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Moore trails were already there

(This letter was originally addressed to Dale Will of the Open Space and Trails Board and Pitkin County.)

I would like to appear at your next OSTB meeting to vehemently protest the apparent ban of using the trails on the Moore Open Space for running purposes.

Many of you know that I served on the OSTB from 1990-1994, and I personally negotiated, on behalf of the OSTB, with the Moore family to purchase that 65-acre parcel. Those trails were already in place, and used throughout the year, prior to the county’s purchase of the property. (I know that as fact because I marked and cut those alignments with Tom Moore’s approval in 1984 and 1985.) The remainder of the property was to remain in its natural state, as you see it today.



In winter the use is much more obvious, with daily grooming by the city snowcat, combined with local skiers and AVSC athletes and coaches. In summer or fall, when have you ever seen a jogger or runner traversing the property? Rarely. Please tell me that is impactful.

To suggest that a few walkers, joggers or runners, whether it be for an occasional staged race or for leisurely recreation, traversing those sage meadows, ON DESIGNATED TRAILS, constitutes “high impact” is ludicrous. I have personally jogged and skied on those trails every year, in every season, since we purchased the property.




I am fully supportive of appropriate management plans, but let’s keep our open space lands and trails available for their intended uses.

Craig Ward

Aspen