Mission

Fly with Ouray County officials and Winter Wildlands Alliance to examine winter terrain, wildlife habitat, and recreation patterns.

This expansive stretch of winter landscape serves as crucial habitat and provides world-class recreation opportunities for all of western Colorado. Since this landscape is used by so many different user groups, active management is needed to promote minimal conflict and ecosystem integrity. We flew over the forest, seeing vast swaths of wild lands and snowmobile tracks. Snowmobiles are prohibited from the multiple Wilderness areas that dot this landscape, as well as some of the special management areas. However, as we could see from the air, topography and hazards like avalanche terrain also dictate travel, and it is important that future winter travel management decisions reflect this.

As winter recreation tourism increases and climate patterns change in our region, we need to be proactive in how we manage these places. Winter travel planning is a tool for land managers to balance different uses including motorized and non-motorized travel in winter recreation areas, and protect this sensitive winter ecosystem.

Click for photos from the flights, geo-referenced flight photos, and aerial GoPro video.