New regulations for overnight visitors to the Maroon Bells–Snowmass Wilderness

The White River and Gunnison National Forests have issued new special regulations for the Maroon Bells–Snowmass Wilderness.

The purpose of these regulations is to protect the natural and recreational wilderness resources. These regulations are needed to comply with the 1964 Wilderness Act, Forest Service wilderness policy and the White River National Forest Plan. The proposed order will remain in effect for the next five years. Forest Supervisor Orders are a tool to minimize resource damage caused by visitor occupancy and use of the wilderness.

New for 2016:

Overnight visitors are required to store all food, garbage and other attractants in certified bear resistant containers. Overnight visitors must possess and appropriately use containers that are approved by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee. (http://www.igbconline.org/images/pdf/150911_Certified_Products_List.pdf.)

All bear attractants should be securely stored in a certified container and placed on the ground more than 100 feet from all trails and camps when not actively being transported, prepared or consumed. The purpose of this order addition is to provide wild refuge for bears and to protect human safety and property while minimizing the need for emergency management intervention. Frequent bear-human incidents in recent years have resulted in a human-habituated black bear population that is adept at retrieving food stored in the traditional hanging method.

“The new requirements help ensure the continued protection of the wilderness area,” said district ranger Karen Schroyer. “Public safety is a priority, and the requirement for certified bear containers mitigates undesirable bear-human contacts.”

Campfires are now prohibited above 10,800 feet in elevation and within a quarter mile of Crater Lake. The purpose of this order is to address impacts related to firewood collection in sensitive tree-line forest stands.

For more information on Maroon Bells–Snowmass Wilderness Regulations see “Special Areas” at: http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/whiteriver/recarea/?recid=81118 or contact Martha Moran or Andrew Larson at (970) 404-3149 or arlarson@fs.fed.us.