Legislation currently pending in Congress could designate the vast backcountry of Rocky Mountain National Park - 249,339 acres - as wilderness, as well as provide for the addition of 4,195 acres to the Indian Peaks Wilderness. Earlier during this Congress, Senator Ken Salazar and Congressman Mark Udall (2nd District) introduced companion bills (S.1510 and H.R.3193 respectively) to protect the Park's backcountry.  More recently, Senator Wayne Allard and Representative Marilyn Musgrave (4th District) introduced bills for the Park - but unfortunately, their proposals would actually open up the possibility of mining and new water development within the Park rather than protecting its unique backcountry resources - including the many high-elevation lakes and streams enjoyed by anglers, several of which support Colorado's state fish - the threatened greenback cutthroat trout.

Please contact Senator Allard and your Representative (see listings below), and urge them to support real protection for the wilderness backcountry of Rocky Mountain National Park, and to work to secure passage of S.1510/H.R.3193 before the end of this Congress.

• Senator Wayne Allard:  (202) 224-5941 or online
• Representative Diana DeGette (1st District):  (202) 225-4431 or online
• Representative John Salazar (3rd District):  (202) 225-4761 or online
• Representative Marilyn Musgrave (4th District):  (202) 225-4676 or online
• Representative Joel Hefley (5th District): (202) 225-4422 or online
• Representative Tom Tancredo (6th District):  (202) 225-7882 or online
• Representative Bob Beauprez (7th District):  (202) 225-2645 or online

One of Rocky Mountain National Park's greenback cutthroat trout.

Background
Much of Rocky Mountain National Park was recommended for wilderness protection by the National Park Service in the early 1970s and, for the past 30 years, has been managed to preserve its wilderness characteristics. While wilderness legislation for the Park has been introduced in the past seven congresses, progress in passing a bill has been stalled. However, in the summer of 2005, at public hearings in the gateway communities of Grand Lake and Estes Park, citizens overwhelmingly championed wilderness protection for the Park.  The Town of Grand Lake, the Town of Estes Park, and Grand and Larimer Counties have all passed various resolutions supporting the designation.

Rocky Mountain National Park is home to some of Colorado's most gorgeous backcountry terrain, including a wide array of high-country lakes and streams with fisheries enjoyed by many Coloradoans and out-of-state visitors every year.  The Park's backcountry is also a centerpiece of the restoration program for the greenback cutthroat trout - a federally-listed threatened species that CTU and its chapters have invested countless hours in protecting and recovering.  Providing permanent wilderness protection to these important waters will help secure these unique fisheries for present and future generations of anglers to see and enjoy.