Mount Emmons, known affectionately as Red Lady, offers a great vantage to look down upon Crested Butte and the southern Elk Range. The efforts to save Red Lady began in 1977 when the High Country Citizens’ Alliance was founded to fight efforts to mine Red Lady.

The Crested Butte Land Trust applauds the joint efforts, which will result in enhanced local control of our watershed. The Slate River Valley has been a priority protection area for the Land Trust because it serves as a drainage into the Slate River Wetlands Preserve and its proximity to the Town of Crested Butte.

The Slate River Wetlands Preserve is a picture perfect example of Crested Butte’s iconic landscape. Portions of the wetlands are mostly unchanged since the last major glaciers were in this area about 10,000 years ago.

Red Lady Coalition Press Release

Town of Crested Butte Press Release

High Country Citizens’ Alliance Press Release

Photo by Dusty Demerson

Xavier Fane

Also, keep your eye out for spring beauties and buttercups.   Spring beauties can be found each spring in thin layers of snow, both in sagebrush communities and near aspen forests.  Bears and pocket gophers will join you in searching for spring beauties, as they seek out the round tubers for sustenance after a long winter.

Buttercups also like the wet soil of melting snow, and have tiny white and yellow petals.  Although forage for wildlife, they are poisonous to most people, and can cause painful blistering of the skin.

The Norman Award winner is given annually to an exceptional volunteer, and is named after one of the Land Trust’s founding board members.    “We are so grateful for every one of our volunteers.  We simply could not keep up the pace of our conservation work without them,” said Ann Johnston, Executive Director.

Neil and his wife, Sandra, hail from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and own a second home in Mt. Crested Butte.  Since discovering Crested Butte, Neil has been instrumental in helping the Land Trust in multiple ways, particularly with fundraising events.  “I don’t even think that I’ve done enough:  I’m honored,” said Neil.

Neil is one of the Land Trust’s approximately 200 volunteers who value open space, trails, scenic views, and the ranching history of the Gunnison Valley.   Volunteering is an opportunity to meet new friends, share your expertise, or gain new skills.  If you would like to help the Land Trust with trail building, species identification and monitoring, noxious weed control, office assistance, or event assistance, please contact Katie at outreach@cblandtrust.org or call 970.349.1206.  Kids are welcome too!

Hal Brill and Allison Elliot owned their land for years and wanted to ensure that the wildlife habitat and fresh water streams that are so important to the character of Gunnison County remain for generations to come.  Their property is adjacent to other protected lands, and provides habitat for migratory songbirds with large home ranges, such as the mountain bluebird and the hairy woodpecker.  Small mammals like the red fox, coyote and porcupine also frequent the property.    Two small streams cascade across the land, which is at an elevation of about 10,700 feet above sea level.

There are no roads or buildings on the property, which will continue to be managed in its natural condition.  There are several abandoned mine adits dating back to around 1886.   The Crested Butte Land Trust is grateful for the efforts and vision of over 70 different families who have voluntarily protected their lands.    Whether a landowner desires to maintain ownership, sell, or donate their land for preservation, there are plenty of options for permanently protecting their land.  For more information, please contact Ann Johnston, Executive Director, at director@cblandtrust.org or 970.349.1206.

Snodgrass: 

This trail is a wonderful example of the relationship that has developed between ranchers and recreationists, since it exists almost entirely on private property. Access to the Snodgrass trail closes in late summer to allow the Allen family to graze their cattle.  As always, please be respectful and enjoy!

Lupine Trail:

Created last June, Lupine is a great trail that utilizes property purchased by the Town of Crested Butte in cooperation with Land Trust easements. Private property lies on both sides. You may be faced with occasional isolated patches of snow and mud. If riding, please dismount and walk these areas to protect the trail. Trail access is provided at the Saddle Ridge subdivision cul-de-sac off Gothic Road or at the County Road off the Slate River road. Ride out to either end, there is no parking available.

Strand Hill:

This trail is perfect for a post-work adventure. While the initial climb is a little steep, it drops down again and winds through aspens before descending a short rocky section. Administrative Assistant Mary Chandler’s three-year-old son tackled this trail on his Strider Bike!

Please check back for updates, as more trails continue to open.

Chuck Reynolds

THE CADDIS CUP FLY FISHING TOURNAMENT

Thursday and Friday, July 19^th and 20^th.

Fish the fabled riffles of our Rocky Mountain rivers with celebrated local guides during our annual Caddis Cup Fly fishing every July.  After a day of blue-ribbon fishing, join us for uproarious fish tales and an awards ceremony complete with nibbles and noshes.

THE CELEBRATION OF CONSERVATION DINNER AND AUCTION

Thursday, July 26

Soak in the summer sunshine while enjoying cocktails on the deck at Butte 66.  The Crested Butte Mountain Resort’s culinary team will design a savory menu just for us, and there will be dozens of great auction items including exclusive guided mushroom hunting trips, collector quality wines, one-on-one day long photography lessons and much, much more.

All events are benefits to preserve the very best treasures of Gunnison Country.

For more details or to purchase tickets, contact Ann at director@cblandtrust.org or 970-349-1206.

Visit the Crested Butte Land Trust’s profile on GivingFirst.org, at www.givingfirst.org/cblandtrust/overview, where you can view comprehensive, objective and up-to-date information about the Land Trust.  We hope GivingFirst.org becomes indispensable for your local giving.

kurt reise

Accreditation through the independent Land Trust Accreditation Commission lets the public know that the Crested Butte Land Trust has undergone an extensive external review of the governance and management systems and policies it uses to protect land.   Because the Commission recognizes the need for public accountability, it accepts public comments on applicants.    Comments must relate to the applicant’s compliance with national quality standards. Comments are most useful if they are received by the Commission before January 1, 2012.

There are over 1,700 land trusts operating in the U.S., and 135 of those are currently accredited.  Your local Land Trust is guided by a dedicated, all-volunteer board of directors, an experienced staff, and an excellent legal team, who work together to “preserve the present for the future.”  For more information, go to www.landtrustaccreditation.org, or call or email Ann at 970.349.1206 or director@cblandtrust.org.

With summer just around the corner we’re getting excited about more time spent outdoors on our conserved properties.  Every year we rely on dedicated volunteers to help us assess the condition of these properties through our monitoring program.  Volunteering as a monitor is a great way to spend time on unique parcels that aren’t always open to the public, meet new friends and learn new skills.  It is also an opportunity to share your expertise in anything from rare plant identification to photography. If you’re interested in learning more about our volunteer monitoring program please don’t hesitate to call or email our Stewardship Coordinator, Danielle Beamer, at 970.349.1206 or conserve@cblandtrust.org.

home page photograph by Xavier Fane

photograph by xavier fane

Our early February snow fall has produced excellent skiing conditions, with several additional snow storms in the forecast.  Enjoy Nordic skiing or snowshoeing on the Land Trust staff’s favorite – Mike’s Mile trail – which was expanded last winter to connect 4,000 feet of Crested Butte Land Trust parcels with a Bureau of Land Management parcel out to Gunsight Bridge.  This trail is named in honor of Mike Martin, a Crested Butte local who was passionate about trails and the natural beauty of the Slate River Valley.  The Land Trust is exploring the possibility of expanding this to a year round trail with several partners, including the Mike Martin Community Foundation, the CB Nordic Council and the CB Mountain Bike Association.

Each fall, the Nordic Council places temporary bridging so that winter enthusiasts can safely cross the Slate River.  To get to Mike’s Mile, take either the Red Lady Trail from Kebler Pass Road, Pooches Paradise from the alien shack or the first parking lot on Peanut Lake Road, or the Beaver Trail from town or the gronk.  Mike’s Mile is an intermediate trail with some undulating hills.  Dogs are allowed on this trail when accessed from Pooches Paradise.  A Nordic Pass is required on all of the trails.  Enjoy!