A little more than a year ago, I moved to Durango in search of a home that would allow me more opportunities to get outdoors and into the mountains. As an avid mountain biker, I found that there’s really no better place to be than Colorado. Our extensive trail systems across the state are unrivaled in terms of natural beauty and diversity, and I was especially drawn to how accessible trails are in Durango. But this past Thanksgiving week, rather than get on my bike, I went skiing near Silverton and Ouray and rafted down the Colorado River near Grand Junction.
While I knew that coming to Durango would mean more opportunities to play outside, I didn’t anticipate how many novel and different ways I’d find to enjoy our beautiful backyard. Herein lies the beauty of living here in Durango: Despite our different backgrounds and interests, so many of us here understand the need to protect our shared access to trails, rivers and forests. Not only are our public lands vital to our local economy and way of life, they also give us the opportunity to build a strong community centered around shared experiences outside.
This week, I’m especially grateful for our public lands across the Western Slope, and for the people in our community that are working to conserve more of our wild places, including Hermosa Creek. Thanks to the hard work of many in our community, including Rep. Scott Tipton and Sen. Michael Bennet, we may have even more protected lands to enjoy together before the end of the year.
I hope everyone involved with the Hermosa Creek bill knows that you’re appreciated. Keep up the good work to ensure that our community can enjoy Hermosa Creek and the rest of the lands we know and love for years to come.
Peter Julien-Sehl
Durango
