Fuels reduction begins on Animas City Mountain
The Bureau of Land Management started mechanical fuels reduction activities this week near the top of Animas City Mountain.
The project will continue through the fall.
It will halt when the winter wildlife closure is enacted once snow falls.
Recreationists may ncounter crews shuttling equipment up the mounain during the project. There also may be temporary closures of specific trails in areas where the mechanical mower is operating.
Closure areas will be staggered to offer alternate trails for trail users.
Informational signs and maps will be posted.
A BLM representative will be at the main trailhead or patrolling trails near the project to answer questions.
The existing trail network will not be changed.
A mechanical mower and hand crews will be removing small trees and schrubs in a natural mosaic pattern, leaving clumps of Gambel oak for wildlife habitat.
Junipers, oak and small pines growing under larger pines will be targeted for removal.
Most large Gambel oak and ponderosa pine trees will not be cut.
Crews will be building slag piles in some areas for burning at a later time under safe conditions.
Seniors Outdoors! plans hikes in San Juans
Seniors Outdoors! will offer the following activities:
b There will be a moderate to hard hike to Silver Lake with an option to go to Ice Crystal Cave, starting at 7:30 a.m. Saturday. Flashlights will be needed for the cave. RSVP to trip leader Connie Webbe at 382-0009 or bcwebbe @aol.com.
b There will be a moderate hike to Perins Peak at 8 a.m. Tuesday. RSVP to Ray Baranowski at 259-9522 or [email protected]
b The Wednesday Wanderers will take an easy hike on the Animas River Trail from Santa Rita Park to Home Depot. Trip leaders are the Hannulas (884-9052). RSVP needed for nonmembers only.
b There will be a hard hike to the old boarding house on the side of Galena Mountain, above the Old 100 Mine near Silverton, starting at 8 a.m. Sept. 3. RSVP to Bill Cagle at 385-4566 or cagle81301 @yahoo.com.
Public to comment on bear hunting proposal
SANTA FE (AP) The New Mexico Game Commission will accept comments from the public this weekend on a proposal to increase the number of bears and cougars that hunters can kill.
The commission will meet Saturday in Albuquerque and will consider proposed changes in hunting rules for bears, cougars, deer and pronghorn antelope.
The commission is expected to vote on the hunting rules at a meeting Sept. 30 in Ruidoso.
At the meeting in Albuquerque, the commission also will hear a report on Gov. Bill Richardsons executive order to ban trapping in part of southwestern New Mexico temporarily while the Department of Game and Fish studies the risks that trapping poses to Mexican gray wolves, which have been reintroduced in the wild.
Boulder cyclist wins climb up Mount Washington
MOUNT WASHINGTON, N.H. (AP) A 42-year-old cyclist from Colorado won the Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb up New Hampshires Mount Washington last weekend.
Nico Toutenhoofd of Boulder finished the grueling 7.6-mile climb in 57 minutes, 26 seconds.
He placed fourth last year and second in 2008.
The first-place winner among the women was 47-year-old Marti Shea of Marblehead, Mass. She finished in 1 hour, 5 minutes and 42 seconds.
The 38th annual race was sponsored by the Tin Mountain Conservation Center in Albany, N.H.
The race follows the auto road from the base to the 6,288-foot summit of the highest peak in the Northeast.
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