Save the Baldies

Dedicated to protecting Middle Bald Mountain and South Bald Mountain, the highest peaks in Colorado's Laramie Mountains.

We oppose Larimer County's proposal to develop these unique and fragile areas as sites for radio facilities and open the way for exploitation by cell phone, tv, and radio providers. Read the basics.

News

3/8/2012

New study details Middle Bald Mountain's unique environment

Today we announce the release of a new document by northern Colorado plant ecology specialist Jim Erdman, Ph.D.

Middle Bald Mountain's Alpine-Tundra Landscape — Unique in the Laramie Mountains Region of Northern Colorado (PDF) describes in a level of detail never before available the landscape threatened by Larimer County's proposed tower, building, road, powerline, and other summit development.

1/18/2012

Larimer County moves forward with latest tower application

Larimer County has agreed to pay the Forest Service another $106,350.00 to process the latest application for a Middle Bald Mountain radio facility. This cost recovery agreement can be downloaded as a PDF in its short version or long version.

7/26/2010

County to drill Middle Bald summit. Public meeting planned.

Larimer County has applied to the Forest Service for a special use permit to drill several bore holes, 4 inches wide by 10 feet deep, on Middle Bald Mountain summit, for "information gathering" purposes.

Damaging the summit area would be an irreversible and offensive scarring, especially when the larger radio facility project is neither budgeted nor approved. We call on the county to clarify project specifications and costs (conflicting estimates for a power line into the region alone vary by millions of dollars) through non-destructive means, and to demonstrate how the radio facility can be paid for, before destroying summit rock.

By request, Larimer County has scheduled a public meeting to explain their need to immediately drill bore holes:

Details:
Thursday, July 29, 2010
7pm-9pm
Red Feather Lakes Fire House
44 Fire House Lane, Red Feather Lakes, Colorado

1/6/2010

County Environmental Advisory Board to Discuss Middle Bald Mountain

The Larimer County Environmental Advisory Board agenda for Tuesday, January 12, indicates that Greg Vickerman from the IT department will be giving a presentation on the tower project. Concerned citizens were not notified of this public meeting. EAB meetings open with a public comment opportunity.

Details:
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
6:00 PM to 9:00 PM - Dinner Meeting
Larimer County Court House
Carter Lake Meeting Room
200 West Oak St, Fort Collins, Colorado
http://www.larimer.org/boards/minutes/eabagenda.htm

11/17/2009

Middle Bald application reactivated

Larimer County Commissioners voted on November 17th to reactivate the county's application to the forest service to build a radio facility on Middle Bald Mountain.

The county will be pursuing engineering studies and other activity during the coming months towards completing the NEPA process for a Middle Bald facility. No coverage data for alternative solutions is to be developed as part of this process.

9/30/2009

Additional Larimer County Radio Tower Installed on South Bald Mountain in Designated Roadless Area

As of September 30, a Larimer County contractor was installing a radio transmitter on the summit of South Bald Mountain. The tundra summit of South Bald Mountain is the highest point in the Laramie Mountains and lies within the boundaries of the Green Ridge - East Roadless Area.

Press Release

9/29/2009

Larimer County Radio Tower Installed on Middle Bald Mountain

The Mummy Range Institute documented a temporary radio transmitter directly on the summit of Middle Bald Mountain as of September 29, 2009.

Press Release

Timeline

(click to expand)

1/18/2012
Larimer County commissioners agree to pay Forest Service $106,350.00 to begin processing a new application for a Middle Bald Mountain radio facility.
6/29/2010
Larimer County applies to Forest Service for special use permit to drill bore holes on Middle Bald Mountain summit.
11/17/2009
Larimer County Commissioners vote to reactivate the county's application to the forest service to build a radio facility on Middle Bald Mountain.
9/30/2009
Second radio tower documented and contractor personnel contacted by Mummy Range Institute on summit of South Bald Mountain, within the Green Ridge - East designated roadless area. After second press release, county IT personnel acknowledge testing is taking place.
9/29/2009
Temporary radio tower documented by Mummy Range Institute on summit of Middle Bald Mountain. Mummy Range Institute issues press release.
9/25/2009
Citizens informed by National Forest Service of special use permit issued to Larimer County for testing on the summits of Middle and South Bald.
9/3/2009
Citizens celebrate three seasons spared from development.
6/29/2009
Larimer County Commissioners, now minus Randy Eubanks, vote to approve new funding for radio coverage testing on Middle and South Bald. County informs citizens that the testing process will be announced publicly.
8/22/2008
Community potluck to celebrate two seasons spared from development on Middle Bald and South Bald Mountain.
7/29/2008
Larimer County Commissioners vote to kill funding for Middle Bald tower project.
4/17/2008
New Larimer County tower spotted on private land in the Crystal Lakes Subdivision near Black Mountain, 10 miles north of Middle Bald Mountain. Citizen research reveals "Bear Gulch" tower as operating on same the frequencies as the proposed Middle Bald tower. No notice was given to citizens nor to the Forest Service on the changed coverage needs due to the new tower.
4/14/2008
National Forest Service openly declines to answer questions about its NEPA process.
3/17/2008
Following an investigative article by the North Forty News, county personnel acknowledge that the planned 15-mile underground power line to the Middle Bald tower site would cost over $3 million, bringing total project cost over $5 million. Original project estimate by county: $1.1 million.
1/17/2008
Newest Larimer County Commissioner, Randy Eubanks, meets with local citizens and listens to tower project concerns. Commissioner Eubanks would be the first elected official to ask serious questions about the tower proposal, eventually leading to the project's de-funding.
11/8/2007
Public meeting at Magic Sky Ranch near Red Feather, attended by nearly 100 citizens overwhelmingly opposed to tower project.
7/8/2007
Community hike to Middle Bald Mountain and celebration of one season spared from development.
4/25/2007
National Forest Service responds to citizen research by delaying project and requiring more data from Larimer County. Public meeting scheduled for fall '07. Decision postponed until spring '08.
4/10/2007
Larimer County IT personnel meet with local citizens, describe strategy of fabricating proposed tower locations on private Glacier View land as a way of demonstrating due diligence to National Forest Service.
3/26/2007
After three months of dispute, Larimer County agrees that CTA Report and other documents are public information under state law and grants public access.
1/12/2007
Public comment period ends.
12/23/2006
Larimer County hosts 1 hour Red Feather Lakes public meeting, displaying in support the 260 page CTA Report and other documents, without allowing public review. Red Feather Lakes citizens begin three month dispute to gain access to documents.
12/1/2006
First public notice as National Forest Service announces Middle Bald proposal. Citizens are given 42 days over the winter holidays to comment on a project a decade in the making. Forest Service calls on radio, television, and cellular companies to propose additional towers on Middle Bald. Decision set for summer '07, with construction start predicted for fall '07.
2/17/2006
County receives CTA report, recommending Middle Bald summit tower be supplemented by towers at Kinnikinnik and in the Comanche Peaks Wilderness.
2003
Larimer County applies to National Forest Service for South Bald Mountain tower. Application denied due to roadless designation. Larimer County switches objectives to Middle Bald Mountain. The decade of silent planning continues.
2003
Larimer County applies to National Forest Service for South Bald Mountain tower. Application denied due to roadless designation. Larimer County switches objectives to Middle Bald Mountain. The decade of silent planning continues.
circa 1996
South Bald Mountain radio tower project conceived. The decade of silent planning before first public notice begins.

Mummy Range Institute P.O. Box 520, Red Feather Lakes, Colorado 80545