Deep Creek
Area Being Considered For Wild And Scenic Status
Yesterday, I went to a public meeting sponsored by the BLM,
US Forest Service and American Rivers
putting forth a proposal to list the Deep Creek as a Wild and Scenic
Area. Deep Creek in western Eagle
County, and the idea of giving it
some level of added protection has been bandied about for at least twenty
years. When I first heard about this latest proposal last spring, I was
slightly skeptical despite being generally in favor of protecting our wild
western landscapes.
The reason for my skepticism was twofold. The first
is that the there's currently no existential threat looming over Deep Creek.
Though the potential for mining operations or water resource development exists
hypothetically, no one is talking about doing it, at least not at the moment.
So what exactly are we protecting it from? The second reservation I had
was what might happen to the area by listing it as "Wild and Scenic",
in terms of drawing attention to an area that sees very little human traffic as
it is. It is extremely rough country, with no real trail running through it.
Its as close to impassable as you'll find in Colorado,
and so is already self-limiting by its very nature. Would making it
"Wild and Scenic" have the unintended consequence of making it less
wild and scenic, by encouraging people to visit the area more?
This summer I made several trips up into the Deep
Creek area to better know it. I've tried to access it in past, but been
rebuffed by high spring flows. This time I went in the summer with a fly
rod in hand, often using the creek itself as a means of egress. It is
an extremely wild and scenic place, a point which everyone agrees on.
Deep Creek is a pretty amazing area, dropping from subalpine fields of
wildflowers at over ten thousand feet, to high desert at six thousand in just
under fifteen miles. There are some feisty, colorful brown trout in there, a
sizable arch, wildflowers aplenty, and one of Colorado's
best views from its easily accessible overlook. It is also home to one of
the most extensive cave systems in the world. Its also already under federal
control, with Forest Service land on top and BLM
below. No private property is affected. But is a new federal designation right
for Deep Creek, and is the time to do that now?
I'm a fishing guide who lives beside the Colorado
River, and Deep Creek is practically in my backyard. At the
meeting yesterday, many of my neighbors who ranch in the area showed up, and
most had levels of skepticism that were much higher than mine. They had
concerns that such a designation might impact the ranching operations they've
conducted in the area not for just years, but for generations. They know
this area better than anyone else, and their worries and opinions need to be
seriously considered.
As for me, after chewing this proposal over in my mind
all summer I've come to opinion that I am in favor of the new status for
Deep Creek, with the caveat that the interests and concerns of the local
ranching community are addressed to their satisfaction. I'd also like to
see the BLM and US Forest Service leave the
area just as it is to their utmost ability. That means, no bridge over
the creek near the bottom switchback, no trail improvements, no fancy visitor center
and a minimal amount of new signage. In other words, if the purpose of
the new designation is to preserve the area just as it is, than they need to leave
it just as it is, to the greatest extent possible. And now is the
time to get it done, before some potential threat to the area becomes manifest.
Keeping out a mining operation with its associated issues, and leaving as much
water in the creek as possible to support the truly unique riparian ecosystem
is a noble goal. Keeping out good ranchers who've spent their lives working and
living in that landscape is not. But in the end, having such a wild and scenic
place our backyard is worth protecting.
So let's move forward with recognizing and protecting
the Deep Creek area, and then try our best to just leave it the hell alone!
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