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 TODAY (Monday, September 26th) 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. Bluffs Loop and Howelsen Meadows will remain open up to Ricky's Ridge. 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 Mountain, including Blackmere Drive are currently CLOSED. For your own safety, please respect these closures.
Logging will be complete at 4:30 PM and all trails will reopen to the public at 5:00 PM today.