December, 2001

Acting Laramie District Ranger
Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest
2468 Jackson Street
Laramie, WY 82070

Dear Pam Gardner,

Winter recreation in the Medicine Bow--Routt National Forests has increased steadily in the last
decade, especially in the Green Rock area of the Snowy Range west of Centennial, Wyoming.
This rapid growth has generated many user and issues. At the request of the Forest Service, the
UW Institute for Environment and Natural Resources convened public meetings this past
summer to bring winter users together to air the issues and generate ideas and suggestions.
The Forest Service felt that changes were needed by the 2001-2002 winter season, and they
requested the public's help in figuring out what those changes should be. A public meeting was
held on June 21, 2001 in Laramie to give the public a chance to write comments on several
topics and to volunteer for a working group. These comments, which include many additional,
reasonable, and useful recommendations, are listed on the Institute for Environment and Natural
Resources web site. (http://www.wyo.edu/enr/ienr) From this public meeting, a working
group of 29 people was formed and met throughout the summer and fall to define and address
the issues. What follows are the recommendations that this working group reached by consent,
within the time available, and would like the Forest Service to consider, support, and implement.

-- It is recommended that the Forest Service approve the new grooming plan proposed by the
Wyoming State Trails Program ( Wyoming State Parks and Cultural Resources). Grooming
would extend to large Green Rock Parking area. Please see the map which is part of the
educational brochure for more detail.

-- It is recommended that the Green Rock Picnic Area be plowed for the winter. The Forest
Service would accomplish this by contract with Wyoming Department of Transportation as they
do with other parking areas such as Little Laramie TH, and Corner Mountain TH. The Green
Rock Picnic Area parking would be limited to vehicles without trailers only, and should be
clearly defined this way by the Forest Service. This site will be a fee area.

-- For the entire Green Rock area the Winter Use Working Group has developed a sign plan.
The signs for this plan can be provided by the State Trails Program, and they are able to place
signs at the appropriate locations as well. Please see attached sign plan.

-- The group has also developed an overall education plan. Please see attached educational
plan. As part of this plan, it is recommended that the attached brochure which contains
important information and the new map of the Green Rock area be accepted by the Forest
Service and distributed widely. Members of the Winter Use Group have contacted The Blue
Ribbon Coalition to print copies of the brochure/map for distribution. Another important part of
this plan is to implement a host program in the Snowy Range, which will be managed by the
Forest Service. As part of this program a survey will be taken of winter recreationalists to
collect monitoring data for future reference, with a report available at the close of the season.
Please see attached survey form. The group has also revised, in cooperation with the Forest
Service, the Lower Snowy Range Trail Map to include more current information. Please see
attached trail map.

The Snowy Range Winter Use Group has agreed to continue to meet through out the winter
based on the need to continue the discussions as well as to monitor winter use through out the
coming season. Our task as a group, to provide thoughtful suggestions to the Forest Service, is
not complete. Ev Elmendorf has agreed to continue to facilitate, and we would like to request
that the Forest Service continue to support and participate in the meetings, and to continue to
implement the recommendations as possible.

With Sincere Commitment,

The Snowy Range Winter Use Group

Attachments
1. Green Rock Sign Plan and 2. Brochure/Green Rock Parking Area Map
3. Education Plan
4. Lower Snowy Range Trail Map (not available in electronic format)
5. Winter Use Survey

cc: Mary Peterson, Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest Supervisor
cc: Jeff Wallace, Recreation Staff
cc: Tom Florich, Recreation Manager
cc: Mary Sanderson, Recreation Planner
cc: Paul Blackman, Recreation Technician