Marolt / Thomas Skill Trail

Thje Marolt Open Space was preserved as meadows for a nod to our ranching history and it's uses of the years have been passive recreation, which enables the wildlife including deer that call it their home. Bike parks are very heavy handed on the land, go take a look at the bottom of Elk Camp it's a giant dirt pile, not a tree or blade of grass has survived . That said, why on earth would you put it on the Marolt Open Space , between 2 roads where kids could ride off park onto the roads! The kids will of course start riding in the meadows eventually turning them into a dirt park also, there will of course be conflicts with passive users. Who is going to monitor this "park" to keep it safe for children. Why not put this at Burlingame where kids can ride to it from their homes. Please re think this development.

Strongly opposed to the bike park. Put it somewhere else where it won’t affect the wildlife, the dogs of Marolt, the paragliding landing zone, and add to traffic near the roundabout. How about putting this at the base of Buttermilk or Highlands or further down valley. There is plenty of space for kids to practice their skills at the Moore open space.

I am strongly opposed to this proposal. Please stop chipping away at the Marolt Open Space!!! Why do certain special interest groups think Marolt is fair game for their particular passion?
STOP!!! Leave it as an OPEN SPACE.

Further, I am opposed for safety reasons. And although there is a pedestrian/bike bridge across Castle Creek road, kids might also try to cross from Meadowood. So dangerous!!

Question: why not locate this bike park on the Moore property behind the ARC? Ready access from schools and much much safer!

Please stop chipping away at our open space!!
BP

The Marolt Open space is always a target for the proposal du jour because its free land and not protected enough in the City. MOORE open space wasn't considered becauae the County has stronger protections than the City on their open space. That is sad. Marolt has been proposed as a site for the commercial horse stables for the horses that were used with the carriages, a lighted ball field, a bmx track, a kids single track on the Midland ROW (filled with mine tailings as roadbed), and others. The bike park is on a sensitive hillside filled with old growth oak and service berry. It is important to the birds and bears and other small animals, and there is precious little of that left around here. Bike parks are intensive uses that tend to denude their areas of vegetation. Parking will be an issue, taking the bulldozers to that hillside won't be gentle on the land. Please put this somewhere more approppriate than the easy path of stealing our open space!

We had this proposal a few years ago I thought we decided to not use this small piece of land. This particular piece is really important for wildlife, vegetation (food for bears), birds nesting etc… the paragliders will be effected in a very negative way. PLEASE, be honest with the folks in the community, dog walkers, bird watchers, commuters (more traffic with moms dropping kids off) , whom don’t like this spot for a “skills” and tell us the real reason you’re shoving this in such a poor spot? The COA and The RFMBA must be lining up for an award of some kind. Honestly I’m tired of the NGO’s getting involved with our open spaces. Let’s put this at the base of Buttermilk near Panda Peak where families can gather and be with heir kids a watch them and we can have classes for kids. Plus Buttermilk is next to our biggest stock of housing with much safer access. The kids could use the underpass from the AABC N. 40 and The Burlingame and the new housing going in.

The skills trails are a long time coming and something Aspen kids want and need. The acreage is currently unused and tucked off the main road so a perfect spot for the project. RFMBA and the City are collaborating to bring a design together that meets the needs of the community. This will be an asset for generations to come.

A bit of history on why this location has been studied for this Skills Trails project:
-2019: 'The Strip’ was suggested by City of Aspen Parks staff as a potential location worth studying. RFMBA followed up, and found the topography and more to have great potential.
-2021: Marolt OS Management Plan Update, following the City's extensive public feedback process, the plan was adopted with the potential for a ‘bike park’ at this location. (Often a bike park will include amenities such as a pump track, dirt jumps, and more. The vision for 'skills trails' in this location is a much more limited proposal that aims to respect 'the strip', retaining a majority of the vegetation in the area.)
-2022: Aspen OS&T Board identified this project as a priority project for study during 2023.
-2023: RFMBA worked with City staff & consultants to further develop the proposal for these Skills Trails. City scheduled meetings and a survey for public feedback, confirming broad support for future construction of the trails.
-2024: Continued planning for the project's construction includes a wildlife assessment that concludes with the following paragraphs:
"Our 2019 and 2024 field surveys found that although Thomas / Marolt is heavily used by people it is still used by wildlife that tend to be more human-adapted. In other words, species such as American robins, chickadees, coyotes, magpies, rabbits, and small mammals have demonstrated an adaptability to persist despite human activity and alteration of native habitat. Additionally, both elk and mule deer continue to use the property in limited numbers and manner. The property is also likely used by raptors such as red-tailed hawks, great-horned owls, northern pygmy owls, and saw-whet owls who prey on the abundant small mammals at Thomas / Marolt.
The project area, however, is a very small patch (< 6 ac) of native montane shrubland dominated by Saskatoon serviceberry (Amalanchier alnifolia) and Gambel oak (Quercus gambelii). Given the landscape in which the project area is embedded, however, with Meadowood and the Aspen Valley Hospital and Pitkin County Senior Services complexes to the west, and Marolt Place to the east, the project area is quite isolated with very limited value for wildlife movement. Development of the proposed skills trails within the project area will result in the direct loss of a small area of a native plant community with minimal value for wildlife and is unlikely to cause any indirect loss of valuable habitat."

It is known that this parcel was chosen because of "least resistance of property owners. Please note this Skill park is tragic for the deer and wildlife. Many are born here. Please let the children know that theïr few weeks of pleasure are taking the wildlife nurseries. We do not need anymore bike parks.
Adding a new project is a known politcal win to get funds donated. But leaving the land untouched will benefit Everyone!
Please do not move forward with project.
Wildlife cannot speak on these surveys.
Please leave some land parcels Untouched in Aspen.
Bridget Balentine

Many members of the community are strongly OPPOSED to this proposed project but haven't taken the time to express their concerns. Let's keep the open space pristine as was the original intention. Does this project entail a vote by Council to rezone the parcel?

Thank you! This project would be a much needed addition to the upper valley to get kids into mountain biking. Our amazing existing trails are too hard and technical for beginners, especially for the 10y and under kids. And location near many of our schools is brilliant. I hope we get this under way soon!

Thanks, so excited!!!
I have kids and I think this would be great for beginners and kids that get tired on long uphills.

Any plans for Restrooms? portable potty?

Great work on this, team! My family is excited for this new addition to Marolt!