Ripple Creek Pass
1,510 acres (2.4 square miles)
Setting
The proposed Ripple Creek Pass addition to the Flat Tops Wilderness Area occupies a small drainage called the West Fork of Ripple Creek. The area lies on the northwest slope of the Flat Tops, and Ripple Creek flows into the North Fork of White River.
The area is remarkable for its large stands of aspen, interspersed with a multitude of open park-like meadows that feature subalpine grasslands. Stands of Engelmann spruce occur at higher elevations, but many were killed during the 1950s spruce beetle infestation. As these giants topple over, they fulfill their role in nutrient cycle by releasing their bound up nutrients back into the soil. The area receives heavy snowfall, and its clay loam soils tend to become saturated, causing them to slump and slip on the shale bedrock underneath. The elevations range from 8,650 feet near Ripple Creek to 10,550 near Ripple Creek Pass.
What's special about it?
The area is relatively pristine and undisturbed, and is surrounded by some of the best primitive recreation opportunities on the White River National Forest. Access is good year-round via CR 8. The landscape is incredibly scenic, and is part of the massive Flat Tops roadless area. In fact, Ripple Creek Pass is one of nine areas that abut the Flat Tops Wilderness to form a massive roadless complex of over 342,000 acres (533 square miles), the largest on the White River National Forest!
The area is hard to beat for backpacking, hiking, horseback riding, fishing, wildlife viewing, and especially big game hunting. The Colorado Natural Heritage Program has designated the Snell Creek area, which overlaps with the proposed Ripple Creek Pass addition, as an area of general biodiversity interest. The entire area is important summer range for big game.
Potential threats
The proposed Ripple Creek Pass addition lies in a region of extensive oil and gas exploration. Advocates should strongly request that this roadless area NOT be leased for energy development.
Although the area possesses some degree of commercially desirable timber, wet, boggy soils have prevented any significant exploration of harvesting it. There is potential for helicopter-based logging efforts. Heavy snowmobile use through the park-like terrain of the area is problematic, as these vehicles are supposed to remain on designated routes. A stock driveway crosses the northern portion of the proposed Ripple Creek Pass addition.
How to get there
Ripple Creek Pass is northeast of Buford and northwest of Trappers Lake. Approach from Rio Blanco County Road 8 (the Flat Tops Trail Scenic Byway).
- Just south (0.4 miles) of Ripple Creek Pass on CR 8 is the Pagoda/Chinese Wall trailhead. The Chinese Wall Trail (1803) goes southeast through the Ripple Creek Pass roadless area into the Flat Tops Wilderness.
- 5.4 miles south of Ripple Creek Pass is Lily Pond trailhead. The Picket Pin-Lily Pond Trail (1811) follows the southern boundary of the area on its way to the Flat Tops Wilderness.
- An overlook 1.4 miles south of Ripple Creek Pass provides a nice overview of the area.
- The USGS 7 1⁄2' quad for the proposed Ripple Creek Pass addition is Ripple Creek.
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