Dear Action Line: I rode up to the Animas Overlook on Junction Creek Road the other day. An interpretive sign there shows “Reservoir Ridge.” What the heck? Did the name get changed? I’m fine with changing names in stride with our political correctness becoming more correct, but why “Reservoir Ridge”? Really, have you heard that the Ridge is no longer a Raider? – Looking Over Things
Dear Looking: Action Line spent a lot of time researching this, and must report that the return on investment was minimal. A search for answers involved city, county and federal employees, a nonprofit and a local historian.
Someone out there knows why this map used Reservoir Ridge instead of the old Raider Ridge used by locals for decades, or some other name that is more with the times. But Action Line ran out of time and patience to find them. Please contact Action Line if you can provide some illumination.
What we have is a prevailing theory:
Whoever labeled this sign, perhaps trying to avoid using the term “Raider,” pulled out an old map or document that had it labeled as Reservoir Ridge. In the old days there were two reservoirs in the shadow of this ridge. (Now there is but one.)
Robert McDaniel grew up in Durango and was director of the Animas Museum for 30-plus years.
“The short answer is I’ve never heard ‘Reservoir’” used for that ridge, he said.
Fort Lewis College moved from south of Hesperus to Durango in 1957. Fort Lewis’ mascot was the Raiders beginning in 1962, and at some point after that locals began calling the ridge behind the school Raider Ridge.
“The city has never officially called the Ridge ‘Raider,’” said Amy Schwarzbach, natural resources manager for Durango Parks and Recreation. “That name was tied to the former mascot name for FLC, but changed to be non-offensive.”
The Fort Lewis College Raiders became the Skyhawks back in 1994, but many locals continued to call it Raider Ridge, and some still do.
“We have a city amenity naming policy that a name change would have to adhere to if the city is going to officially change a name,” Schwarzbach said.
La Plata County could find no official name for the ridge.
The federal authority on naming landmarks such as mountains, rivers, plateaus, ridges, etc. – the U.S. Board on Geographical Names – also has no name for it. Horse Gulch and Florida Mesa are official U.S. names, as found on the board’s searchable website.
Mark Roper, GIS coordinator with the San Juan National Forest, found a 1907 U.S. Geological Survey topographic map that identified two reservoirs on the mesa where FLC now sits. It isn’t hard to see why someone might have called it “Reservoir Ridge” at one point.
But who found this information to add to the interpretive sign, which has been there for 20 years, give or take a few, is a mystery that someone out there needs to help Action Line solve.
Said Roper: “The sign looks similar to some of our other interpretive signs elsewhere on the forest, for that period.”
Forest Service spokesman Scott Owen said, “Typically, either a contractor or a recreation officer installs these signs.”
This ridge needs a name. And as far as Action Line can conclude, there is no official name. Or wasn’t, until now.
Tom Sluis, Durango’s director of media and community engagement (spokesman), and former Action Line writer, announced: “I hereby declare with all real and/or imagined authority that Action Line has the complete and utter right to declare any and all ridges, valleys, streets and anything in between as Action Line sees fit. … How about ‘Action Line Ridge’?”
There. It is done.
Dear Action Line: You did a great job of telling us the north Main crosswalk is going there, and the benefits for pedestrians. But ... you sidestepped the issue about the ramp-like design. So instead of getting hit below the waist, now we can get a mouthful of bumper. Please take another crack at it. – Bob Krantz
Dear Bob: Sidestepped the issue about the crosswalk. That’s pretty good.
Action Line often is taken to task over silly things, but in this case, had to agree that this was a major part of the question in an item two weeks ago. When you’re taken to task, where is that? There’s a town called Task in southeast Niger. Is that where Action Line is being taken?
We’ll see. Meanwhile, did you notice the metal triangular piece embedded at the bottom of the ramp? This is a base for a “breakaway” sign assembly, said Lisa Schwantes, Colorado Department of Transportation spokeswoman. The sign will be installed in August, with the other flashing light signs.
“All CDOT signs are mounted on these ‘breakaway’ bases, as a safety feature should vehicles strike the poles and signs,” Schwantes said.
The “ramp” feature of the raised island is not for pedestrians, but is also a safety feature for vehicles that veer a bit and hit it. That feature is also needed for snowplow operations.
A reader wrote: “I’m sure your correspondence with Kyle Dellamora from the Durango Police Department was via email, however she is a she, not a he.”
Dellamora answered a question last week about where to take unused prescription drugs. Action Line double-checked with Dellamora just to be super extra sure about this. It’s all true, and Action Line apologizes for assuming things.
Email questions and suggestions to actionline@durangoherald.com or mail them to Action Line, The Durango Herald, 1275 Main Ave., Durango, CO 81301. Readers might find it easier and more convenient to just go ahead and take Action Line to the woodshed; Task is in a very remote spot near the Sahara Desert.
