United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service Region 2 Arapaho Roosevelt National Forest September 2008 Guanella Pass Scenic and Historic Byway Revised Interpretive Plan USDA Forest Service Center for Design & Interpretation Guanella Pass Scenic and Historic Byway ▪ Revised Interpretive Plan Guanella Pass Scenic and Historic Byway Revised and Updated Interpretive Plan August 2008 Contents Introduction . 3 Purpose of and Need for an Interpretive Plan . 3 Planning Assumptions Related to Interpretation . 3 Interpretive Planning . 4 Byway Interpretive Theme Statement . 4 Interpretive Goals . 4 Statements of Signifi cance . 5 Interpretive Sites . 6 Existing interpretation . 6 Interpretive recommendations for existing or future facilities . 7 Site inventory . 7 Interpretive site priorities . 9 Site Inventory Data . 12 Site 1: Georgetown Visitor Center . .12 Site 2: Georgetown Overlook . .13 Site 3: Silver Dale Byway Entrance . .14 Site 4: Waldorf Road at Marshall Tunnel . .16 Site 5: Clear Lake . .17 Site 6: Cabin Creek Hydroelectric . .18 Site 7: Silver Dollar Winter Recreation . .20 Site 8: Guanella Pass Summit . .21 Site 9: Geologic Site . .23 Site 10: Beaver Overlook . .24 Site 11: Duck Creek Picnic Ground/Winter Recreation . .25 Site 12: Abyss Trailhead . .27 Site 13: Scott Gomer Waterfall . .28 Site 14: Three mile Trailhead . .29 Site 15: Whiteside Byway Entrance . .30 Plan Implementation and Site Prioritization . 34 Evaluation Strategies and Techniques . 35 Region 2 Center for Design & Interpretation Updated August 2008 Guanella Pass Scenic and Historic Byway ▪ Revised Interpretive Plan Unobtrusive Methods . .35 Obtrusive Methods . .36 Wayside Exhibit Evaluation Checklist . .36 Appendix A: Smithsonian Institution Exhibition Accessibility Checklist . 37 Appendix B: Helpful Hints for Interpretive Media Design . 39 Appendix C: Individual Service Plan (Blank Form and Sample) . 42 Appendix D: Completed Exhibit Panels and Installation Information . 44 Region 2 Updated August 2008 Center for Design & Interpretation 3 Guanella Pass Scenic and Historic Byway ▪ Revised Interpretive Plan INTRODUCTION Perhaps 300 years hence the steep sides of Georgetown Canyon will be covered again with balsams and pines, the picks, daisies and vetches will carpet the ground . the mill wheels will stand still, the pilgrims will seek the height. not because they hold silver and gold, but because they are gracious and beautiful and health-giving. Helen Hunt Jackson’s vision from the late 1800s Purpose of and Need for an Interpretive Plan Interpretive plans help land managers make decisions about how to facili- tate the interpretation of byway resources and to guide implementation of specifi c projects. The overall objectives of this interpretive plan are to: • Facilitate and enhance the visitor’s experience. • Help accomplish management goals by preserving, maintaining, or improving ecosystem health and encouraging thoughtful land use and minimal human impact. • Assist in the preservation, maintenance, and enhancement of the scenic and cultural attributes of the corridor. • Encourage understanding and partnerships in of land management goals and objectives. Planning Assumptions Related to Interpretation • The greatest need for interpretation relates to minimizing human impact on the ecosystem. • Wildlife and botanical resources are key issues of concern, because Guanella Pass provides important habitat for many management indicator species as well as several threatened, endangered, and sensitive species. • Private lands located along the byway will require coordinated planning and cooperation for interpretive endeavors. • The Federal Highway Administration’s proposed road-improvement project may impact the number of users and affect the landscape character of the corridor. The proposed project would provide resource protection, rehabilitation, and new facilities for the byway. Region 2 Center for Design & Interpretation Updated August 2008 Guanella Pass Scenic and Historic Byway ▪ Revised Interpretive Plan • An Introduction Site for the Guanella Pass Scenic and Historic Byway will be incorporated within the Georgetown Visitor Information Center. • The existing interpretive information displayed at Cabin Creek and Clear Lake, provided by the Public Service Company, may be revised to match the interpretive design developed for the byway. • The Guanella Pass Scenic and Historic Byway Corridor Management Strategy (CMS) will be cooperatively amended as needed and will be the sole management plan for the byway. The Interpretive Plan will be implemented cooperatively across jurisdictions. • The Interpretive Plan will be implemented cooperatively across jurisdictions. Park County, Clear Creek County, and the Town of Georgetown will maintain Guanella Pass Byway. Park County currently does not plow the byway in the winter and both counties are considering winter-gated closure. • All signing will follow a design theme consistent in layout, materials, and appearance. Interpretive Planning Interpretive planning uses themes to provide focus, continuity, and mean- ing to resources along the scenic byway. These themes capture the essence and importance of the ideas, concepts, and features of the natural and cultural resources along the byway. Byway Interpretive Theme Statement Guanella Pass Byway traverses wild vistas and delicate ecosystems, demonstrates human reliance on the land, and provides an escape to intimate Colorado mountain settings and experiences for its visitors. Protection of the natural and cultural resources is a necessity. Interpretive Goals One of the primary functions of this byway is to foster conservation values, and to develop appreciation of and support for land resource management that protects and enhances natural resources. The following goals were established for Guanella Pass Scenic and Historic Byway. The interpretation will: • Provide visitor orientation to the landscape and information on safety awareness and user ethics. Region 2 Updated August 2008 Center for Design & Interpretation 5 Guanella Pass Scenic and Historic Byway ▪ Revised Interpretive Plan • Assist users in developing an understanding of and appreciation for the natural and cultural resources along the byway and in forming a personal commitment to appropriate management and protection of the resources. • Promote understanding of the natural environment as an ecosystem and help visitors recognize the role humans had in shaping the physical environment and how they can contribute to its future. • Provide different depths of information, so that visitors can learn about a variety of subjects to their desired level of detail. • Provide interpretive and educational facilities that are consistent in themes and design; visually blend with the surrounding landscape; and have minimal impacts on the ecosystem. Statements of Signifi cance Statements of signifi cance identify the unique and important resources found along the byway. These statements serve as guidelines for interpretive planning and provide a framework upon which all media decisions are built. The following statements of signifi cance refl ect the intrinsic qualities found throughout the Guanella Pass corridor: Diverse Ecosystems. Guanella Pass Scenic and Historic Byway ascends 3,200 vertical feet and traverses wetland, montane, subalpine, and alpine ecosystems that contain threatened, endangered, sensitive, and rare plant species; wetland communities; and unique alpine willow carrs. Wildlife. The region is home to Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep and a diversity of other animals, birds, fi sh, reptiles, amphibians, and insects, including threatened, endangered, and sensitive wildlife species. Botany. The byway provides an excellent opportunity to experience diverse plant species and communities while climbing the environmental gradient from the montane to the alpine. Few roads in Colorado provide access to the alpine environment, where visitors may view short-lived but spectacular displays of wildfl owers. Scenic Beauty. The Guanella Pass Scenic and Historic Byway corridor and the surrounding peaks offer breathtaking vistas that include mountains and valleys shaped by glaciers and streams; thick spruce and fi r forest; abundant wildfl owers; and spectacular fall colors. Recreation. Easy access to abundant and diverse recreational opportunities along the byway provides Front Range residents their own outdoor adventure and wilderness experiences. Region 2 Center for Design & Interpretation Updated August 2008 Guanella Pass Scenic and Historic Byway ▪ Revised Interpretive Plan Human Development and the Natural Environment. The Guanella Pass Scenic and Historic Byway traverses a diverse landscape shaped by natural forces and by human utilization of native vegetation, animals, minerals and water, over the centuries and continuing today. Education on Safety Issues and User Ethics. With more than 300,000 annual visitors enjoying the byway and traveling in remote areas over elevation changes and adverse conditions, education on outdoor safety and user ethics is essential. Interpretive Sites Existing interpretation Information on the Guanella Pass Scenic and Historic Byway is available at the Park County Tourism Offi ce; Georgetown Visitor Information Center; Historic Georgetown, Inc., Georgetown Loop Railroad; South Platte Ranger District; and Clear Creek Ranger District. Existing interpretive materials include: • Interactive computer kiosks at the Heritage Visitors Center and Museum, Clear Creek Ranger District in