'Immense potential' for Mount Tom and 2,000 acres acquired outside Denver

Seth Boster, The Gazette (Colorado Springs, Colo.)
Updated ·3 min read
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Apr. 13—A landscape boasting "immense future recreation potential" has been acquired by Colorado groups that also describe the deal as "once in a generation."

The deal is $25 million for about 2,000 acres northwest of Denver, near Golden, as recently announced by collaborators with The Conservation Fund, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Jefferson County and Great Outdoors Colorado. It's the latest development in a years-long effort to realize what the agencies have called the Mount Tom Conservation Corridor — so named for the mountain that is now included in the adjacent 20,000-plus acres conserved.

The 9,720-foot mountain is bordered by Colorado Parks and Wildlife's Ralston Creek State Wildlife Area and Jefferson County's Douglas Mountain Study Area; Golden Gate Canyon State Park is to the north, as is Jeffco Open Space's Coal Creek Canyon Study Area and White Ranch Park to the east.

The newly acquired land will enlarge the state wildlife area by 1,180 acres, while the county's sales tax-supported open space program will add Mount Tom and its surrounding 740 acres. Jeffco Open Space will also hold a conservation easement over an adjoining 400 acres — ensuring the land remains undeveloped while it continues as a private ranch.

"Rarely do we see opportunities to secure landscape connectivity at this scale, especially so close to a growing metro region like Denver," The Conservation Fund's Justin Spring said in the news release.

The release referred to Mount Tom as "one of the top 10 tallest peaks in Jefferson County which has never been available for the public to climb." It's a promontory seen from miles away, recognized for a scar left by a deadly B-25 bomber crash in 1952.

It's a tragic marker of an otherwise hopeful emblem, explained Matt Robbins, community connections director at Jeffco Open Space.

Mount Tom "symbolizes that whole corridor, and the need for us to connect and conserve that land," he said. The mountain is an "icon" with a new message: "That we know that all will not be developed. That's really what this is about, generational conservation."

Robbins said a summit trail could be a possibility down the line. Another possibility: more big game hunting through the expanded state wildlife area. The forested hills and valleys are home to moose, elk, bears and mountain lions, and the mountaintop is a noted breeding ground for ladybugs.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife and Jeffco Open Space could take years to research the habitat and consider public access, the news release indicated, stating: "The sites have historically seen incredibly low levels of human disturbance and will need to be thoroughly monitored and studied."

In the release, area wildlife manager Mark Lamb expressed "excitement" after what he called "one of the most complicated projects I've seen."

It involved several private property owners and years of The Conservation Fund and Jeffco Open Space negotiating and seeking money. Lottery-funded Great Outdoors Colorado was a catalyst for securing Mount Tom and the latest parcels.

"People wonder how much land is left, and what more can be done," Robbins said. "Days like this, events like this, partnerships like this, it really demonstrates that there is more work to be done. And there are still people out there willing to do the work and protect the land for everyone."