More to the story in Redstone dispute

In response to the Jan. 24 article in The Aspen Times by Jason Auslander (“Redstone road closure leads into lawsuit, confrontation”), there are several inaccuracies that need to be addressed.

1. Access to Filoha Meadows Nature Preserve is not the reason for the lawsuit, as Pitkin County recently spent over $1.5 million purchasing the Wilden property that is closer to Filoha Meadows. At the commissioners meeting (which I attended), Open Space stated it needed that property for parking, a staging area and easy access down Dorais way to Filoha Meadows — only about 100 yards away. Since the county has already spent more than $1.5 million in taxpayer money to obtain this easy access, why the need for a lawsuit to obtain a much more distant access?

2. Dorais Way (the old Crystal River Railroad) and old Rock Creek Wagon Road are not the same. The Wagon road is much lower, closer to the river, largely overgrown and has not been used in at least 75 years. Dorais Way has not been public access “without interruption since 1885,” as it was not even there. I have lived near Dorais Way for 30 years and it has often been blocked by gates for different purposes and has been considered a private road for access to those who live along it.

3. The reporting of the incident that occurred on the road between two gentlemen is very one-sided and not completely accurate.

4. The real reason for this lawsuit would appear to be an attempt to force unnecessary public access through private property purchased by citizens who enjoy the quiet that Redstone offers, and who do not want the problems that public access would entail.

Claudia Nelson

Redstone