Gilpin County Noxious Weed Project:

James Peak Wilderness and South Boulder Creek Valley

Citizens of Gilpin County and across Colorado are banding together to prevent the takeover of noxious weeds in the James Peak Wilderness/South Boulder Creek valley between Rollinsville and East Portal.

This area has a large wetland complex and extensive riparian habitat. With the passing of the James Peak Wilderness Bill and the potential for reopening of the Rollinsville Pass Road over to Winter Park, the valley is coming under increasing recreational use. A few small populations of known aggressive weeds have been found in this area. These factors, along with the prevailing winds and the railroad, suggest the potential for the valley to become overrun with weeds in the future.  If this happens, weeds are also likely to get into the wilderness areas.

Why is this important?

According to Mark Udall, who introduced the James Peak Wilderness Bill, “The James Peak area offers outstanding recreational opportunities for hiking, skiing, fishing and backpacking. It contains a dozen spectacularly situated alpine lakes, including Forest Lakes, Arapaho Lakes, and Heart Lake, and possesses high biological diversity. Many sensitive species found here—such as wolverine, lynx, and pine marten—only thrive in undeveloped settings, and will benefit from the addition of James Peak to the chain of protected lands from Berthoud Pass to the Wyoming border. Because it is so close to growing Front Range communities, the James Peak area is seeing more and more recreational use -- including the use of off-road vehicles.”

What we are doing:

Please join the group of people who will be working on mapping and controlling noxious weeds in this area in the summer of 2003. We will be pulling weeds and mapping locations of weed populations.  This may involve hiking in the wilderness, or helping private property owners living near the wilderness.  It is helpful (but not essential) that you can find your location on a map in order to record locations. There will be a short training before each session in weed identification and how to record weed sightings.   The weeds of concern in this area are:  Yellow toadflax, Leafy spurge, Canada thistle, Musk thistle, and Oxeye daisy.  Even if you can’t make it to a weed pull, you can help by learning to identify those weeds, and pulling them whenever you see them.

Dates will be Saturday, June 21, Sunday, July 13, and Saturday, August 23.

Please RSVP or direct questions to: Irene Shonle, Gilpin County Weed Coordinator/Cooperative Extension Director: (303) 582-6002;  Irene.shonle@colostate.edu. P