Name:
Screen name:
Email:
The San Juan National Forest has issued an environmental assessment for a timber harvest north of Dolores.
A logging project proposed for the San Juan National Forest north of Dolores would partially take place in the Boggy Draw area popular with recreationists.
Forest officials say thinning out overgrown forests helps to prevent catastrophic wildfires like the 416 Fire north of Durango, which burned 54,000 acres in 2018.
More snowmobiles in the backcountry this year has resulted in more search and rescue operations, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
Wyett Holman of Durango plays around on his snowmobile Sunday on Molas Pass south of Silverton. Snowmobile advocate groups say closing areas to motorized use forces people into fewer areas, creating more issues.
Conflicts among winter user groups have been going on for years, but more people outdoors because of the COVID-19 pandemic has brought those issues to the forefront.
Snowmobiles are in the backcountry in record numbers, prompting some to question whether the motorized vehicles should be better regulated.
Aside from wilderness areas and some marked areas, snowmobiles mostly have free rein of public lands.
The U.S. Forest Service is required to draft winter travel management plans to regulate snowmobile and other motorized travel, but many district have yet to implement such plans.
Ignacio senior Brady McCaw (1) rises for a tough try against Sanford’s Kelton Gartrell (22) inside a mostly-empty SHS Gymnasium Saturday afternoon. McCaw scored a team-high 16 points in the Bobcats’ season-opening 53-48 loss.
