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The Proposal developed by the Gunnison Public Lands Initiative
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Gunnison Public Lands Initiative

Our public lands seem to be a particularly hot debate as of late. Do we increase Wilderness? Where should mountain bikers be disallowed? What areas should we make non-motorized? What public lands are “for sale”?

Over the course of a few years, the Gunnison Public Lands Initiative has been working hard to develop a comprehensive land management plan for our Forest Service lands that takes into account recreation, resource management, conservation, and ecology. The GPLI constists of ten local organizations which represent users of various interests including ranching, water resources, motorized use, conservation, mountain biking, recreation, and hunting and angling. Over the course of years, this group has met to develop a balanced and insightful use plan for Gunnison Public Lands which satisfies the needs of all user groups. They have set a model for the nation in representing all users, promoting awareness of land use, and developing a culture of compromise. By coming together to develop an insightful well-balanced proposal for sustainable growth and use of our Gunnison National Forest, the GPLI is setting a positive example for promoting shared use of our public lands.

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Join Us for Paradise Cleanup!
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Last year, Share the Slate was part of a valley wide joint cleanup effort which extended from the Slate River valley all the way to Paradise Divide. Organized by Sue Navy from HICCA, the event was a huge success. Well, the cleanup effort is returning, and is also extending beyond the Slate River drainage. We’d like you to join us, and many other organizations in the Crested Butte / Gunnison Valley, for Paradise Cleanup on Saturday October 21st from 10:30 am until 3 pm. All you need to to is show up at the 4-Way Stop a little before 10:30 am. There, groups will be organized and assigned to different cleaning zones. At the end, there will be a free BBQ. All organizations are encouraging participants to bring their own plates, cups, and silverware for use at the BBQ in order to promote sustainability. Why join the cleanup crew? We assume that you love visiting or living here in the Crested Butte / Gunnison Valley and that you enjoy the beautiful natural landscape that surrounds us. But that landscape needs maintenance and we all must be stewards of the beautiful surroundings where we play. Paradise Cleanup is the perfect opportunity

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Gunnison Valley Winter Backcountry Survey
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Ever since speculations began to surround the use of our backcountry in winter, the Crested Butte community has recognized the need to develop a survey which begins to collect information from the various voices in the valley. Thankfully, Western States MEMs (Master in Environmental Management) students, along with Brian Lieberman, have taken this on. The intent of this survey is to gain some baseline data about the use of our winter backcountry and our goal is to get as many people to take this survey as possible. In order for all voices of our community to be represented, it is important that all winter backcountry users participate.

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Trailhead Awareness Day & Cement Creek Winter Trails Fundraiser
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If you’re reading this post, then chances are you’re an avid user of the trails in the Crested Butte area. Here’s some events that are happening this week relating to those trails that you love! Trailhead Awareness Day Last Saturday, we held our first Trailhead Awareness Day in conjunction with SnoTrackers at Kebler Pass trailhead. We talked to passersby about the importance of multi-use areas, the need to be respectful of other users, and how user conflict can be reduced. Those that talked to us were offered hot chocolate and Third Bowl donuts in exchange! We also raised money for both groups in donations and memberships. This coming Saturday March 4th, we will be doing a similar Trailhead Awareness Day. But, this time, it will be held at Gothic / Snodgrass Trailhead in conjunction with CBMBA. We will continue to offer hot chocolate and donuts for those willing to chat about our cause. We hope to see all of you there! Cement Creek Winter Trails Fundraiser CBMBA has taken on a lot this winter. Their first success was when the Forest Service awarded them with a permit to groom certain proposed areas for fat-bikers and other users. The second, is

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2017 Annual Public Meeting a Success!
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Our 2017 Annual Public Meeting was held last Wednesday at the Brick Oven! It was a great success and thanks to ALL who attended! Our meeting featured the following presentations: A review of our mission & beliefs and re-cap of the Gang of 9 Decision. An overview of the state of our public lands, the potential threat to sell them off, and our commitment to keep you informed so that we can have our say in public lands that are most important to us. Reminders of parking quirks at Slate River Winter trailhead, and an overview of Washington Gulch private land, closures, & necessary motorized permit. Unveiled our plans for a mobile app that syncs with your phone’s GPS so you know designated land use areas an closures Overview of our accomplishments and future goals.

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Share the Slate Annual Public Meeting February 22nd!
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Share the Slate Annual Meeting 2017

Although it’s been a long time since we’ve posted, Share the Slate has been up to a lot of things! We are now an official 505(c)(3) non-profit organization. So, your donations are tax-deductible. Please consider making a donation today! Next week we will be having our annual public meeting at the Brick Oven on Wed. Feb. 22nd from 4 to 6 pm. Our event will include a fundraising raffle, with lots of great stuff from the local Crested Butte community and beyond. We will also be unveiling our Membership options. On top of our fundraising efforts, we will be continuing to educate our community. Focus topics of our event include: Background of who we are and what we’re about What we’ve been working on in the last year – Current projects and status with the Forest Service on Winter Travel Management Highlights on current public lands issues and what’s going on with the current administration Winter trail etiquette Our short-term and long term Goals Future Events – upcoming trailhead awareness days on February 25th and March 4th Updates about our Google Earth site and data collection We hope to see you at the Share the Slate Annual Public Meeting, Wed

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Support for CBMBA’s Winter Grooming Proposal
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It was mid-January and Crested Butte was in the midst of a dry spell. Snow had not fallen for at least a couple of weeks and although snow was bountiful, the quality of it was lacking. But, the skis were blue, the morning was crisp, and the snow sparkled invitingly. So, I headed out to Gothic Road to enjoy cross-country skiing with my family who was visiting from Ohio. We found the trail to be in very poor shape, with deep grooves from cross-country ski travel, crossed over by footprints from walkers, another track crossing over both of those from fat-bikers. This multi-use trail was beat up. And I wondered, why don’t we see grooming here? It would create a better user experience for everyone! Improvement of user experience in heavily traveled shared use areas such as the Gothic corridor is one of the main reasons why we support the recent winter grooming proposal of the Crested Butte Mountain Bike Association (CBMBA). The proposal is aimed toward increasing trail access for fat bikers, but much of the proposal can improve experiences for all winter user groups.

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