Tolland Ranch Trail Construction Project in Boulder County and Gilpin County, Colorado

DocuSign Envelope ID: 28648D48-9B2A-49B7-A6F9-AB3A4FA33DE7

Resolution No. 2019-81 A Resolution Supporting the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Non-Motorized Trails Construction Projects for the Tolland Ranch Trail Construction Project in Boulder County and Gilpin County, Colorado.

WHEREAS, the County of Boulder is requesting $250,000.00 from Colorado Parks and Wildlifeto fund a trails construction project; and

WHEREAS, Colorado Parks and Wildlife has requested that the Board of County Commissioners of the County of Boulder ("BOCC") state its support forthe Colorado Parks and Wildlife grant application for the Tolland Ranch Trail Construction Project in Boulder County and Gilpin County, Colorado; and

WHEREAS, Colorado Parks and Wildlifehas requested that the BOCC verifyth at the property targeted forthe proposed project will be under the control of the applicant fora t least 25 years; and

WHEREAS, the Tolland Ranch Trail Construction Project will provide important trail opportunities in the counties of Boulder and Gilpin, which are of importance to Boulder County.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF THE COUNTY OF BOULDER THAT:

1. The BOCC supports the application to Colorado Parks and Wildlife for the Tolland Ranch Trail Construction Project.

2. The BOCC verifiesthat the county holds a public trail easement that shall run with the land in perpetuity and shall benefit and be binding upon the parties, their respective heirs, successors, representatives and assigns so long as the trail constructed and functioningby January 7, 2025. See Public Trail Easement attached hereto as Exhibit A. If Boulder County is awarded the grant from Colorado Parks and Wildlife, it can assure that the Tolland Ranch Trail is constructed and functioning by January 7, 2025, which will make the public trail easement perpetual.

3. The BOCC hereby authorizes the expenditure of funds as reflected in the grant application as necessary to meet the terms and obligations of the grant agreement and application.

4. The BOCC assures that it has the ability to complete this project and is committed to ensuring long-term trail maintenance.

This resolution is in full force and effect from and afterits passage and approval.

1. SCOPE (Proposed Project) (10 Points) EXHIBIT A

The Tolland Ranch Trail lies within a public trail easement on private lands in the Arapaho Roosevelt National Forest in Boulder and Gilpin Counties just east of the James Peak Wilderness Area and immediately south of Eldora Mountain Resort. Boulder County obtained the public trail easement in 2015 as part of a larger conservation easement for the Tolland Ranch. At the time of acquisition, the easement consisted of a 650 foot-wide (200 meter-wide) planning corridor with the centerline that represented the preliminary trail alignment. Since that time, a final alignment for a 12 to 18-inch-wide natural surface backcountry trail has been designed. The total trail length is approximately 6 miles. The public trail easement will be reduced to a 30 foot width once the trail has been constructed. While small features typical of a backcountry trail such as rock retaining walls, trail armoring, and causeways will be needed, no major infrastructure elements are planned. In addition to trail construction, extensive lengths of social trails and other unsustainable access routes will be reclaimed over the course of the project. The overall objective for the Tolland Ranch Trail is to provide a single, well-designed, non- motorized regional connection across private lands between two highly utilized trail systems on U.S. Forest Service lands: the Magnolia Trails system to the east and the Jenny Creek/Rollins Pass area system to the west.

Trail design is complete and ready to bid for construction and implementation of volunteer projects. Generally, the trail can be divided into three segments for ease of description: an eastern, middle, and western segment. The eastern segment of the trail begins in a majestic meadow at the southwestern boundary of the Magnolia Trails area at the western end of the School Bus Trail. A map of the trail network planned by USFS is available here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd516177.pdf.

As required in the easement for the Tolland Ranch Trail, a gate or other control feature will be located at this trail gateway near the property boundary that can be used to close the trail in the winter when Eldora Mountain Resort (Eldora) is open and the system of Nordic trails located near the Tolland Ranch Trail are being operated. Proceeding west from this gate, the trail will travel through a heavily forested area and will climb the northeastern aspect of Buckeye Mountain with several compact switchbacks to reach a ridge.

The middle section of the trail is located below and along a ridge between Buckeye Mountain and the Black Hills Mine site to the west. The Black Hills Mine is the most visually prominent cultural resource in the corridor. Along the way, various openings in the forest canopy afford magnificent views to the Tolland settlement in the Boulder Park valley below, as well as Mammoth Gulch, James Peak, and other prominent features along the Continental Divide. Prospect pits and other historic mining features are commonly encountered along this trail segment.

The western section of the trail will gently descend north and west from the Black Hills Mine site using wide switchbacks and ultimately terminating in the Dead Man’s Gulch area which is located within the Eldora’s Nordic area. From Dead Man’s Gulch, the trail will proceed west on an existing two-track that will join up with the Jenny Creek Road /Trail on USFS lands. A single-track trail connection (Segment A) is planned for the hillside above and to the north of the two-track. Involvement from Eldora and from USFS for a short segment of connector trail located on USFS lands is desired to finalize the alignment. However, since the two-track is a viable route, Segment A is not needed in order to complete the Tolland Ranch Trail connection between the Magnolia Trails area and the Jenny Creek Trail and greater Rollins Pass area. EXHIBIT A 2. SCOPE (Access/Trail Connections) (5 points)

The Tolland Ranch Trail will complete 6 miles of backcountry trail that connects two existing USFS trail systems: the Magnolia Trails system to the east and the Jenny Creek/Rollins Pass area to the west. Once complete, this trail segment will offer a unique opportunity to provide non-motorized trail connectivity from the Town of Nederland through the Magnolia Trails area, across Tolland Ranch, and west to the Jenny Creek/Rollins Pass Road area and toward the Continental Divide. Constructing this trail linkage between these two systems will result in a network of more than 100 miles of contiguous, legal trail and forest road. From a user perspective, that creates a lot of new opportunity for variety and extended-use by adding a relatively small amount of trail.

At a regional level, the Tolland Ranch Trail may serve at some point in the future as a segment of larger non-motorized regional trail that stretches from the plains to the peaks (Erie to Winter Park). Trail advocates in our community are referring to such a trail as the Indian Peaks Traverse. In the meantime, this trail will immediately provide an extension of the destination experience provided on USFS lands at and accessed via the Magnolia Trails system. From a visitor's perspective, the Tolland Ranch Trail would leverage the Magnolia Trails system to create an unprecedented extended-descent otherwise unavailable in Boulder County adding value to the reputation of the Magnolia Trails area for having the largest concentration and variety of mountain bike-allowed single-track in Boulder County.

In addition, the planned Tolland Ranch Trail may serve as a segment of the only trail initiating in Boulder County with potential through-access to the Continental Divide that allows mountain bike use. This opportunity is unique since all of Boulder County's western boundary is designated as wilderness within the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area or lies within Rocky Mountain National Park. Mechanized travel across the divide is prohibited in both the wilderness and the park.

While the benefits to backcountry mountain bike users are readily apparent, if the ski resort is supportive of and permitted to provide summer time public access to the trail through their property in the future, the western segment of the trail would be instantly more accessible to hikers, equestrians, and trail runners for shorter excursions closer to access points more accessible by vehicle.

The connectivity the Tolland Ranch Trail provides on so many levels will create such a unique recreational opportunity easily accessible to thousands of visitors a year for visitors from Nederland, Boulder, the greater Boulder County area, and the Front Range. 3. NEED (10 Points) EXHIBIT A

The primary need for the Tolland Ranch Trail is to complement and enable meeting the objectives identified in the USFS’s Magnolia Non-motorized Trails project. For the USFS Boulder Ranger District (the District), the Magnolia Trails area was identified in the Caribou-West Magnolia EA in 2003 as the recommended location within the District for a mountain biking destination (see Magnolia Trails 2016 2016 Recreation Specialist Report, p.2). And, as identified by the District Ranger in her Decision Notice authorizing the Magnolia Trails Project, “over the past couple of decades, this trail system has experienced a substantial increase in recreational use, including unauthorized construction. This has led to resource damage, trail damage, and unmanaged recreation…Trail system improvements are needed to comply with the intent of the Forest Plan direction to provide outdoor recreation opportunities and to reduce visitor conflicts and resource impacts (2016 Decision Notice, p.1).” This unmanaged recreation has proliferated onto the privately-owned Tolland Ranch where unauthorized recreation has resulted in a maze of social trails created by motorized and non-motorized users. With the construction and management of the Tolland Ranch Trail, Boulder County and the Toll family seek to manage this use by directing it toward a single, sustainable trail alignment and to stave off and restore the natural resource degradation that is occurring. A lack of multi-hour, long-loop outings in backcountry conditions in our community contributes significantly to this unauthorized social trail creation. According to the Recreation Specialist “the current West Magnolia trails are designated non-motorized and are very popular for hiking, running, horseback riding, and mountain biking, with the predominate activity throughout the project area being mountain biking (2016 Recreation Specialist Report, p.2).” This is further supported by the 2014 Proposed West Magnolia Trail System Master Plan (the 2014 Master Plan) “with 66% of users mountain biking at least a few times per month (in season)” (2014 Master Plan, p. 13; the plan is discussed in more detail in the Public Comment section). The Decision Notice calls out (and authorizes) the need for providing a regional connection with the Tolland Ranch Trail. Further, the Mayor of Nederland in his letter of support identifies the need for this trail stating that the trail is “incredibly important for the Colorado Front Range and, I believe, for Nederland in particular. It is designed to provide a missing section of a proposed Peaks to Plains trail and a new bike- accessible route to the Continental Divide Trail (CDT). As more and more users discover this part of the Front Range, we need to continue to grow the trail networks and increase connectivity to ensure those who come to ride have well engineered and maintained trails.” And, as the mayor eludes, the Tolland Ranch Trail will also support the needs of Nederland's "third economic life" serving as a gateway to highly visited outdoor recreation opportunities, such as the Tolland Ranch Trail, in the Indian Peaks and James Peak Wilderness Areas, and the greater Arapahoe Roosevelt National Forest. With easy access along Colorado’s oldest scenic byway, the Peak to Peak Highway, and location only 17 miles from the City of Boulder, hikers, trail runners, equestrians and cyclists from across the Front Range have a variety of recreation destination available from "Ned." And, the Tolland Ranch Trail creates a new, expanded opportunity for day-long backcounty experiences originating from Ned. This economic activity is vital to Nederland. With a population of 1,496 and a median age of 36.1 years, Nederland's median household income is only $54,875. More than 20% of persons live below the poverty line, a rate that is 1.5 times the rate of the Boulder Metro area. Nederland residents take pride in the unique local character of the town, but also recognize that recreation-based tourism is a key component of its strategic vision. Highlights in the Nederland Trails Master Plan indicate the Town wants to expand its trails, particularly the Magnolia Trails, but the Town simply doesn’t have the financial resources to accomplish this on its own. Partnership with Boulder County and the USFS on connector trails such as the Tolland Ranch Trail are essential to creating connectivity from Town that contributes to the vitality of the community both from a quality of life and economic standpoint.. As mentioned, the trail easement will be automatically vacated if the Tolland Ranch Trail is not open by the fall of 2024. Further, if implementation does not begin in 2020, critical funding from the Mike O’Brien Trust could be directed elsewhere. The time to construct this regional connection is now! 4. PLANNING/SUSTAINABILITY (Planning and Prioritization Process) (15 points) EXHIBIT A

As described above, Boulder County shares the vision for implementing the Tolland Ranch Trail with the USFS’s Boulder Ranger District. Not only is the desired regional connectivity an objective of the USFS’s Magnolia Trails project, but the trail easement acquisition was a component of the decades-long process to secure a greater conservation easement to protect 3,334-acre Tolland Ranch property and other surrounding property held by the Toll family. In fact, the acquisition completed a 30-year effort by advocacy groups and the US Forest Service to protect the pristine mountain habitat of the James Peak Wilderness Area and the larger South Boulder Creek Watershed.

Obtaining the trail easement has added a tremendous complementary benefit for the public by providing the opportunity to utilize this private property in a manner that enhances trail access and connectivity within the greater public lands complex with sensitivity to the goals of the greater land preservation actions and wildlife considerations that made the larger conservation easement acquisition so compelling. With the acquisition in 2015, no further easements or land acquisitions are required for the Tolland Ranch Trail to be implemented. However, there is urgency to getting the trail constructed. Per the acquisition agreement, if the trail is not constructed and open within 10 years of the acquisition date (i.e., by January 2025), the trail easement will automatically terminate and the access opportunity across private land would be lost.

As part of the easement negotiation, a planning process occurred to identify the location for a trail planning corridor that all the parties could agree to that would be refined during a subsequent design process after the trail easement had been acquired. This “trail location study” evaluated several potential trail alignments and eventually identified a 600-foot-wide, east-to-west planning corridor tucked between the landowners private residences to the south and Eldora Mountain Resort to the north. The planning corridor also adhered to a set of Guiding Principles developed collaboratively between Boulder County and the landowners, the Toll family. These Guiding Principles were: 1. Avoid significant/sensitive natural resource areas identified in the 2014 Natural Resource Inventory 2. Employ general guidelines for sustainable trails along an east/west alignment 3. Retain privacy for the Toll family on the south side of Tolland Ranch 4. Manage use such that there is no interference with the operation of Eldora Mountain Resort on the north side of the property, especially the Nordic trails. 5. Prohibit unauthorized motorized use and exploration 6. Anticipate trail to be Class 2, rugged backcountry character, and to service primarily cyclists, equestrians, trail runners, and ambitious hikers.

As the conservation easement and trail easement were being finalized between Boulder County and the Tolls, the USFS expanded the scope/boundary of their EA for the Magnolia Trails Project to allow for the evaluation of potential adjustments to the road and trail system on USFS lands in support of the then-future easement and also to provide a framework for collaboratively addressing shared management objectives and desired outcomes for this area going forward. Most significantly for the public, the EA paved the way for the highly-desired, legal trail connectivity between the Magnolia Trails system and the Jenny Creek/Rollins Pass Road area.

Using Planning Grant funding through the State Trails program, Boulder County hired ContourLogic, a trails design consultant, to complete the trail design using sustainable trail design principles within the original trail planning easement and to continue to adhere to the Guiding Principles. ContourLogic led the design team’s diligent consideration of factors such as cross-slope, soils, running grade, and drainage to limit the impacts and erosive forces of trail use and drainage as well as to make the trail enjoyable, to take users where they want to go, and to minimize the need for structures like bridges and switchbacks that would require more intensive maintenance with time. In addition, measures were taken to buffer the trail from a wildlife movement corridor and certain cultural resources. BCPOS consulted early in the process with CPW wildlife specialists and as recently as August 2019 for a site visit. EXHIBIT A 5. PLANNING/SUSTAINABILITY (Maintenance and Sustainability) (15 points)

The Tolland Ranch Trail has been designed with long-term sustainability in mind. As mentioned, Boulder County utilized 2016 CPW Planning Grant funding to secure the services of ContourLogic, a well- regarded trail design firm that specializes in designing natural surface trails. The scope of work for ContourLogic included the development of the layout and design specifications for the Tolland Ranch Trail. ContourLogic has a keen understanding of the characteristics of sustainable, natural surface trails that minimize maintenance by considering cross-slope, soils, running grade, drainage impacts, and erosive forces of trail use. Further, their design minimized turns, bridges, switchbacks, and other common trail features that require more intensive maintenance. Additionally, existing segments of “social trail” that already have sustainable characteristics were integrated into the final, designed trail. This reduces the amount of new disturbance created by the project. There is also about one-mile of unsustainable “social trail” that will be reclaimed as a part of the project. Starting with an expertly designed trail alignment that uses these sustainability principles will go a long way toward minimizing the need for maintenance over time.

This is a backcountry trail with very few structures so the development of a detailed Operations and Maintenance Plan is not planned. However, the condition of the trail will be regularly monitored, as is typical for trails in the Boulder County Parks & Open Space system. After the trail is open, the trail will be patrolled regularly (once per week, minimum) by our ranger staff. Rangers will report maintenance concerns to our trails staff as they occur so that they can be addressed immediately. Further, the department is working toward adding another Nederland-area resident ranger to complement another ranger already living north of Nederland at Caribou Ranch. Working in tandem, these rangers will provide regular coverage of this backcountry trail.

Maintenance of the Tolland Ranch Trail will be performed by our talented trails crew. There is a permanent crew of six full-time staff that typically expands to 12 staff during the warmer months. These positions have stable funding from the county’s general fund and/or long-term sales tax funds. Our trails crew is well trained and experienced in the construction and maintenance of sustainable, natural surface trails. Many members of our crew have trained alongside or with ContourLogic. Our system consists of well over 100 miles of trail, much of which is natural surface located in the mountains and foothills of Boulder County. In order to expedite construction in this remote, high country location, a trails construction contractor will be hired to build most of the trail; however, our trails crew staff will also be involved in implementation through construction management and volunteer projects.

This grant request, in combination with other funding sources and in-kind contributions, is sufficient to construct the Tolland Ranch Trail and create the initial desired connectivity contemplated in the trail easement. With the leadership of the Boulder Ranger District and supported in partnership by Boulder County and other partners, there many years of work achieve the objectives of the USFS’ Magnolia Trail project. Future grant requests for this purpose are likely. However, the ground work for achieving and maintaining sustainable, regional connection between the Magnolia Trails area and the Jenny Creek/Rollins Pass area will be complete with the support of this grant. EXHIBIT A 6. PLANNING/SUSTAINABILITY (Wildlife and Natural Resources) (15 points)

As exemplified by the forementioned Guiding Principles, one of the primary considerations during planning and design of the Tolland Ranch Trail was the importance of minimizing any potential impact to the sensitive natural resources present on the Tolland Ranch property. To this end, a Natural Resource Inventory was conducted by Dave Hallock, a well-respected naturalist from the Nederland area who has studied and written about the Boulder area for decades. Importantly, Mr. Hallock participation in the evaluation and selection of the trail planning corridor was invaluable. Since he was also the author of the Tolland Ranch Conservation Easement Baseline Report, he brought a deep understanding of the Conservation Values of the Tolland Ranch property to the selection process and directed the decision- making toward a location for the trail corridor that would not negatively affect its Conservation Values, especially the wildlife and other natural resources.

At a landscape scale, Mr. Hallock’s inventory points to Tolland Ranch as the most ecologically significant parcel of land along South Boulder Creek. It is a montane parkland - a basin of flat land dominated by grasslands and wetlands - and is unique relative to the surrounding landscape. It is a node of high biodiversity. The grasslands and wetlands provide food for many small mammals, black bear, elk, mule deer, coyotes, beaver, weasels, hawks, mountain lions, and more recently, moose. The property contains montane willow cars which have the highest breeding bird densities of any habitat in the mountains. These important areas have all been completely avoid by the trail project.

The montane parklands in the South Boulder Creek drainage also have associated herds of elk. This herd is part of the Winiger Ridge herd that winters around Gross Reservoir, along Magnolia Road, and on the south-facing hillsides of Coal Creek Canyon. The elk generally return to South Boulder Park in April and May, and will stay until early July, when most of the animals move west into Mammoth Gulch and the James Peak Wilderness. They return in the fall. Calving has been documented in and around Tolland Ranch, particularly on the south-facing hillsides above South Boulder Park. Consideration of this movement is important to Boulder County Parks & Open Space (BCPOS).

As such, the importance of minimizing the impact on this seasonal elk movement was one of the primary considerations during planning and design of the Tolland Ranch trail. Early in the planning stage, BCPOS discussed these concerns and possible trail location alternatives with CPW wildlife staff. The final trail route selected avoids the elk concentration area just above (north of) the parkland and has the least impact on the movement corridor on the eastern flank of Buckeye Mountain. Additionally, during trail design, any impact to the elk movement corridor was further reduced by concentrating the switchbacks that climb Buckeye Mountain north of and away from the movement corridor to the south. Further, by concentrating trail use to a single, managed alignment across the property reduces the habitat fragmentation on Tolland Ranch that current, unmanaged uses have exacerbated.

BCPOS regularly engages with CPW wildlife staff concerning elk movement in this area. During the ongoing planning for the Magnolia Trails project, BCPOS has been involved with USFS and CPW staff to continue to look at ways to balance the desire for recreation with wildlife considerations. BCPOS has also been advocating for an elk movement study as part of an IGA between the Town of Nederland and Boulder County that is being formulated that concerns potential development in this area. Additionally, BCPOS and CPW wildlife staff completed an organized site visit to the Tolland Ranch in August 2019 to review the trail alignment first hand and discuss the planning and decision-making process to date. EXHIBIT A 7. PUBLIC COMMENT (15 points)

Stepping back in time a bit, from 2012 to 2014, as Boulder County was negotiating the conservation easement and trail easement with the Toll family, Boulder Mountainbike Alliance was also working with ContourLogic to completed the Proposed West Magnolia Trail System Master Plan for consideration by USFS (the 2014 Master Plan). This document was funded by a State Trails grant. USFS used the 2014 Master Plan to inform the formulation of the Magnolia Non-Motorized Trail project and Environmental Assessment (EA). During that master planning effort, public input was solicited via an open house in Nederland, an online survey, and through collaboration with 20 stakeholder groups. Following are just a few excerpts of desired conditions from 697 survey participants:

• Connections to Jenny Creek; • An extended descent experience; • More “wild” nature trails from outside the trail core. • Opportunities for multi-hour, long-loop outings in backcountry conditions

Public input like this from the 2014 Master Plan led the Boulder Ranger District to make partnering with Boulder County on the Tolland Ranch Trail and other trails on county-owned properties a priority, to expand the scope of District’s EA for the Magnolia Trails project to include evaluation of the Tolland Ranch Trail, and to callout providing a regional connection with the Tolland Ranch Trail as a stand-alone objective of the Magnolia Trails project. The District Ranger highlights this desire from the public heard repeatedly through their multi-year process when she stated in her Decision Notice, “for those seeking a longer nonmotorized trail, my decision will connect to trails managed by Boulder County” (2016 Decision Notice, page 15).

The desire from the public for a trail such as the Tolland Ranch Trail was also underscored by public comment at hearings before the Boulder County Parks & Open Space Advisory Committee and the Board of County Commissioners in 2014 as part of Boulder County’s process for approving the expenditure of $1.5 million of open space sales tax funds toward the greater conservation easement and the acquisition of the trail easement.

BCPOS has continued to obtain public input about the Tolland Ranch Trail since the 2015 acquistion. This input has been consistently supported building this connector trail. BCPOS presented with USFS staff at the Nederland Parks Recreation and Open Space Advisory Board (PROSAB) in 2016. Staff received similar positive reception during a presentation in April 2018 to the Boulder County Parks and Open Space Advisory Committee that provided the public an update on progress toward completing the planning and design for the Tolland Ranch Trail. The Boulder Mountainbike Alliance website reflects the eagerness for the connection to be realized (https://www.bouldermountainbike.org/magnolia-non- motorized-trail-plan/ and expected-opening-of-the-toll-trail).

There has been very little opposition to this project, if anything the public would like to see additional trails developed on Tolland Ranch. However, the Toll family has only expressed a willingness to move ahead with this single, regional connector trail. Even that request faced questions and concerns from the Toll Family that were successfully addressed over the course of the easement negotiation.

Concern from some remains about potential impacts the trail will have on wildlife. As discussed in the wildlife section, our position on that concern is that the alignment has been placed in a location that is far removed from the valuable parkland on the valley floor below and most minimizes any effect on the important elk movement corridor. In addition, concentrating the use to a single, well-managed alignment will actually reduce the extent of habitat fragmentation by reducing the proliferation of user-created social trail that characterizes the eastern side of Tolland Ranch adjacent to USFS lands. We feel the project strikes an appropriate balance between the desired recreational use and the existing habitat values. EXHIBIT A 8. ABILITY (Matching Funds and Partnerships (10 points)

As demonstrated in our attached letter of support from the USFS, our partnership with them on this project is very strong. We are working together closely to take advantage of the current momentum and continue this good work and partnership. Boulder County is especially grateful that USFS modified their EA process for the Magnolia Trails Project to allow for consideration of the Tolland Ranch Trail, to prioritize the regional connectivity, and to address concerns about unauthorized uses originating from USFS lands that are negatively impacting the Conservation Values of Tolland Ranch. We look forward to continuing to use the EA decision as a framework for continued collaboration in the implementation of the plan for Magnolia Trails system including this connection across the Tolland Ranch to Jenny Creek/Rollins Pass Road.

Over the course of planning and designing the trail, Boulder County has built a very solid partnership with the Toll family. While no family members live on the property year-round, their history on the property is rich and their stewardship ethic in excess of a century is shared across multiple generations. We look forward to continuing to grow our stewardship-based partnership that provides benefit to the family, the public, and the county. A recent visit with Wolky Toll, the representative of the Toll family, substantiated the value of this partnership – and the family is enthusiastic about moving forward with construction of the trail!

Relatedly, we have been building a partnership with Eldora Mountain Resort. The resort recently came under new ownership. Their lease agreement for lands that are also a part of Tolland Ranch for both Nordic and Alpine operations overlaps in a limited way with the Tolland Ranch Trail. The resort has been very open to working together for the success of both summer and winter use of the property. And, over the course of the planning process, the location of the trail alignment has been influenced by their desires too. We hope to continue to grow this partnership, to support each other in serving the Boulder-area community, and to steward the property’s Conservation Values together.

Finally, this project aligns well with the criteria of the bequest we received through the Mike O’Brien Trust. Mr. O’Brien desired that a portion of his estate be used to expand access to public lands in and around Boulder County. This project is a great fit for his wishes. He was also a firm believer in the power of volunteerism in creating stewards of the outdoors. He was a regular volunteer on projects led by our department and organizations like Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado (VOC). As such, his bequest will be used to support a robust volunteer-project component to the implementation of this project. The match of $185,503 that the bequest will fund makes up 32% of the total funding need. The in-kind match from the County represents 26% of the funding need, while the grant request itself is 42% of total project expense. Please also note that Boulder County has applied for a Colorado the Beautiful grant to fund this project. If Boulder County were to be award that grant in full, we would withdraw our application for funding from this grant pool.

In addition to Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado, we expect to continue to partner with local organizations to implement the project including: Boulder Area Trails Coalition (BATCO), Boulder Mountainbike Alliance (BMA), Nederland Area Trails Organization (NATO), and Wildlands Restoration Volunteers (WRV), and our own well-executed volunteer and partnership program. EXHIBIT A 9. ABILITY (Contingency/Ability) (5 points)

Match funding is being provided by the Mike O’Brien Trust. His wish for his estate was to support improved trail access to public lands. His generous donation will provide the matching funds for the grant. The Trustee has indicated that they might seek a project with a different agency if the Tolland Ranch Trail does not move to construction soon. This would be a big set-back to meeting the January 2025 deadline for the construction and opening of the Tolland Ranch Trail.

Boulder County has already invested $1.5 million in the acquisition of the conservation easement over the Tolland Ranch Property with the acquisition partners and for the trail easement held solely by Boulder County. Boulder County has also funded the initial trail location study that informed the trail easement negotiation and subsequent formulation. Since that time, Boulder County has continued investing in the planning and design of the trail by completing and successfully closing out a $41,000 planning grant award from CPW’s program. BCPOS matched that effort with $15,000 of our own funding. Most importantly, the construction project has been on the department’s 5-year capital improvement plan. This means that the staffing needed to implement the project has been allocated and can be deployed to implement construction of the trail in alignment within the project budget and timeline.

If grant funding is not awarded this year, existing funding would at least allow BCPOS to begin the elements of the project that are suitable for volunteers next summer; however, there is not funding available to complete the entire trail without grant assistance. Boulder County submitted a Colorado the Beautiful construction grant application on August 1, 2019. We will not learn whether or not we have been awarded funding until January 2020. As a contingency, Boulder County is applying for this Colorado Parks and Wildlife Non-Motorized Trail grant. If there is a funding shortfall, there may also be some additional funding available from the Mike O’Brien Trust. Our biggest concern is the looming deadline to have the trail completed and open to the public by the fall of 2024 or risk have the easement automatically vacated and lose this unique opportunity to create regional connectivity for the public across private lands.

Boulder County is committed to seeing the Tolland Ranch Trail become a reality, however, we must utilize external sources to assist with funding the construction project. Boulder County was significantly affected by the flood that occurred in 2013. Our department has been fortunate to have secured more than $30 million in funding toward the recovery of trails, trailheads, reservoirs, waterways, historic structures and agricultural facilities. Grants included a successfully reimbursed assistance grant from GOCO that provided local match and other unmet needs for repairs to trails, trailheads, and other related infrastructure in our open space system. In general, our department has had success with obtaining many of these reimbursable costs that have fed directly back to the county’s General Fund. However, it has been a financial stretch for Boulder County overall to respond to such a devasting event. Most significantly, the cost of recovery from impacts to our road and bridge infrastructure, especially in the mountains and foothills, has severely depleted the county’s reserves and tens of millions of dollars in potential reimbursements for road and bridge expenditures is less certain. The county-wide budget is endeavoring to recover from the effects of the costs of rebuilding while Boulder County works with FEMA, DHSEM, DOLA, GOCO reimbursing recovery costs through various grants. We have appreciated the patience and support our grant funding partners have offered us over the past six-plus years of recovery.

Despite the setbacks from the 2013 flood, the implementation of the Tolland Ranch Trail has remained a priority for Boulder County. The support and partnership from the Boulder Ranger District and CPW have been invaluable to continuing to plan for and design this important regional connection. We appreciate the time and energy grant reviewers put into assessing the many valuable projects being developed throughout the State to serve our fellow citizens and steward our amazing system of public lands. Exhibit B Budget Form - Project Name: Tolland Ranch Trail CPW Trails Date Total Project Total Funding SOURCE OF FUNDS Grant Request Secured Match [B] ($) [C] [A] CASH CPW Non-Motorized Trails grant TBD $ 250,000.00 $ 250,000.00 Mike O'Brien Trust Jul-15 $ 186,503.00 $ 186,503.00

IN-KIND BCPOS staff and equipment Oct-19 $ 154,820.00 $ 154,820.00

TOTAL SOURCES OF FUNDS $ 250,000.00 $ 341,323.00 $ 591,323.00

Total Project Total Funding Balance [CASH] Description of Work Qty Unit Unit Price Total (B*D) CPW Funds [should be 0] Match ($) ($) CATEGORY 1-Contracted Services Identify as: Trail Contractor TBD General Conditions $ - Mobilization/Demobilization 2020 and 2 10% 366,503.00 $ 70,000.00 $ 30,000.00 $ 40,000.00 $ 70,000.00 0 2021: 10% total trail construction cost (per industry standard) per year Silt Fence 1,800 LF $ 2.50 $ 4,500.00 $ 4,500.00 $ 4,500.00 0 Straw wattles 1,000 LF $ 5.50 $ 5,500.00 $ 5,500.00 $ 5,500.00 0 Erosion control fabric 250 SY $ 8.00 $ 2,000.00 $ 2,000.00 $ 2,000.00 0 Construction water: See comment #2 below 1,000 GAL $ 8.00 $ 8,000.00 $ 8,000.00 0 $ 8,000.00 Temporary facilities 3 EA $ 1,000.00 $ 3,000.00 $ 3,000.00 $ 3,000.00 0 Staging & material stockpile areas 3 EA $ 2,400.00 $ 7,200.00 $ 7,200.00 $ 7,200.00 0 $ 250.00 State Storm Water Permit over two years 1 EA $ 250.00 $ 250.00 $ 250.00 0 Boulder County Storm water permit over 2 $ 3,250.00 $ 3,250.00 years (Requires 3rd party oversight every 1 EA $ 3,250.00 $ 3,250.00 30 days) Temporary site fencing and controls 1,200 LF $ 3.50 $ 4,200.00 $ 4,200.00 $ 4,200.00 0 Final as-built survey of constructed trail: Assume 6 FTE, surverying 6.5 miles of trail over 5 days 267 HRS $ 150.00 $ 40,000.00 $ 19,000.00 $ 21,000.00 $ 40,000.00 0

Trail Segments: A, B and F: BCPOS Staff and Volunteers Bench trail 6,805 LF $ 8.00 $ 54,436.00 $ 54,436.00 $ 54,436.00 0 Boardwalk 15 LF $ 250.00 $ 3,750.00 $ 3,750.00 $ 3,750.00 0 Causeway 237 LF $ 40.00 $ 9,480.00 $ 9,480.00 $ 9,480.00 0 Crowned tread 738 LF $ 15.00 $ 11,070.00 $ 11,070.00 $ 11,070.00 0 Rock retaining wall 50 LF $ 60.00 $ 3,000.00 $ 3,000.00 $ 3,000.00 0 Light touch 947 LF $ 3.00 $ 2,841.00 $ 2,841.00 $ 2,841.00 0 Maintain existing tread 426 LF $ 1.00 $ 426.00 $ 426.00 $ 426.00 0 Close and reclaim 1,300 LF $ 2.00 $ 2,600.00 $ 2,600.00 $ 2,600.00 0

Trail Segments: C-D, G, H, J, K: Trails Contractor Close and reclaim 4,105 LF $ 2.00 $ 8,210.00 $ 8,210.00 $ 8,210.00 0 Armored tread 195 LF $ 100.00 $ 19,500.00 $ 19,500.00 $ 19,500.00 0 Bench trail 13,727 LF $ 8.00 $ 109,812.00 $ 109,812.00 $ 109,812.00 0 Climbing turn structured 7 EA $ 3,000.00 $ 21,000.00 $ 21,000.00 $ 21,000.00 0 Light touch 4,403 LF $ 3.00 $ 13,209.00 $ 13,209.00 $ 13,209.00 0 Rock retaining wall 56 LF $ 60.00 $ 3,360.00 $ 3,360.00 $ 3,360.00 0 Maintain existing tread 2,064 LF $ 1.00 $ 2,064.00 $ 2,064.00 $ 2,064.00 0 Stone steps 6 EA $ 100.00 $ 600.00 $ 600.00 $ 600.00 0 Bike rack 1 EA $ 500.00 $ 500.00 $ 500.00 $ 500.00 0 Crowned tread 388 LF $ 15.00 $ 5,820.00 $ 5,820.00 $ 5,820.00 0 Road to trail 565 LF $ 20.00 $ 11,300.00 $ 11,300.00 $ 11,300.00 0

CATEGORY 3-Materials/Supplies Natural trail - materials sourced on site Signage and wayfinding 25 EA $ 225.00 $ 5,625.00 $ 5,625.00 $ 5,625.00 0 $ - $ - 0

Exhibit B Page 1 of 2 Additional Categories $ - $ - 0 $ - $ - 0 USE OF FUNDS - CASH SUBTOTAL $ 250,000.00 $ 186,503.00 $ 436,503.00

Total Funding Balance [IN-KIND] Description of Work Qty Unit Unit Price Total (B*D) [should be 0] ($) Category 1 - Contracted Services $ - $ - $ - 0

Category 2 - Salary/Wages: Estimated fully burdened hourly wage = $35.30/hr Develop trail construction constractor bid 20 HRS $ 35.30 $ 700.00 $ 700.00 $ 700.00 0 package Advertise bid package in newspaper, UT, CO, Pacific Northwest; Industry 4 AD $ 125.00 $ 500.00 $ 500.00 $ 500.00 0 publications Volunteer coordination: 2020 and 2021 1,136 HRS $ 35.30 $ 40,000.00 $ 40,000.00 $ 40,000.00 0 Construction phase QC 586 HRS $ 35.30 $ 20,000.00 $ 20,000.00 $ 20,000.00 0 Project Management BCPOS Staff: 2020 850 HRS $ 35.30 $ 30,000.00 $ 30,000.00 and 2021 $ 30,000.00 0

Category 3 - Materials/Tools Seed for reclamation: 10' either side trail - 217,800 SF $ 0.01 $ 2,500.00 $ 2,500.00 est 5 miles $ 2,500.00 0

Equipment (3) County work trucks 4 day/week for 6 3 EA $ 9,600.00 $ 28,800.00 $ 28,800.00 $ 28,800.00 months 0 (2) Power wheelbarrows for 6 months 2 EA $ 5,760.00 $ 11,520.00 $ 11,520.00 $ 11,520.00 0 (1) Mini-excavator for 3 months 1 EA $ 14,400.00 $ 14,400.00 $ 14,400.00 $ 14,400.00 0

Exhibit B Page 2 of 2

TOLLAND RANCH TRAIL

Dead Man’s Gulch Black Hills Mine

View of Continental Divide Mine Tailings

Vista: Tolland, Mammoth Gulch & James Peak TOLLAND RANCH TRAIL

Log Cabin Site Meadow on East Side

Forest Setting: East Side Forest Setting: West Side

Existing trail near Borrow pit ridgeline (¯$$

Rock-n-Roots

Cheaters Corner Trail Creek Potential future trail connection Jenny (USFS, Boulder County, Future in-kind project _ Private land owners) working with USFS on View Point Jenny (Install ^_ Creek Road Dead Man's potential connection. Bench) FS RD 105.1 Gulch _^ ^_ Schoo usBl

View Point Log Cabin (Southeast to Connection to School Bus Trail-USFS ^_Mammoth Gulch) _^Site

Vista: Tolland, Antelope View Point Mammoth Gulch, Spur ^_ James Peak Antelope ^_ Creek

Black ^_Hills Mine

Legend Figure No. Overview ^_ Points of Interest Title Existing Trail Existing Connections Toll Trail Overview Map Future in-kind Trail Client/Project

XC Trails Proposed trail alignment Boulder County Parks and Open Space Toll TrailDesign Reclaim Existing Route Maintain Existing Route 0 1,100 2,200 Feet 1:19,373 (At original document size of 11x17) Notes Coordinate System: WGS 1984 Web Mercator Auxiliary Sphere Revised: 2019-01-29 By: lmccandless C:\gis_projects\contour_logic\toll\gis\mxd\deliverables\toll_construction_log_overview_20180117.mxd (¯$$

_ Rock-n-Roots

Future Connection to West Magnolia Trails Cheaters _ Corner

Jenny Creek Trail

View Point Segment A (Install Jenny Creek Road Dead Man's School Bus (Pending USFS NEPA) Bench) Gulch^_ ^_

Intersect View Point (Southeast to Log Cabin Jenny Creek Mammoth Gulch) Site Road ^_ ^_

Vista: Tolland, Antelope View Point Mammoth Gulch, Spur ^_ James Peak Antelope Creek ^_ Vista: James peak Black^_ Hills Mine ^_ Vista: Mammoth ^_Gulch and James Peak

Legend Figure No. ^_ Points of Interest Trail Segment (Construction Staking Installed) Overview Segment A Title Existing Trail Segment B Future Connections Toll Trail Overview Map Segment C Client/Project XC Trails Segment D Segment E Reclaim Existing Route Boulder County Parks and Open Space Segment F Toll TrailDesign Maintain Existing Route Segment G 0 1,100 2,200 Feet Segment H 1:19,373 (At original document size of 11x17) Notes Segment J Coordinate System: WGS 1984 Web Mercator Auxiliary Sphere Revised: 2019-01-29 By: lmccandless Segment K C:\gis_projects\contour_logic\toll\gis\mxd\deliverables\toll_construction_log_overview_20180117.mxd

1 S 1 S 2 USDA BLMUSDA FS and Personnel

Miles

2A .2 357 0.75

357.2B

1 in = 833 feet

2A .

357 .0 97E 51 . .1 7

3 132.0 Trailhead 1:10,000 Front Range Boulder CountyTrail TBD .1 Gate

7 2 5 3 Conservation Easement Conservation

3 Project Area Lands System Forest National Boulder County Open Space Land Private/Non-Forest

E 1

1 S

357. 1D SymbolsOther l Land and Ownership

ia 606. c 0.25 o

1 0

2 a

1 1

l 7

a l i

c a 5

o i S

C S

3 c

2 o

. S 7

2 l

l a

i a c o i S c 00

0 1

o D

S 1

32.0 1 .

R B R Magnolia TrailsFinal Proposed System 72 W Roosevelt National Forest - Boulder Ranger District 72 W National Forest System Road System Forest National Administrative Use Only Road Highway State Trail System Forest National County Trail Toll Conservation Easement Trail Easement Conservation Toll Trail Non-Motorized Winter Groomed 606.1C

606.1C Final Trail System Trail Final and approximate are alignments trail All NOTE: map. on depicted from location slightly vary may

606.1B Final RoadSystem 72

E .1 606.1 6 0 6 _

NEW

6 60 6.1A

60 1D

853.1A

853.

a i

c o S

53.

1 853

119

2 c i a l o S 853.1E

853.1 D B l

.1 i 1 53 a . 8 r 6 31 T NEW y 5

t 3

n 6

2 u

i o c

o 1D S C lder ou

853. B Ranch Ranch Reynold's 853.1B Reynold's

853. 1B 6 356.

1 5

EW 2

N l

o 0 2. 13 S

a i

c 358.1 o

S 7 o c i a l

8. 35

358.1A Social 6 136N.0 3W72.0 0 7 2. l 5 ia

5 oc

5 S

Nederland Workcenter

a 5

l c

c S

0 2. 4W7

132.

c o

S 345.1

.1A

346

0 32.

1 119

3 2

5.1 2 E 92 l 3 N ia 4 c 2

o 132.W W

.0 58 9 S E 38 N l

i 552.0 B c

4 .1

1 1

925 1 .

346. 346.

72 2.0

927.1 55

925.1B i

o S

4 355.1E

.1E 25

925.1A 9

6 N

W o

S N

1 .1

7 W

E 92

925.1 A

N .1 1

5.1C

9 342 35 D

355.1 4

.1B 9 15 .S 355

342 W W

N N

1A 342. .1

3 927

355.S14

l .

4 C

S 355.1V .1 429 3 1

5 5 429.1

355.1D 1U 3 1A

132.W 355.

927. 0 5 2

926.1A 1 2 . l W 5

a E

1A 355. N i 0

c 1 22 o B l S .1 6.1 ia 6 2 oc 1 2 9 S 2 9 Trailhead .2A ial

105 Soc

. Magnolia West A 6

2 1

9 .1 9.

3 355.1D 5 92

3 8 7

l 1

a ial

i c

E o c

W S S o

1 43.

3 355.1

.1 55 3 9

1 9

36 1 a i

.1 355

F 9 .

NEW c

9 o 1 D

2 1

l 355.1 .

9 2

9 2 9

355.1K

hoo 4

hool

2 l 1A .1

l ia a

d n i

.1 355 c

927

c o

Sc S

So 355.1

105.1

rla

h Sc h 3 E

1 .

E 1A

6 gh gh

g 927.

2 9

d derlan de NEW

9 1

355.1G l

I a

1 Hi 3

. Hi

5 i

W H

c E 3

N e N o e N 105.1

39 .1 S l 355.1 cia 929 3 o 2 S l

a 7 a

B i 0 0.

13 G 3 c

1 1 l o . a . 4 i S

6 c 5 3

2 o

5 S 9 3 W NE 4 3

a i 512.1 c 105.1 1A o 9 28. S

105.1A 73 W

73 W

105.1 105.1B 3 A 4

l 105.1 a

Units: Meter 0

i 37

o S

Date: 8/24/2016 1 NEW 105.1C

5 .1B

1C Time: 1:59:15Time: PM E 1 5.

10 N 105

l 105.1

Scale Factor: 0.9996 Factor: Scale 1 c Map Author: A.OdomMap

W S

False Northing: Northing: False 0.0000

6 E

l N

105.1 a

Latitude Of Origin: 0.0000 c

. 4 Central Meridian: -105.0000 Meridian: Central S

False Easting: 500,000.0000 1

Datum: North American 1983 09

3 1 a 2 i c l o

a 3 i S

Projection: Transverse Mercator Transverse Projection:

1 4 c

l o

i S

NEW o S GIS and Data Information Data and GIS

Coordinate System: NAD 1983 UTM Zone 13N

T 512.1

34 2 l

25 a i

25 o S

Denver

L L

I .1B A A

R 109 T T

L L

L L C

109.1109.1109.1 O O 9.1

287 T

T 10

- -

available at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd516177.pdf

Fort Collins 9

2 2

W W

E E

N N 287 36

Boulder

AIL

30 Ranger TR LL

Boulder

District W

TO NE Project Location Park

Estes

R T

Park

Rocky L National

Mountain

O T 34 National Forest National Arapaho Roosevelt Arapaho 70 40

Map Disclaimer: This map is intended to depict physical features as they generally appear/couldand mayappear not be on used the ground determineto title, ownership, legal boundaries,jurisdiction legal over jurisdiction, roads or trails, or access including restrictions thatland. Obtain may be permission in place before on either entering public private lands, or private and check withfor restrictions that appropriate may apply togovernment public lands. offices Lands, roads, andnational foresttrails within may be the boundaries subject restrictions to of a on motor vehicle use.be depicted Natural on hazards the map, and land users may should or may exercise not due caution. Thisnavigational map is use. suitable not for Disclaimer: Data The USDA Forest Service makes no warranty, expressed or implied, including the warrantiesmerchantability of and fitness for a particular purpose, and assumes no legal liability accuracy,the reliability, completeness or responsibility or utility for these of geospatialuse these of geospatial data, or data. These geospatial for the data improper or incorrect anddocuments related maps and are not intended or graphics beto used are as not such. legal The dataThe user are isdynamic responsible verifyto the limitations and may of change over time. the geospatial data and useto the data accordingly.

1 S 1 S 2 TOLLAND RANCH TRAIL

Local Context Map

Statewide Context Map

Boulder Mountainbike Alliance PO BOX 4954 Boulder, CO 80306 bouldermountainbike.org EIN 84-1240757

July 10, 2019

Colorado Parks and Wildlife State Trails Program Attn: Fletcher Jacobs 13787 South Highway 85 Littleton, CO 80125

Re: Boulder County Parks and Open Space; Toll Trail Construction Grant

Dear Mr. Jacobs,

Boulder Mountainbike Alliance (BMA) enthusiastically supports the Boulder County Parks and Open Space (BCPOS) request for grant funding from Colorado Parks and Wildlife to support a trail construction grant for the new Toll Trail on the Tolland Property, located in the foothills of Boulder and Gilpin Counties.

This trail has a special history and opportunity for our communities: ● Creates a trail linking Nederland and Winterpark for hikers, trail runners, backpackers, bicycles and horses and replaces a historical trail link that was recently closed. ● Connects to the much larger Magnolia Trail System approved by the USFS in 2017, providing opportunities for dispersing users to both reduce crowding and better connect to nature. ● This trail would serve as the “anchor” trail for Magnolia which could eventually allow for regional connectivity from Erie to Winter Park and beyond and is an integral piece of the Indian Peaks Traverse. ● Condenses many social trails which fragment the forest and cross private land with a single legal corridor trail. Also gives users a way over the divide on a trail outside of the Indian Peaks Wilderness and thus eases the burden on that land. ● BMA built capacity within the organization to partner with the USFS’s Boulder Ranger District to make the Magnolia Trail System a destination for community and visitors alike with longevity to maintaining the system. ● Took over 8 years to negotiate a conservation easement that includes recreation.

Thank you for supporting outdoor recreation programs in Boulder County! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at 303-960-6641 or [email protected]

Sincerely,

Wendy Sweet Operations Manager Boulder Mountainbike Alliance

Great communities build trails, and great trails build community.

Town of Nederland, Colorado

45 West First Street – P.O. Box 396 Nederland, CO 80466-0396 www.nederlandco.org Phone: (303) 258-3266 FAX: (303) 258-1240

Colorado Parks and Wildlife July 29, 2019 State Trails Program Attn: Fletcher Jacobs 13787 U.S. Hwy 85 N Littleton, CO 80125

Dear Mr. Fletcher,

I am writing to express my sincere support for the Boulder County Parks and Open Space in it’s application for a Colorado Parks and Wildlife Trails grant for the Toll Trail across the Tolland Ranch. This trail is incredibly important for the Colorado Front Range and, I believe, for Nederland in particular. It is designed to provide a missing section of a proposed Peaks to Plains trail and a new bike-accessible route to the Continental Divide Trail (CDT).

Nederland is in a unique position. Riders can access the CDT through Nederland entirely through public transportation from anywhere within the Front Range, including visitors who fly into Colorado through DIA. Not only that, Nederland stands on the cusp of it’s third economic life. We were founded on mineral extraction and found a second life as a center of music. Now we are looking at another shift, as a gateway to outdoor and endurance sports. As more and more users discover this part of the Front Range, we need to continue to grow the trail networks and increase connectivity to ensure those who come to ride have well engineered and maintained trails.

Nederland strongly supported the planning of this trail in 2015 and I look forward to seeing the project come to fruition! Thank you for your support of Boulder County and Colorado trail projects!

Sincerely,

Kristopher Larsen, Mayor Town of Nederland (303)949-2843 [email protected]

To: Fletcher Jacobs Colorado Parks and Wildlife State Trails Program 13787 U.S. Hwy 85N Littleton, CO 80125

Date: July 24, 2019

Re: Letter of Support for Tolland Ranch Trail Construction

To whom it may concern:

On behalf of the Boulder Area Trails Coalition (BATCO), I am pleased to support Boulder County Parks & Open Space (BCPOS)’ funding request for developing the Toll Trail on the Tolland property west of Nederland.

This new trail will connect many existing trails around the Tolland Ranch, including the Magnolia Trails area, the Eldora Mountain Resort, the historic mining townsite of Hessie, the Indian Peaks and James Peak Wilderness areas, and the East Portal/Rollins Pass Road. It will be open to pedestrians, equestrians, and mountain bikes, making it a significant regional passive recreation amenity.

This project represents a unique collaboration among several public lands jurisdictions and local non-profit advocacy groups like BATCO. Approval of BCPOS’s grant request for this project would confirm that this type of partnership is desirable and can be successful. It is also a good example of how a public trail can be built on a private conservation easement, to everyone’s benefit.

The Boulder Area Trails Coalition is a 501 (c) 3 organization founded in 1996 to promote non-motorized, multi-use, environmentally responsible trail systems. Through the sale of our “Trails and Recreation Map of Boulder County” we are able to contribute funding and volunteers for worthy trail projects -- and the Toll Trail would be at the top of our list.

We urge you to approve Boulder County’s grant request.

Thank you.

Suzanne Webel, BATCO President

 BATCO ♦ P.O. Box 19726 ♦ Boulder, CO 80308-2726  www.bouldertrails.org