Every year FOMP holds a potluck dinner for the Hotshot and Helitac crews that are based right here with us! This year it will be on April 25, at 5:30PM. [Please check back here for more details as the date grows closer or get in touch with us at info@fomp.org to get involved!]

Both the the Monument Hotshot Crew and the Monument Helitack crew will be there, so we expect 30 very hungry young men and women + anyone else that attends.  Everyone knows how hard they worked last year and we want to give them a big welcome back and remind them of our support.  So far w have the following commitments:

Drinks: (2) people

Main Dishes:  (6)

Side Dishes/Salads:  (2)

Desserts:  (2)

As you can see, we could use a few more salads or desserts, or really anything people are willing to provide.  If anyone else can, please contact Marianne LaRivee at 719-481-5936 or dmlarivee@comcast.net.  You can drop off your food at her house Thursday afternoon, or at the Fire Center Classroom between 4:30 and 5:30.

On June 8^th Friends of Monument Preserve will be partnering with the Colorado Mountain Club to construct a trail up the Ice Cave Creek Drainage (near the Palmer Lake Reservoirs). The Colorado Mountain Club is the lead in this project and in order to participate in this project you will need to sign up on their website. On-line registration for the Ice Cave Creek trail project on June 8 is now available at https://www.cmc.org/Calendar/EventDetails.aspx?ID=3075. While Colorado Mountain Club is organizing and coordinating the work, you do not need to be a member to sign up. No experience necessary — just bring work clothes (esp. gloves!) and the usual water & food for a day in the mountains. It’s less than a mile hike in to the work site.

CMC’s Ice Cave Creek flyer for June 8 (pdf)

We will post more information here as we get it.

The U.S. Forest Service is holding an open house on their proposal for trails and access in the Bear Creek watershed. The open house is Thursday, April 4, 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm, at the Leon Young Service Center for CS Utilities, Pikes Peak Room, 1521 Hancock Expressway.

The proposal would affect all user groups, hikers, bikers, equestrians, and motorized users. The Forest Service is seeking comments from all users.

The proposed changes are in response to the issues surrounding the greenback cutthroat trout in Bear Creek. Under the proposal, the Forest Service would close a total of 6.4 miles of trails and re-route some of these by constructing 2.9 miles of new trails. Trails affected by closures include trails 666, 667, 668, 701, 720A and 622A. Theses closures would be to all users. The proposal also converts 0.6 miles of non-motorized trail on Seven Bridges, 622, to motorized use.

The current ban prohibiting camping and campfires in the watershed would become long-term, and access would be restricted to on-route only.

As you can see, these changes would affect all trail users. The Forest Service wants your comments. Please try to attend the open house, 4 to 9 pm, Thurs, April 4.
It’s an open house, so you can stop by, learn more, and provide your thoughts anytime in the 5 hours, and stay as short or as long as you want.

You can find the assessment, maps of current trails and the proposed system, and other information on the USFS web site at:
http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/psicc/home/?cid=STELPRDB5397304

Links for the documents and maps are at the bottom of that page.

You can also go to the USFS web page for the Pike and San Isabel Forests, scroll to the bottom, and find the link for the Bear Creek Watershed Assessment

Here is the current map: https://fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5412302.pdf
Here is their proposed map: https://fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5412304.pdf

Very scary stuff, since it appears that Jones Park will be closed to all users!