas including Mt. CB, CB, Brush Creek, CB South are of high importance.
- Connectivity of drainages. Trails connecting major drainages have high priority. CBMBA hopes all local drainages can eventually be traversed and connected by singletrack trail.
- Singletrack connectivity. Using the development of Hartman Rocks as an example, CBMBA strives to have one singletrack trail lead into another singletrack trail in close proximity.
- CBMBA values building trails with sustainability first and foremost in mind so as to limit environmental impact and need for future maintenance.
- Collaboration. When serving the mountain bikers interest, CBMBA encourages collaboration with all user groups, stakeholders, government, and non-government organizations.
- CBMBA’s Master Plan and Action Plan are living, flexible documents. CBMBA supports a level of flexibility that allows the club to entertain attractive new unforeseen projects and incorporate them into the Master Plan at any time.
- Preference for working on non-motorized trails over motorized.
- CBMBA supports the development of loop options of varying length.
- Overnight work days should be reserved for somewhere relatively remote.
- CBMBA supports the connectivity of communities via non-motorized travel. (Besides a public Recreation Path – we believe that getting people on bikes to commute and run errands, no matter what kind of pedal related device, is better than in cars!)
- CBMBA works to balance recreation with conservation, stewarding natural lands and minimizing the environmental impacts of trails when possible.
- CBMBA encourages using lesser means of impacts to access trails. (ie. – ride from Town/less shuttling).
Disclaimer: This is a conceptual plan. It is a living document and may include the elimination or addition of routes in the future. The trails are conceptual with approximate starting and ending points. Many of the trails have not been scoped on the ground and exact alignments will be decided upon approval of the plan. CBMBA does not presume to have permission to cross private property or implement any trail plan without permission from all proper stakeholders and agencies.
CONNECTING COMMUNITIES PROJECT (CCP)
These four projects are conceptual in nature, and are long-term ideas. Detailed planning and permissions have not yet been discussed or secured.
CBMBA intends to support all efforts to connect the communities of Crested Butte and Crested Butte South. CBMBA feels it should be a high priority to connect our largest population centers by muscle-powered recreation. There are many obstacles for this connection, and many stakeholders – public and private – to collaborate with. Proposed routes are conceptual and CBMBA does not presume to have permission to cross private property, nor mean any malice or ill-will in proposing such routes.
CBMBA believes that connecting two existing trail systems and communities by a remote, non-motorized backcountry trail is highly desirable. Over 40 miles long, the trail is proposed to connect with Baxter Gulch on the Crested Butte end, and the Signal Peak Trail system on the Gunnison end. CBMBA means no ill-will by proposing this trail in conjunction with Gunnison Trails, and realizes there are many obstacles to overcome to see this trail ever come to fruition. We believe an adaptive management approach, along with continued collaboration with local stakeholders and the ranching community, would create a well-managed and maintained trail for the benefit of all users.
CBMBA intends to work with Pitkin and Gunnison County to see this trail come to reality through Governor Hickenlooper’s 16 in 16 project. The highest priority sections are connecting the Wagon Trail to Horse Ranch Park and Lost Lake Road.
CBMBA would like to see a singletrack trail from Star Pass to Aspen following the basic route of the Grand Traverse race. Singletrack exists up to Star Pass, but the route is a multi-use, low quality jeep road from Star Pass to Aspen. CBMBA would like to, someday, see this become a singletrack trail to the Town of Aspen. Trail additions would be in Pitkin County. Disclaimer: This document is a conceptual plan. This is a living document and may include the elimination or addition of additional routes in the future. The trails are conceptual with approximate starting and ending points. Many of the trails have not been scoped on the ground and exact alignments will be decided upon approval of the trail concept. CBMBA does not presume to have permission to cross private property or implement any trail plan without permission from all proper stakeholders and agencies.