Protect 14er Access: 9 Ways to Help

Five Colorado 14ers are currently closed to the public due to landowner liability concerns. While a recent bill, SB 23-103, would have addresses the problem, it died in Committee.

A coalition of groups supporting this solution are already working on next steps to restore access to these peaks and trails. Here’s how you can help us protect public access to private lands for outdoor recreation.

Want to be part of the solution?

The bill will be re-introduced in the future – in the meantime, we want to continue to raise public awareness and apply pressure to the Committee that will review it again in the future. With those goals in mind, here are nine ways you can support 14er public access:

Email the three members of the Committee that voted to kill the bill. Tell them they made the wrong decision and urge them to support the bill when it is re-introduced.

Senator Roberts: dylan.roberts.senate@coleg.gov
Senator Gonzalez: julie.gonzales.senate@coleg.gov
Senator Rodriguez: robert.rodriguez.senate@coleg.gov
Email Governor Polis. Urge him to publicly endorse the bill and throw his influence behind it.

Governor Polis: Governorpolis@state.co.us
Join our Grassroots Supporters Facebook Group. It is a great place to stay up to date, network with other supporters of 14er public access, and get action alerts on how to support the bill.
Click here to join now
Sign our petition. It urges the Senators and Governor Polis to support of SB 103 in the future to restore public access to all of the Colorado 14ers.
Click here to sign the petition
Subscribe to the Colorado Mountain Club’s e-newsletter. They provide regular updates on what’s going on with this situation and when peaks can or cannot be climbed.
Click here to subscribe and stay updated
Get your organization to endorse SB 103. More than 30 organizations have endorsed this legislation, including CMC, CFI, the Wilderness Society, Trust for Public Lands, Park County, Town of Alma, and dozens others. Talk to your leadership about endorsing the bill to show your support for public access.
Contact me to learn more.
Write a Letter to the Editor. Share your support in a letter to your local newspaper editor. Emphasize the benefits of outdoor recreation in your local community and how this bill incentivizes protecting and expanding that access in the future.
Click here for more info on writing Letters to the Editor
Talk to your family and friends. Help spread the word about this situation to help us raise awareness and create pressure for change.
Talking Points about SB 103
Share this article on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media to spread the word and build awareness.

Thank you for supporting 14er public access!

The Trial Lawyers Association is one of the most powerful state lobbies and will aggressively oppose any changes that provide landowners more liability protection. The support of the public is essential to help demonstrate that there is a broad consensus in support of this legislation to re-secure public access to these 14ers and similar lands and protect it for the future.

Additional Resources and Info

Here are some additional resources and articles with more information about this ongoing situation, SB 23-103, and the closures of Mount Lindsey and the Decalibron 14ers.

Articles with Background Info:

Info In Support of the Bill – SB 103

Alex Derr, Creator of The Next Summit

Alex is an Eagle Scout, climber, and environmental policy expert located in Denver, Colorado. He created The Next Summit to help others stay safe exploring the mountains and advocate to preserve the peaks for the future. Follow him on Linkedin or Twitter or click here to contact him.