The City of Steamboat Springs (City) is collaborating with the Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS) to implement a Hazard Tree Mitigation Project on Emerald Mountain this summer. Work began in July and is expected to last through mid-October 2016. The City will be implementing the work plan identified in the Emerald Mountain Forest Management Plan on the Orton and Gossard Open Space parcels. This project will complete the planned tree removal operations of beetle kill trees that began in 2010.
Helicopter logging will take place Monday 9/26 to extract the logged trees from the Morning Gloria trail corridor. During this time, the majority of the front side of Emerald Mountain will be CLOSED to the public. Closure information will be communicated to the public via the City’s website steamboatsprings.net, social media pages, as well as posted signs at each of the Emerald Mountain trailheads. Previously anticipated logging dates of Thursday/Friday September 22-23 are hereby eliminated; access to Emerald Mountain will not be impeded until Monday.
From Monday through Wednesday, when helicopter activities will be taking place, we will keep the Bluffs and Howelsen Meadows areas open up to Ricky’s Ridge Trail. Beall, Ridge, and Rotary trails will remain open on the back side of the mountain with no front side access. All other trails on Emerald, including Blackmere Drive will be closed. Please respect these closures for your safety.