Rocky Mountain Region Begins Hiring for 2019 Field Season

The Rocky Mountain Region of the U.S. Forest Service recently announced the availability of over 900 temporary jobs for the 2019 field season throughout national forests and grasslands in Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wyoming.

Temporary jobs are available in a variety of exciting and rewarding occupations such as fire, trails, forestry, engineering, wildlife, recreation, fisheries, archaeology and administrative support.

Job seekers can apply for temporary jobs through USAJOBS during these time frames:

* September 14 – October 12, 2018: Wildland fire jobs and other early season temporary jobs

* September 14 – September 28, 2018: Recreation, fisheries, forestry, engineering, and other jobs

For more information, please click here.



Jeff
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Mountain Lion Enters Home in Boulder

Boulder Police Department and Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) officers were dispatched last Thursday evening to the 400 block of Marine Street for a report of a mountain lion inside a home.

Boulder Police arrived on scene at 10:40 p.m. to the unoccupied residence and found that the mountain lion had entered the house through a screen door to get a cat that was inside.

When the CPW wildlife officer arrived at 11:30 p.m., they decided the best way to get the mountain lion out of the house was to use non-lethal bean-bag rounds to fire at it in an attempt to chase it out the front door. Officers were successful in getting the mountain lion out of the house. Officers saw the lion run up the street and believed it went up into the foothills near the Boulder Canyon vicinity.

CPW wildlife officers maintained an enhanced presence in the area on Friday and over the weekend to make sure the mountain lion didn' return.

If you have an encounter with a lion, immediately contact Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Before or after these hours, contact Colorado State Patrol or your local Sheriff’s office.

To report a sighting, please contact your local area office or the Northeast Region CPW Office (Denver): (303) 291-7227



Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
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Sen. Bennet Introduces Protections for San Juan Mountains

Although this news is several months old I just found out about this piece of legislation, known as the San Juan Mountains Wilderness Act, and fully support it, as some trails in the San Juan Mountains are being overrun and need further protection:

Earlier this year, in April, Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet introduced the San Juan Mountains Wilderness Act to protect approximately 61,000 acres of land located in the heart of the San Juan Mountains in Southwest Colorado. The bill would designate some of the state’s most iconic peaks as wilderness areas, including two fourteeners: Mount Sneffels and Wilson Peak.

“We must do our part in Washington to push this bill across the finish line,” Bennet said. “Not only are these iconic landscapes vital to outdoor recreation and local economies, but they also stand as a symbol of our public lands legacy in Colorado—a legacy we must pass onto our kids and grandkids. I’m grateful to all of the county commissioners and leaders who have tirelessly worked to advance this effort for over a decade, and I’m particularly grateful to Commissioner Hilary Cooper, who has played an instrumental role in shaping the legislation we introduced today.”

This legislation is the result of years of collaboration among San Miguel, San Juan, and Ouray Counties. Originally introduced in 2009, the San Juan Mountains Wilderness Act passed the House Natural Resources Committee unanimously in 2010 and the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee in 2013.

Since 2009, Bennet has worked closely with local leaders in Southwest Colorado to update and advance the bill in the Senate. In March of this year he joined supporters in Ouray County to renew their efforts to pass the legislation. Bennet looks forward to engaging with all stakeholders and interested parties to hear any additional input on the legislation.

In addition to the expansion and designation of new wilderness areas, the legislation would create the Sheep Mountain Special Management Area, which would provide special protection for the Ice Lakes Basin.

For more information, please click here for a map of the areas impacted, and click here for the text of the bill.



Jeff
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Proposed Campground Fee Increase in Colorado National Monument

Colorado National Monument is requesting public comment on a proposal to increase the daily fee for overnight stays at Saddlehorn Campground. The current fee is $20.00 per night. The proposed increase will be $22.00 per night. Holders of the America the Beautiful Access and Senior Lifetime passes would continue to receive 50% off the per night campground fee.

The campground fee was last raised in 2011. Since then the administrative costs associated with the campground, including the National Recreation Reservation System service charges have gone up. “We are committed to keeping the park affordable, but we also want to provide visitors with the best possible experience,” said Colorado National Monument Superintendent Ken Mabery. “The money from camping fees is used to fund projects benefiting the park visitor’s experience.”

To comment on the proposed campground fee increase, please provide your comments between August 15 and September 15, 2018 online at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/SaddlehornFee or through the mail to:

Colorado National Monument
Attention: Chief Ranger
1750 Rim Rock Drive
Fruita, CO 81521.



Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
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Reward for killing of two mountain goats on Quandary Peak increased to $15,000

Thanks to donations, Colorado Operation Game Thief is increasing the reward offer from $5,000 to $15,000 for information leading to an arrest or citation in the case of two mountain goats that were shot and found dead on July 3, approximately 2.8 miles up the Quandary Peak Trail.

Anyone with any information can call or email Operation Game Thief at 1-877-265-6648 (1-877-COLO-OGT) or game.thief@state.co.us to report any information. Callers or emailers may remain anonymous if they choose.

For more information on Colorado Parks and Wildlife regulations or stopping poachers, please visit cpw.state.co.us.



Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
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