Oldish news from last week, but thought it's worth mentioning here:

http://www.telluridenews.com/articles/2 ... 019338.txt

Great news Ryan, thanks for posting. I found this link to a FS map through the article...

http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5320677.pdf

Dang, I was a there 2 weeks ago and got rejected at that trailhead so we went from the much longer Woods Lake TH to get El-Diente-Mount Wilson, clouds rolled in before we could nab Wilson Peak. We would have for sure been able to do all 3 if we had been able to use the Rock of Ages TH. What a jerk! Glad it's over with and now I have an excuse to go back and use it to nab Wilson Peak. Woods Lake is a very beautiful tail as well though, just not as suitable for grabbing all 3 in one go.

Ryan,

Thanks for the news.

The worry I need to express: Paying Nichols his $3m is like paying a cartel's kidnappers the ransom. I fear we'll see more and more folks that own, on paper, a strip mine claim on some peak holding public access for ransom.

...this, coming from someone who considers herself a private property owners advocate. There's just something about existing recreational rights-of-way on beaches or mountains suddenly getting strangled that makes me bristle...

Ok, soapbox put away.

I agree, Sarah. I don't like the precedent either. How that undevelopable land got valued so highly is beyond me.

But I am glad that access has been restored.

RyanS wrote:How that undevelopable land got valued so highly is beyond me.

I thought that jackass Nichols was claiming years back that he was planning on firing up the worthless mine up there or something.

apachedino wrote:Dang, I was a there 2 weeks ago and got rejected at that trailhead

If you don't mind if I ask, how did you get rejected at the trailhead?
I know, from personal experience and hearsay, that the normal route still gets used in the winter and spring despite the false claims of it being trespassing to use it. I guess at some point in the summer some Texan shows up and turns people back? Was he armed? Did he threaten you with a weapon? If so, you could press charges, or attempt to. Old Rusty tried to get the sheriff to prosecute people for hiking his land, and the sheriff told him to get a life.
You can probably tell what I think of Rusty Dickol. I once trespassed on his land and a friend of mine took a crap next to his cabin. Probably wouldn't have happened if he had respected peoples rights to historical access to our national forest.
I will never donate money to the groups that paid him off. I think they should have fought him and would have won. And I think it would have cost a lot less money.

A few douchebags are following Nichol's lead already:
http://summitcountyvoice.com/2011/04/26/telluride-backcountry-skiers-may-face-armed-guards/

I was just thinking, Cheeseburglar, about whether or not the Wilson Peak standoff has influenced/encouraged the landowners in the Bear Creek Basin situation.

RyanS wrote:I was just thinking, Cheeseburglar, about whether or not the Wilson Peak standoff has influenced/encouraged the landowners in the Bear Creek Basin situation.

Totally. Just a coincidence that two big public access standoffs have been taking place simultaneously near the same small town?

Here, about Tom Chapman - http://www.powdermag.com/stories/trouble-in-telluride/

We've been through in recent years on skis without incident, I think it was just bad timing to be there when he was actually turning people back.

Telluride = $$$$

I can't blame these guys for wanting to cash in. People are up in arms, but like he said, nobody has approached them to work anything out. All this guy sees is the Ski Area making $$$$ and he feels entitled since their off piste adventure zone crosses his holdings. It's essentially lift accessed and by not taking a stand he absolutely opens himself up to liability.

I bet all he really wants is to be bought out. Nobody should act like Telluride can't afford it. I'm not saying this is right, but put yourself in this guy's shoes, he sees an opportunity and basically the ski area and the USFS are making money by crossing over his private holdings. If they were smart, they would open up a bar back there..........

Chapman is a douche... he's the guy who built a house in the middle of the Black Canyon NP. "Provacateur" is the best word I've seen to describe him.

Hmmm. That sheds a different light.

Did this guy buy up these claims wanting to fuck with the ski area and the backcountry enthusiasts??