The U.S. Forest Service has developed a proposal for a wide variety of management activities, including recreation trails as well as a backcountry hut as part of the Telephone Gap Integrated Resource Project (IRP) and is now seeking written comments on the proposal.
IRPs are one of the main strategies used by the U.S. Forest Service to achieve the goals, objectives, and desired future conditions provided by the 2006 Green Mountain National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan. They consist of the planning, implementation and monitoring of multiple resource project activities that are within the same geographical location. The project area encompasses approximately 72,253 acres, 45% of which is National Forest System (NFS) land. The Forest Service has been gathering data and working with individuals, organizations, towns, and federal and state agencies since 2019 to develop potential management activities designed to implement the Forest Plan, and work toward desired future conditions at the site-specific level within the Telephone Gap IRP area.
Vermont Mountain Bike Association and its chapters including Velomont Trail Collective, Ridgeline Outdoor Collective, Killington Mountain Bike Club, and Mendon Mountain Club, as well as other stewardship organizations like Vermont Huts Association, Catamount Trail Association, and the Green Mountain Club have worked closely with the Forest Service since 2019 to envision close to 35 new miles of trail managed for mountain biking, hiking, and cross country skiing. Through a combination of new construction, relocation, as well as co-location and redesignation, these new trail miles will create essential connectivity for both the Velomont and Catamount Trails. Beyond outdoor recreation, our organizations also worked closely with the Forest Service and outside organizations like the Trust for Public Land to advance conservation and wildlife protection efforts in this action plan.
A detailed description of the proposal can be found on the Telephone Gap Project Website. There is also an online “Story Map” that provides a visual presentation to complement the written narrative. We encourage you to review and become familiar with the proposed action plan through the links above and weigh in with your comments – ideally offering support for the included plans for recreational trails and facilities. Comments can be submitted online until March 13, 2023. If you’re short on time, we’ve provided a few sentences below expressing support for Vermont Hut’s proposed South Pond Hut – feel free to use the text or modify as you see fit:
To whom it may concern:
I’m writing in support of the U.S. Forest Services’ proposal to provide sustainable recreation opportunities within the Telephone Gap IRP area. In particular, I support the 34.9 miles of trail construction, relocation, and designation managed for mountain biking, hiking, and cross-country skiing, projects that will provide critical trail connectivity for various user groups, including those on the Velomont Trail and Catamount Trail. I also support the addition of 3.1 miles of existing Long Trail to the National Forest Trail System at the pending South Pond acquisition.
Additionally, I support the Vermont Huts Association’s application for a special use permit to construct, operate, and maintain a four-season hut within the footprint of the former lodge that was destroyed by a fire near South Pond. A hut in this location takes advantage of existing infrastructure and is ideally situated to host users of the trails mentioned above, creating a new point of access to the outdoors for trail users of all ages and abilities.
Again, here is the link to enter your comments. As noted above, all comments must be received no later than March 13, 2023. Thanks for your input!
