Salida Mountain Trails Events Timeline

This page details the history and background of our group

April 2004

The Bureau of Land Management declared their intent to conduct travel management in our area starting in 2005. Salida Mountain Trails called a meeting of concerned citizens to discuss. John Nahomenuk from BLM spoke to this meeting.

August 2004

The Bureau of Land Management moved up the date that they intended to start the TMP process. Their trails inventory process was underway by this time.

October 2004

The Bureau of Land Management held its first public meeting to discuss the Arkansas River TMP on October 6, 2004.

Following the presentation portion of this meeting, Salida Mountain Trails members discussed with BLM personnel their wish to discuss the routes being evaluated, to have a chance to address problems with routes rather than seeing them closed, and the idea that a system of proposed trails could be evaluated as part of the Travel Management Process.

Incidentally, a fledgling bike club which came to be known as South Central Racing had their initial public meeting on Monday, October 11, 2004 in the basement of Bongo Billy's Salida Cafe.

March 2005

Salida Mountain Trails submitted the Salida Mountain Trails Park Proposal, which was a document defining our basic plan for a stacked loop system of trails and offering a committment to maintain trails indefinitely.

August 2005

BLM holds second public meeting to discuss their trails analysis process, introducing the concept of desired future conditions, discussing areas of critical environmental concern (ACECs).

November 2005

Dave Walker comes to Salida City Council meeting, Salida Mountain Trails also presents.

April 2006

Salida Mountain Trails starts and finishes a trail on City of Salida property on the east side of Tenderfoot Mountain. The BLM TMP process is in a prolonged period of delay.

June 2007

BLM conducts its 3rd public meeting to present the 3 alternative plans and to describe the process by which public input would help in the selection of an alternative to implement.

December 2007

The Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) is signed and the waiting periods for final plan implementation begin.

January 2008

The first waiting period, 30 days for public protest, was completed with no protests.

February 2008

The mandated 60-day review period for governors consistency ended February 19, 2008. When BLM followed up to verify no comments were forthcoming, the Colorado Department of Natural Resources (DNR) requested more time to review the Final EA.

Salida Mountain Trails submitted a first projects' corridor to BLM for review and analysis.

May 2008

Salida Mountain Trails is awarded a $4,500 tools grant by Colorado State Parks. Process of tool purchasing begins.

June 2008

New trail proposal submitted to City of Salida to build a section of singletrack from the Tenderfoot Hill gate to an intersection with the proposed Backbone trail. Proposal approved and plans move forward to construct a new mile+ long section.

BLM Travel Management Plan nears implementation. First project trail corridor analysis is on a fast track. Barring any difficulty, the singletrack section that will be built this summer on City property will be extended on for several miles into BLM starting about the time the City section is complete.

September 2008

Construction on a new trail on City of Salida property behind Tenderfoot Hill is under way. This trail will link the parking area near the Spiral Drive gate to the proposed backbone trail.

BLM is currently evaluating a plan for the first section of the backbone trail. All indications are that the project will be approved in the next several weeks.

November 2008 - We break ground on our first trail on BLM, the Backbone. As the name implies, this trail will be a foundation of the stacked loop system envisioned for the Arkansas Hills side of Salida.