Please take time to comment as Mary Ann has outlined below. I hope you don’t run into obstacles commenting. Apparently the forest service now has a rule that they only have to accept comments from people who sent scoping comments- but that was 2 years ago and the situation is more dire than it appeared before. They’ve come up with a terrible plan that would take away our quiet recreation.
From: "Mary Ann DeBoer" <spruceholeyurt@gmail.com>
Date: July 13, 2026
To: dana_price@gmx.com
Cc:
Subject: Spruce Hole a Motorized Winter Rec Area?? ACT NOW for Quiet Use! Comments due July 29th.
Hello!
The area around the Spruce Hole Yurt is in danger of becoming a motorized winter recreation area!! Please take a few moments to protect Spruce Hole and other quiet winter recreation areas in the Cumbres/LaManga Passes area by sending comments to the Rio Grande National Forest on their DEIS Over-Snow Travel Management Plan. COMMENTS ARE DUE JULY 29th - see links in flyer below. See talking points to include in comments below.
The Rio Grande National Forest Over Snow Management Plan has 4 alternatives presented. All 4 alternatives would bring motorized users into the Spruce Hole Area. The best alternative for non-motorized, quiet use users Forest wide is Alternative #4. Below is a flyer from Winter Wildlands Alliance with more links and information about the DEIS.
This plan includes the Cumbres Pass/La Manga Pass area and the areas surrounding the yurts at Spruce Hole, Neff Mountain, Trujillo Meadows, Grouse Creek and Flat Mountain. When looking at the maps, focus on the maps for the Conejos Peak Ranger District to locate the
Areas you love to ski or snowshoe would be impacted! The "preferred" Alternative 3, is NOT friendly for quiet winter use in the Cumbres/La Manga Passes area.
Please look at the flyer below - Rio Grande NF is NOT having any public meetings, but the Winter Wildlands Alliance and San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council are having public meetings. The best meeting for most New Mexicans will be the Virtual meeting scheduled next Tuesday July 20th, 6:30-7:30 pm. I'm going to the Antonito meeting tomorrow July 14th and will report back.
Please advocate for the following in your comments:
- Ask that they adopt Alternative 4. Overall, this alternative maintains motorized access while expanding protections for wildlife, reducing recreation conflicts, and designating nearly 400,000 additional acres for non-motorized recreation. In the Cumbres/LaManga Passes area, it provides for non-motorized zones around the yurts
- Ask that Spruce Hole Road FR 108 be designated a non-motorized road/trail. This is the road to Spruce Hole Yurt and is truly one of the few quiet use areas for cross country skiers and snowshoers. In addition, it provides access to some popular slopes for telemark skiers. Alternatives 3 and 4 currently show this road as an ungroomed, motorized route.
- Ask for non-motorized zones around ALL the yurts in the Cumbres/La Manga area.
- Briefly describe your own experiences at Spruce Hole Yurt or the other yurts. Why is it important for you to have a non-motorized environment?
THANKS for taking the time to make comments! Together we can protect the areas where we recreate and the quiet winter areas that rejuvenate us.
As I learn more, I'll send out more information. Feel free to call me if you have any questions.
Mary Ann DeBoer
575-756-2746
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From:
Brittany Leffel (WWA) <bleffel@winterwildlands.org>Date: Tue, Jul 7, 2026 at 10:00 AM
Subject: Action Alert: The Rio Grande National Forest Draft Winter Travel Plan is Open for Public Comment through July 29
To: Mary Ann DeBoer <
spruceholeyurt@gmail.com>
Hi Mary Ann, The Rio Grande National Forest is one step closer to making one of the most important winter management decisions in decades. The Forest is proposing a designated system of routes and areas for over-snow vehicle (OSV) use across the 1.8-million-acre Rio Grande National Forest. This will determine where people snowmobile, backcountry ski, snowshoe, and enjoy winter landscapes across the forest for years to come. It would become the first OSV plan in Colorado to comply with the 2015 Travel Management Rule and EXPLORE Act. Now is your opportunity to help shape the final plan. The Forest Service is accepting public comments through July 29th, 2026. |
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Why This Matters The Rio Grande National Forest is home to some of Colorado's most iconic winter recreation opportunities—from the Continental Divide Trail and Wolf Creek Pass to Chama Basin. It also contains important winter habitat for Canada lynx, elk, mule deer, and countless other species that rely on healthy winter landscapes.
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What's Included in the Draft Plan? The Forest Service has released a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) evaluating four alternatives for managing winter travel on the the Rio Grande National Forest. The plan would transition to a "closed unless designated open" system, where routes and areas for motorized over-snow vehicle use are clearly identified on an Over-Snow Vehicle Use Map (OSVUM).
Each alternative takes a different approach to balancing winter recreation, wintering wildlife, and natural resource protection. After reviewing the DEIS, Winter Wildlands Alliance, alongside our partners in Colorado and New Mexico, is advocating for Alternative 4 because it offers the most balanced approach to winter recreation. It maintains motorized access while expanding protections for wildlife, reducing recreation conflicts, and designating nearly 400,000 additional acres for non-motorized recreation. |
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Visit our website for guidance on drafting an effective comment, and consider attending one of our community workshops to learn more about the proposal before the July 29 deadline.
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Winter Wildlands Alliance is the national nonprofit organization working to inspire and empower people to protect America’s wild snowscapes. www.winterwildlands.org |
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Winter Wildlands Alliance
910 Main St
Boise, ID 83702
United States |
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You are receiving this message because you've subscribed to Winter Wildlands Alliance's mailing list. If you would like to unsubscribe, you can do so here: unsubscribe. |
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