HD Mountains Roadless Area Profile

At a Glance: The HD Mountains (named for a 19th-century cattle brand) offer the last, best opportunity to preserve the undeveloped foothills of the San Juan Mountains in southwest Colorado. This approximately 40,000-acre roadless area on the San Juan National Forest contains many of the last remaining stands of unlogged, 300-year-old ancient ponderosa pine forests in the Southern Rockies. Ignacio Creek is perhaps the most pristine, low-elevation watershed in the entire San Juans. The HDs are located southeast of Bayfield, south of Highway 160 and Yellowjacket Pass.

Threats: The gas industry initially proposed to drill 57 coalbed methane wells and construct 38 miles of new roads within the boundaries of the HD Mountains inventoried roadless area. New roads and wells were planned for essentially every ridgeline and every valley, including up the bottom of Ignacio Canyon and down the very spine of the HD Mountains themselves.  The Forest Services 2007 drilling decisions significantly reduced the number of authorized wells and roads. It places the heart of the roadless area (Ignacio Creek) off-limits to coalbed methane drilling because of concerns about landslide hazards, slope stability, erosion, and watershed impacts, although this restriction could be lifted at some future date if industry demonstrates an ability to construct roads and well pads without impacts. The decision leaves the entire Ignacio Creek watershed undeveloped for the time being, and but still allows for several miles of new roads south along the spine of the HDs and as many as 30 wells. The changes reduced the impact to the roadless area from 13,000 acres down to 5,000 acres (out of 27,000 acres the USFS considers roadless).

The old-growth ponderosas offer some appeal in terms of timber management, and portions of Ignacio Creek are included within the suitable timber base. However, topography limits utility of the area for timber management. In addition, the rarity of old-growth ponderosa pine in the region argues against timber management.

Adoption Duties for the HD Mountains Roadless Area Include (but not limited to):

• Engage is the management planning process for the San Juan Public Lands, advocating that the HD Mountains be proposed for wilderness designation and not be an opportunity area for new motorized route creation (and further that existing motorized routes are not appropriate);
• Engage in the travel management process, which will determine specific routes that will be legal motorized and non-motorized routes for years to come;
• Participate in the HD Mountains Coalition to continue active opposition to plans for new gas wells in the roadless area;
• Get to know the area, monitoring any key routes where there are resource issues. Submit information gathered to the Forest Service.
• Lead a hike or take your friends there so more people are connected to the place and interesting in protecting it.