I know you have all ridden the Monarch Crest Trail. 30 some miles, and 6,000 some feet downhill. Its a legend in Colorado and is famous across the United States. The Monarch Crest trail leads to many sweet single tracks that descend from above treeline to the Gunnison and Salida valleys. The "Children of the Crest" include Agate Creek, South Foose Creek, Greens Creek, Silver Creek, and the Rainbow Trail. The Monarch Crest includes both the Colorado and Continental Divide Trail. These are the trails you tell your friends about!

The Monarch Crest trail is in jeopardy of being closed to mountain bikes dependng on a forest service ruling on the "nature and purpose" of the Continental Divide National Scenic trail. Public comment on what the nature and purpose of the Continental Divide trial is open until October 12. This is your chance to voice your opinion. Do note that it can take five years before the wording on the directive is finalized and that decisions for use are made at the local planning level.

The Monarch Crest trail has been part of mountain biking lore for over 20 years. I understand the arguments against building new trails, and not having mountain bikes in the wilderness areas... frankly I agree with these arguements... but the Monarch Crest trail is not in Wilderness and has been an established mountain bike trail for a long time. The mountain biking economy of Salida depends on the existence of this trail

More information can be found in this Mountain Flyer article:
http://www.mountainflyer.com/news.cfm?newsid=95

The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail directive can be found here:
http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/projects/cdnst_directive/index.shtml/