The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
WSCU master’s program to expand area
By Mark Reaman
Data will be collected at the six major trailheads around Crested Butte this winter to get a handle on how busy the nearby backcountry is during the ski season. Representatives of Silent Tracks and the Western State Colorado University Master in Environmental Management (MEM) program gave an update of the plan to the Crested Butte Town Council on November 6.
Western’s Data Collection Initiative (DCI) started last winter with observations of the Slate River drainage. Given the newness of the survey process and some major snow issues, that initial, very provisional data showed that weekends were about twice as busy as weekdays. An average of 34 recreationalists per day were counted, with the peak coming in mid-February with 103. There were six days when no one was observed.
This winter’s DCI will break out the numbers of users and forms of recreation at the trailheads between mid-December and mid-April. Using photography-based monitoring, observations will be conducted at the Kebler, Slate River, Washington Gulch, Gothic Corridor, Brush Creek and the Cement Creek trailheads.
Melanie Armstrong, an assistant professor with the MEM program, said the data collected can help decision makers make better policy decisions.
“We should compile detailed data this winter,” said MEM student and data collector Doug Shaw. “People can use the information to shape decisions. Studies like this are pretty rare and ultimately it might lead to help determine the most sensible areas to allocate resources.”
“DCI is valuable information,” added Bill Oliver of Silent Tracks. “We are asking the town to donate money for the program to Western.”
The town has contributed to the project through its grant process.
