FAIRPLAY, Colo., June 27, 2008 - The Mosquito Range Heritage Initiative, Colorado Fourteeners, private land owners, the Town of Alma, and the Forest Service have joined forces with other Colorado and national non-profits groups to provide legal access to three popular Park County peaks. According to Ranger Sara Mayben, "The trails have been closed to the public since 2005 but folks are working to get them open in the next few months. Respect for private property is key to obtaining and keeping legal access."

For nearly three years various groups have worked together to obtain safe, legal hiking access through a maze of private mining claims on the extremely popular Mounts Lincoln, Democrat and Bross. Located in the Mosquito Range, these three peaks are "Fourteeners," mountains over 14,000 feet. Trail design, environmental assessments, and signage were completed in 2007. In 2008, trail construction will be undertaken by several of the access partnership groups. Pending completion of a clearly signed and delineated hiking route and approval by private land owners, access to Mounts Lincoln and Democrat could be opened by fall.

Although hiking routes on the slopes of Mt. Bross could be opened under the same signage and route conditions, access to the true summit may never be possible. Many of the land owners on Mt. Bross cannot be contacted or are unwilling to allow public access. All of the property owners must be in agreement, or legal public access is not possible.

Mounts Lincoln, Democrat, and Bross were closed by private land owners in 2005, citing liability concerns about potentially collapsing open mine shafts and vandalism. Colorado House Bill 1049 extended liability protections of Colorado's Recreational Use Statute to owners of private land where "attractive nuisances" such as abandoned mines exist.

Landowners could allow access to Mounts Lincoln and Democrat if information regarding signed routes, mine hazards and respecting private property is provided. The two families that own mining claims on the summits of Mounts Lincoln and Democrat have agreed to let trail design and construction proceed and have leased about 3,900 acres to the Town of Alma for the trail.

The success of the potential late summer 2008 opening comes after great effort by the access partnership, which includes the Mosquito Range Heritage Initiative, U.S. Forest Service, CFI, Colorado Mountain Club and the Trust for Public Land. Also involved are the Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado and Wildlands Restoration Volunteers, who will be participating with CFI to perform on-the-ground work this summer.

Many acres of public land in the Pike National Forest are available for hiking in the Mosquito Range. They offer great beauty and exciting recreational opportunities, but the private land on these three peaks remains closed until trail work is completed and permission from the private landowners is granted.

Gold, silver and other minerals have been mined in the Mosquito Range since the 1800s. Private landowners caution that with the hundreds of mining claims on the mountains there is no way to know where all the tunnels and prospect holes might be. This creates dangerous conditions for hikers who stray from approved trails. Tunnels or "stopes" are so near the surface that roots of the grass growing on the surface can be seen on the ceiling of the passageway. The potential for a cave-in is very high.

Even when some of these areas on Mounts Lincoln, Democrat and Bross are opened, the public must be aware that the mountains will never be "wide open." The lease between the Town of Alma and the private land owners can be retracted if hikers stray off the approved routes or if private property is vandalized. It is important that hikers stay on the signed trail and keep away from all mining-related structures.

Colorado has 54 "Fourteeners" state-wide, visited annually by over 500,000 people.