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Land Conservation

Continental Divide Recreation, Wilderness and Camp...
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Here's a letter from Colorado State Representative Jared Polis about this new Act. Here's probably the most interesting sentence in the letter: "One of my guiding principles in crafting this legislation was to make sure that there was no reduction in areas currently available for motorized recreation (including snowmobiles and 4x4s) or biking. I’m proud to say that we achieved our goals!"

Full Letter:

Our beautiful open spaces, wilderness, and trails are an essential part of our western heritage and our quality of life, and should be protected for ourselves, our children, and our grandchildren.

Today I am proud to introduce the Continental Divide Recreation, Wilderness and Camp Hale Legacy Act to permanently protect over 90,000 acres of some of our most epic and beautiful mountain areas in Eagle and Summit Counties.

Alongside my good friend Senator Michael Bennet, we crafted the bill with diverse input and support from local Colorado residents, towns, counties, fire districts, veterans, businesses, and organizations including the International Mountain Biking Association, the Outdoor Industry Association, Conservation Colorado, The Wilderness Society, Vail Resorts, Arapahoe Basin, Xcel Energy and Colorado Springs Utilities, just to name a few. Our bill conserves breathtakingly inspiring recreational areas for our enjoyment, honors our service members who trained at Camp Hale, and protects important watersheds. You can view the map here.

Specifically, this bill protects new wilderness areas in the Williams Fork Mountains, Ten Mile Range, and Hoosier Ridge, and expands the existing Holy Cross, Eagles Nest, and Ptarmigan Peak Wilderness Areas. The bill also safeguards areas for mountain biking in the Ten-Mile Range near Breckenridge. We designate Camp Hale as our nation’s first National Historic Landmark. Camp Hale, located between Red Cliff and Leadville, was established in 1942 as a training facility for the Army’s famed 10th Mountain Division. Soldiers at Camp Hale trained in mountain climbing, skiing, and cold weather survival and contributed to our victory in Europe through their work in the Austrian Alps. We can permanently honor their service and legacy through our legislation.

Surveying the Continental Divide area with Congressman Raul Grijalva on a Congressional tour of protected lands. These are just some of the lands that will be protected by my bill, the Continental Divide Recreation, Wilderness and Camp Hale Legacy Act.

The Continental Divide Wilderness and Recreation Act means continued world-class fishing, hunting, hiking, and backcountry snow sports access and it creates a new Recreation Management Area within the Ten Mile Range to ensure mountain bikers access. One of my guiding principles in crafting this legislation was to make sure that there was no reduction in areas currently available for motorized recreation (including snowmobiles and 4x4s) or biking. I’m proud to say that we achieved our goals! And along with enhancing recreational opportunities, the bill maintains and creates local jobs for residents in outfitting, retail, hospitality, and guiding!


With the support of Senator Bennet, I am hopeful that we can create jobs, improve recreational opportunities, honor our military heritage, and preserve these iconic landscapes that are truly part of our souls as Coloradans.

If you'd like to get in touch, you can email me any time, call one of my offices, or send me a note through Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. I hope to hear from you soon.

Yours truly,

Jared Polis
Representative
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