Open Space Update, 1/7/2021

Miss Manners wants to apologize to her readers and to Jeffco Open Space for not reporting on the amazing work done in our Open Space Parks during the month of December. Too much Holiday, too many thoughts to process as 2020 winds down to an ignominious end. There’s been so much happening at Open Space, so let’s start 2021 with a recap of last December’s accomplishments and those of the first few days of January!

Apex Park – SWITCH GEARS for Winter Conditions

In the case of snow and ice conditions, a SWITCH GEARS announcement temporarily lifts the directional requirement on Enchanted Forest and Magic Mountain Trails. This will allow mountain bikers to ride up the gut in winter conditions. ALL OTHER TRAIL USE DESIGNATIONS REMAIN IN PLACE. Visitors who wish to be informed of the SWITCH GEARS condition can sign up for text alerts or check the JCOS alerts and closures web page. The SWITCH GEARS is in response to stakeholder feedback collected during the 2020 trail management process.

Clear Creek Canyon

Annual Bighorn Survey: three Natural Resources team members conducted bighorn sheep surveys in Clear Creek Canyon as part of Colorado Parks & Wildlife’s annual sheep survey.  Twenty-eight individual sheep were observed on Open Space property.

Tunnel 1 kiosk construction begins this month. Stay tuned for regular updates.

In the Gateway Segment: Check out the latest video update with a special guest appearance by Hank Mifflin.  https://youtu.be/O5vBFpqTmZE

Also in the Gateway Segment, the suspension bridge crossing Clear Creek in the Tunnel 1 oxbow is coming together.  This 69-foot-long pedestrian bridge is 4-feet wide and will connect visitors from the from the concrete Peaks to Plains Trail to the historic wooden flume of the Welch Ditch.

Crown Hill Park

Crusher Fine Installation: JCOS’ partners at Road & Bridge started to install a crusher fine trail along the eastern side of the Park next to the cemetery.  Many visitors were eager to experience the new trail surface, ignoring closure and warning signs, and walking next to heavy equipment while the new material was being applied. However, snow earlier in the month of December put a halt on the crusher fines installation project. The weather improved and work resumed toward the end of the month.

Hiwan Heritage Park

Hiwan from the Hearth: The Hiwan team made an innovative adjustment to Hiwan on the Porch for winter conditions. They have one tour guide on duty from noon – 4:00 p.m., Friday-Sunday.  They can greet visitors at the front door and provide basic information about Hiwan and the Hiwan story.  If weather permits, they can offer an outside tour.  For COVID safety reasons, visitors are not permitted inside the building, but visitors can peer into the front/sitting room, the great room and dining room through open doorways to see the holiday decorated rooms and furnishings.

Mount Galbraith Park

Multi-modal Trailhead Arrival and Congestion Management Pilot: On Tuesday, December 15, the JCOS Management Team approved a pilot project intended to study, and test the feasibility, logistical considerations, technology applications and effectiveness of multi modal trailhead arrival and other congestion management strategies at a new trailhead for Mount Galbraith Park (GAL). JCOS is working on alleviating parking and access concerns for GAL. As a part of this process, JCOS plans to relocate the existing main trailhead to improve visitor experience and visitor safety. Possible multi-modal and congestion management strategies the team will explore for the new trailhead include, but are not limited to: a shuttle, parking reservation system, carpool campaign, time-limited parking, ride-hailing partnerships, etc.

South Valley Park South

Earlier this year, the new South Visitor Center trailhead opened to much joy and appreciation.  In December the team applied a concrete stain to reduce the glare from the new, bright white surface and to better blend in with the surrounding landscape.  This will be a great addition to the trailhead.

Welcome Center Operations

Beginning December 14, the front doors to the Welcome Center will remain locked throughout the day.  To assist any walk-up visitors, Welcome Center staff will remain “On Duty” within the building and accessible by phone.  The phone number will be posted on the door during regular business hours.  This will allow the staff to meet the needs of our visitors, but free them up to accomplish tasks not easily performed while being at the Welcome Center.

Jeffco Board of Commissioners – Approvals

The Jeffco Commissioners approved Tincup Ridge Park and Internal Land Exchange.  This exchange will enable Open Space to develop a new regional park at Tincup Ridge.

The BCC also approved the IGA for the Rocky Mountain Greenway Trail Crossings.  This extension links the Greenway from where Phase One currently terminates in Broomfield’s Great Western Open Space, through Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge and into Boulder County.  The FLAP grant provides funding for trail crossings at Indiana Street and Colorado Highway 128.

Get to Know Our JCOS Staff…

Congratulations to Sean Perkins for passing the Cartegraph Administration Certification test. Passing this test means that Sean understands all the ins-and-outs, tips and best practices for managing our Cartegraph Asset Management Software.

Welcome North Region Coordinator, Dillon McBride, to the Visitor Services Team. Dillon reported to the Visitor Services Team Manager effective December 17.

Stewardship Changes: Kyle Andrews was hired as the Trails Team Senior Specialist, and his main focus will be the Trail Stewardship Team and the Annual Trail Assessments.  In January ,the Trails Team will be divided into a Trail Construction Team and a Trail Maintenance Team.  This move is intended to have team members focus on trail construction projects associated with Goal 9 of the Conservation Greenprint, while having separate team members focus on trail maintenance (taking care of what we have) and restoration projects to support Goal 7 of the Conservation Greenprint.

Evergreen Famous – Ranger Billy Hall: according to the December 2020 issue of Serenity Magazine, Colorado’s Premier Lifestyle Magazine, Ranger Billy Hall is most frequently sighted on the trails in Jeffco Parks. Fun fact: his favorite animal is a squirrel. Even more fun fact: Billy met the photographer while on duty. He introduced himself and checked to make sure she had a current JCOS commercial activity/photography permit. She did have a current permit and she offered to take a photo of Billy. This is how our rangers and volunteers turn a Stewardship Education Contact into positive press.

… and Our Invaluable JCOS Volunteers

Volunteer Training on Stewardship Contacts: On Tuesday, December 8, the Ranger and Volunteer Services Teams hosted more than 100 volunteers and gave them training on how to turn a greeting into a stewardship education contact. This is one of many steps taken to help achieve Goal #1 of the Conservation Greenprint.

Last But Definitely Not Least

We all loathe the unattended poop bag carelessly left along the trail.  Some visitors have the best intentions to pick it up and pack it out on their way back.  Others assume the poop fairy will pick it up and pack it out for them.  Either way, unattended poop bags are aggravating, visually awful, and against park regulations.  To get a better understanding of how bad the problem is, rangers elected to track the number of unattended poop bags they collected along our trails and at our trailheads in 2020.  The grand total was 2,996.  Before you become completely disgusted and depressed at this number, be sure you consider it in context.  We have an estimated canine visitation of at least three million dogs annually.  Say each one poops and there is an associated bag.  Because we are not seeing three million bags, but rather three thousand, it seems the norm is to doo the right thing and pack the bag out and dispose of it properly in a trash receptacle.  Now, if we can just get that last, stubborn .1% to doo the right thing….

If you’ve made it all the way to the end of this report, give yourself an ‘atta-person’, and another one to our Jeffco Open Space for the amazing job that they’ve done in just over one month! Keep all this mind when you next visit our Open Space Parks, and let’s give a (socially distanced) high five to the next Ranger or Volunteer you meet when you’re there!

As always, ladies and gents, friends and comrades, stay safe!