Lower BLue putin/take out and GOre putin land trade

[puma2fish]

I have received a trespassing ticket for this stretch of river. A buddy and I were floating and fishing from the dam to the Gore put-in. Near the F-ing Blue Valley Ranch, we were in an eddy, not anywhere near the shore, and a "ranch hand" came running out. We thought he was saying hi, in reality he was getting our description. Each time we passed near a public road for the rest of the trip, there was a sheriff there. And at the take out, they proceeded to give us a ticket for trespassing, our word against the landowners. Guess who lost. We went to court in Hot Sulfur Springs and had a judge who was as old as could be. He thought we walked in on the land hunting. I had a whole description of events, maps, diagrams of eddies and how we were sitting in the river and not moving, which is why they thought we were on shore. Long and short, we had NO chance to plead our case. I've never been back to that section... Between the Blue and the Lake Fork, landowners are taking our navigable waterways. How can we loose Gore access?
My 2 cents.

[lisaratts]

THere's some info that ran March 2, 2005 in the SUmmit paper at:
http://www.summitdaily.com/article/2...73206216660531
I am an angler & am not exactly in agreement with the trade. TO date, the
issue is already in Washington right now trying to be passed. The local Anger shops all have petitions to sign (i.e. Cut Throat Anglers in Silverthorne) to try & stop it. I beleive they will also alert you to the next town meeting about the event. Cut Throat Angers are at: http://www.cutthroatanglers.com Let me know if you find any more out!

Originally Posted by ggerloff

Anyone have knowledge of land trade and closure of lower blue river below green mtn res put in and take out and put in for Gore... There was an article in Denver post 2 sundays ago about trade between BLM and Jones (private land owners) ??????????[/code]

[Andy H.]

Here's what one of the Summit Co. Commissioners replied to my request that they oppose the land swap.

-Andy

---------------------------- Original Message ----------------------------
Subject: RE: Land Swap - Blue Valley Ranch
From: "Tom Long Summit County"
Date: Mon, May 2, 2005 4:02 pm
To: "Andy Horn"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have spent two days in the last week getting up to speed on this issue.
I appreciate your concerns. I have some also. As Summit County is concerned we only gain from the trade. We gain access to the Blue River through the narrows below the Heeney Bureau of Reclamation Camp which we never had as well as hunting access to Green Mountain which has never existed in the past. I have toured the one proposed area in Grand County that is currently a river access point and have asked that in the discussions the BLM ask for an access easement if the trade goes through.
The feasibility study has not yet been approved in Washington when it is the public process will begin and everyone can have a say.

Tom Long

[ebaker]

We gain access to the Blue River through the narrows below the Heeney Bureau of Reclamation Camp which we never had

Am I missing something here? Didn't we, the public, always have this access? Is this the same thing as the current access for the Lower Blue, at the dam?

[whip]

Will this prevent someone from putting in directly below the dam and taking out at the ramp just above the CO?

[Andy H.]

Hey Whip,

I don't think that it will prevent launching and taking out, boaters will simply lose having ANY place to stop where they can legally touch the bank or river bottom before getting to the takeout. Technically one can say that "access" is being preserved and that "fishermen and boaters can still run it." We just can't to pull over to stretch, have a picnic or take a break. Imagine a miles-long boating marathon during which getting out of your boat is an offense against an intolerant landowner who'll gladly have the sheriff waiting for you at the take out.

Its a shining example a new variant on the "Golden Rule" - them that gots the gold get to make the rules (or can rest assured that the rule-makers will take good care of them). Lord Jones will make his fiefdom complete by virtue of being rich enough to buy up some loose inholdings in a national forest to swap for prime riverfront land... and have the Sheriff of Summit arrest anyone who sets foot on it.

These land swaps sure seem to be doing a whole lot more for developers and the ultra wealthy than they are for the rest of us. Probably working just as intended...

This shit really makes my blood boil.

--Andy

[SummitAP]

so whatever happened?

[Ole Rivers]

Originally Posted by SummitAP

so whatever happened?

I have been involved with following and participating in the Blue Valley Land Exchange and, now, the Lower Blue River Management Plan since 2005.

Presently, the land swap is on hold until the Lower Blue River Management Plan, Resource Management Plan and Wild and Scenic Designation are all completed, circa 2010. See "Lower Blue Plan Comments/Meeting" thread in Boater's Forum.

As for put ins and take outs, the put in at the dam is on USFS property. The Bureau of Rec controls access to the put in, and they maintain the right to allow or deny access anytime they choose. There are no indications BoC will close it, so don't lose any sleep over that.

The take out on RLeft of the upstream side of Spring Creek Bridge is by permission of Blue Valley Ranch and they have said they will maintain access. However, it is still "by permission"...

If you go to co.summit.co.us/Documents4Review/lower_blue.html then -->"Comments as of April 15 pdf"-->Comment 16 (mine, the one with all the pictures), there are descriptions of improved put ins, in two Public land/shoreline locations, that are beneficial to boaters and all Users.

Also, see Comments 14,15 and 38, which are submitted by reps of American Whitewater and Colorado Whitewater organizations.

You can get on the meeting notification email list via bernice_sterin@blm.gov, Bunny Sterin at BLM/Kremmling, to stay up to date with the LBRMP which will directly impact what goes on with the Blue River Land Exchange. Tell your friends, tell your neighbors, tell your family, to all get on the email notiication list to stay informed.

Improvements such as boat slides and footbridges, provided to expand user distribution and safety to free use rather than restrictions, regulations and permits, advocated to control use, are the two alternatives being offered in the LBRMP, which will ultimately effect the land trade and, therefore, present and future put ins and take outs.

If you want the LBRMP and BRLE to go through with permits and restrictions, say nothing. If you want to maintain and improve the put ins, say so to the LBRMP group presently being formed.

Read the Comments, get on the email list and speak up!