Dear Editor:

As an avid mountain biker, rock climber, caver, hunter, 4-wheel drive enthusiast, mountain dweller, dog owner and fourth-generation Colorado native, I find the Hidden Gems proposal totally unacceptable.

I live in an area surrounded by wilderness, and spend much of my free time on the trails that wind through it. Horses can cause much more damage than mountain bikes. As an example, if you take a hike up North Lost Trail Creek, the trail has turned to basically a ditch full of manure. Horses also spread invasive weeds.

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Many places in the Hidden Gems proposal include historic roads that provide access to real wilderness opportunities as well as being recreational themselves. Some examples are the Flattops, Huntsman’s Ridge, Schofield Pass, Taylor Pass, Pearl Pass, Basalt Mountain – just to name a few of the more popular ones.

I know of several local community organizations that have tried to get a representative for the Wilderness Workshop regarding this outlandish proposal. Yet to date they have not even received a phone call! Make no mistake, the Hidden Gems proposal is an attack on our freedom and the freedom of future generations!

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I have included information here that the Wilderness Workshop and Hidden Gems people don’t care to provide – the names and business phone numbers of your representatives and senators. Please take the time to call them, all of them, and remind them that they are elected and can be replaced. Voice your opposition to this proposal, or risk being locked out of the places you love!

Sen. Michael F. Bennet: 202-224-5852

Sen. Mark Udall: 202-224-5941

Rep. Diana DeGette: 303-225-4431

Rep. Doug Lamborn: 303-225-4422

Rep. Betsy Markey: 303-225-4676

Rep. Ed Perlmutter: 303-225-2645

Rep. Jared Polis: 303-225-2161

Rep. John Salazar: 303-225-4761

Rep. Mike Coffman: 303-225-7882

No to Hidden Gems. We have enough Wilderness!

Mike Yellico

Marble