Here are some summaries of what different groups came up with at the 3rd RRC
Master Plan Meeting. Thanks to all those that sent in their summaries (I
merged some and did some minor editing - I don't think I impacted the
messages of the originals).

A general overview: I think the meeting probably went well from a biking
perspective - you'll be pleased by the summaries below. Most trails were
desired to be multi-use. A large number of loops with plenty of technically
difficult were asked for repeatedly. It also appears that most groups
addressed the need for a freeride area, whether it be in the Snyder quarry
or one of the non-TOPS purchased parcels (B, D, or E). It will be
interesting to see what the City comes back with in the draft plan next
meeting (4/14/4).

Jim Yount
(719) 540-1505
jyount@...



SUMMARIES

Group 1:

In this group, 5 of the 8 people felt that they
would use the trail for mountain biking as well as hiking, so we had no
trouble agreeing on all the trails being multiuse, with the exception of one
hiker only loop and parcel B (I believe) designated as a freeride area. We
put trails in areas where trails already exist, mostly because only the
hiker and I (and I have only been on what we call the secret trail) had been
in the area. Consequently, we found it difficult to envision new trail
development.

Our group was in favor of minimal development and we all liked the idea of
keeping the area low key, ie keeping the parking off main streets or in high
visibility areas so usage volume wouldn't be like Waldo.

We had one vocal equestrian who wanted horse trailer parking and our older
female hiker had definitely been scared by mountain bikers but she seemed
quite open and accomodating to us but not to the equestrians. (Interestingly
enough, the equestrian lives in Palmer Park and seemed very open to bikes,
as well.)

In our group, the only unpopular group was dogs. Everyone agreed that dog
owners do not think that the leash regulations apply to them, so they wanted
a ban on dogs. But since everyone in this group seemed to understand that
being exclusionary was not a way they wanted to go, they gave up on the
idea.
________________________________________________________
Group 2:

We had it all as multi-use except for
a pedestrian trail around the fins to the East. This is the area some people
want to call "Garden of the Goddessess". I'm okay with the ped only access
close to those for erosion reasons and feel that it is a decent compromise
rather than give up any large tracts. We came up with several technical
ridge trails w/bailouts, loops and we had connectors to Section 16 and other
local trails. Many groups there had the same ideas.
________________________________________________________
Group 6:

It included 4 people that were mountain bikers/hikers/climbers, one
gentleman that was a horseman, and one lady whose main agenda was that
nothing should be named "Garden of the Goddesses" because that was a pagan,
religious term. We documented her objection and then she left. Otherwise,
there was no disagreement within the group. The main thrust was that the
land should be left alone as much as possible with disturbed areas to be
reclaimed. All man-made conveniences should be on the outskirts of the park.
Any existing roads that are to be left should be reduced to no more than 4'
width and all others should be reclaimed. Limited climbing was endorsed with
the recommendation that climbing rules be set by a committee of interested
parties. A freeriding area was endorsed in the area east of the hogback,
near the substation (Tract C?). We also indicated that freeriding in the
quarry could be considered, but recognized that there are legal/liability
issues for the city. Horse trailer parking was suggested at the Hwy 24
entrance so that trucks/trailers would not be going up 26th St. The Park
maintenance facility was recommended off of 26th St. but there wasn't a
strong feeling for that site. I saw a recommendation for the northeast
section that seemed to make sense. The feeling was that any site that was
out of the prime "high value" area that worked for the city and the
surrounding neighborhood was OK.
________________________________________________________
Group 7:

Our group was open to full multi-use (with some grumbling), with a permit
trail system with cross park connections. We also designated a freeride
area in the easternmost tract (parcel B - 31st St.).
________________________________________________________
Group 9:

I was the only biker in the group w/ one equestrian & the rest (4) were
hikers. I was the youngest in the group at 36. One person didn't like
bikes at all, but went with the rest of the group on decisions. All trails
multi-use with the exception of an E-W trail from the rock formations on the
Western end of the property to one of the middle roads (the anti-biker
wanted it to be named Garden of the Goddesses, but dropped it after I
explained that "Gods" isn't a gender specific term in a name like Garden of
the Gods, but it would become so if "Godesses" is used on the other side of
the highway - I expect her to take it up again later) and the trail
designated as Black Bear on Don Ellis' concept map. The group was open to
freeriding in the Snyder quarry (anti-biker even thought it was a good idea!
Maybe she's not really anti-biker!). Wanted sufficient number of trails of
all ability levels with minimal/no mixing of different levels of trails in
formation of loops. Use existing roads as the backbone for the easy level
trails. Wanted lots of loops. No/minimal development otherwise (no
ballfields, no lights, no paving (even parking is dirt), no visitor center,
etc.). Parking at perimeters of park in parcels B, D, & E (more in E than
on 26th or 31st). Access at 24, 31st, 26th, and Bevers Pl. in Crystal Hills
(neighborhood access only with onoparking) and with trails from Intemann
trail/section 16 through the sloped meadow (trail doesn't exist yet - would
hit the SW corner of existing roads - Note: I believe that the Intemann
Trail Committee has already voiced that they would be willing to build this
trail. Please do not let them do it without Medicine Wheel input/help - It
will end up being an erosion prone straight shot down the meadow with
(perhaps) some ill-conceived water bars - you already know what I'm talking
about, this trail would come off of Intemann where they've already put in
bad waterbars which everyone skirts so there is now a new trail right beside
the old without erosion control! It would be nice to have a really great
swoopy curved trail that loops back and forth a bunch - the straight shot
distance to the roads is not far, but the width of the sloped meadow is
pretty big, allowing a much greater total distance of trail and minimizing
erosion.) and the existing ridge trail that leads to the SW corner of the
landfill. Specified that the ridge trail furthest East, Kodell on Don
Ellis' concept plan (and pedestrian only), be multi-use - this is a killer
ridge trail much like the ridge trail above the dam/old reservoir in Garden
of the Gods.
________________________________________________________
Group 10:

1) Multiple access points including Bevers (in Crystal Hills neighborhood),
Intemann trail & section 16.
2) Multiple parking sites around periphery: dispersed parking on North end
(avoid a single large parking lot),
small lot on east side near substation and maintenance facility, small lot
and access point near old dump road.
3) All trails multi-use except one trail with ADA access restricted to
hikers only
that encircles the lake.
4) Restricted (handicap) parking adjacent to house and lake with a road that
comes in through parcel E to just north of the lake.
5) Varying difficulty levels on trails with significant advanced/technical
trials.
6) Singletrack trails only.
7) Freeride in the quary or parcel b,c,d,e
8) Rock climbing allowed same as GG.
9) Adequate pet waste stations in park & a dog run area on the north end of
park.
10) Interpretive/Educational signage.

_______________________________________________________
Group 13:

Our group consisted of 3 hikers, 4 bikers, and another
that I don't know. We basically had a hiker only trail
that would go in between the plate rocks, then a
multi-use trail around the plate rocks. We wanted
technical multi-use trails in the rough area on the
east ridge, thru red rock canyon, and connecting
trails to section 16. We had a woman in our group that
lives very near the park, she wanted that Garden of
the Goddess trail, she also mentioned that free riding
would be ok in the Snyder Quarry (or any of the
quarries).

I did not write this on the scrap paper, but, I was
hoping that when the trails are built in Red Rock
Canyon, that a club like Medicine Wheel would be
contacted to layout the trail and build them. Someone
that does not use heavy equipment and gravel. Last
summer the parks and rec department widened and used
gravel on some of the trails in Palmer Park (No one I
talked to liked the way it was done).