# Blue river Shuttles



## slowboat (May 23, 2009)

Does anyone have a phone # for a shuttle service for the lower blue? Used to use one out of Kremmling, they shut down this year. Help would be appretiated. Thanks


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## Teri_at_BLM (Jun 29, 2010)

*No licensed outfitter or shuttle service for lower Blue*

The shuttle out of Kremmling was illegal. There is nobody permitted to outfit or shuttle on the Lower Blue. Be aware that private parties using illegal outfitters can be fined, too.


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## wamsley (Feb 28, 2011)

*Really?*

Shuttle companies are illegal? That seems down right... stupid. 

Shuttle companies save us metro folk from having to bring a second car and thus, lower our carbon footprint on the Earth. I admit that my rafting addiction on the Blue and all rivers is environmentally poor. It leads to bank erosion, increases CO2 emissions and other other pollutants, and is a selfish endeavor. However, making a company illegal that helps make my environemntal impact smaller is just plain wrong.


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## slowboat (May 23, 2009)

Would like to hear from the rest of you who raft the blue.


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## Osprey (May 26, 2006)

She didn't say shuttle companies are illegal, she said the one in Kremmling was operating illegally. If the company is licensed with the proper permits, insurance etc. then I would imagine it would be fine. Just like FF guides, you have to be permitted to operate on the waterways where you are guiding. I doubt the lower Blue gets enough traffic to make it worth it, especially since no commercial guides float there.


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## eklars (Mar 28, 2006)

There's always taxi's. To paraphrase and old libertarian catch line "Leave it to the government to create a shuttle shortage in a traffic jam."


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## ecarlson972 (Apr 24, 2007)

I may be able to help the debate a little bit! As of now there is only one company that is permitted to do shuttles on the upper Colorado blm land. Which is unfortunately Rancho Del Rio. Since the take out is BLM no one else is able to do it. Everyone should write to the BLM and complain that that Rancho has a monopoly and can charge what ever price they want. And that all their drivers are completely stoned or hammered when they drive your vehicle. We need a new shuttle company up there to give a little competition!


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## Teri_at_BLM (Jun 29, 2010)

*Clarification on lower Blue permitting*

We require a permit for commercial use, defined as:

"recreational use of the public lands and related waters for business and financial gain.

When any person, group, or organization makes or attempts to make a profit, receive money, amortize equipment, or obtain goods or service, as compensation for recreational activities occurring on public lands, the use is considered commercial."

"Events and activities that occur entirely on county or state roads generally do not require a Special Recreation Permit (SRP). However, when the roads are located on or are adjacent to public lands, the BLM may require and issue an SRP to protect public land resources, insure public health and safety, and to avoid conflicts with other public land uses. The BLM must require an SRP if the event will involve monitoring, stipulations, insurance, or bonding."

We may waive a permit if "the use or event begins and ends on non-public lands or related waters, traverses less than a total of one mile of public lands or one shoreline mile..."

While most shuttling and boating uses at least one put-in or take-out on public lands for the lower Blue River, permits are required. Osprey was right. The shuttle company out of Kremmling was not permitted. The only shuttle company that is permitted from our field office is Rancho del Rio for the Upper Colorado River. There are no outfitters or shuttles permitted for the lower Blue River.

Each permittee gets evaluated at the end of the year, so we will always take written comments about ANY of our permittees. We also submit articles to newspapers asking for public comments during permittee renewal periods.

The meetings we are holding right now is a great chance to comment on the draft of our new Resource Management Plan. We want to hear your specific comments (the more substantive they are, the better) about how we plan to manage the public lands in the future.

The draft RMP is located at the URL below: 
BLM Colorado | Kremmling Draft RMP

Appendix N describes the alternatives for management and what each alternative would mean.
Appendix M talks about the criteria for Special Recreation Permits.
Appendix O lists the supplemental rules that would be put in place if the RMP is signed (for example, groover requirement).

I will create a separate announcement on the Mountain Buzz regarding the RMP meetings.

Hope this clears things up a bit!

Teri


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## slowboat (May 23, 2009)

*to mark*

Mark I did not get any takers


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## slavetotheflyrod (Sep 2, 2009)

Teri_at_BLM said:


> We require a permit for commercial use, defined as:
> 
> "recreational use of the public lands and related waters for business and financial gain.
> 
> ...


It doesn't, but thanks for trying.

You could shed a little light on the situation by perhaps explaining why any and every application the USFS and BLM have ever accepted for commercial outfitting or shuttles has been denied without any explanation.

Or perhaps you could enlighten us as to why the BLM continues to allow Blue Valley Ranch and the Yust's to treat the BLM parcels within their properties as their own private property, over grazing, bank erosion and all?


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## wamsley (Feb 28, 2011)

*to BLM*

Thanks for the reply, much appreciated.

My view of the Blue- I am happy guiding is not allowed on the river. It is a good thing to have one river in the state where being a private boater is the only way down. This limits boat and fishing traffic.

However, it seems to me that the rule of no commercial outfitters on the blue should be lifted in regards to shuttle companies. Personally I do not forsee allowing shuttle companies to operate on that land as being detrimental to the river quality.

Of course the Blue is love-hate relationship for me. I am thankful to the ranches for producing the great fish habitat and fish size that make that float one of the best in the world. However, I am absolutely against current Colorado Water laws that prohibit portaging, anchoring, and wade fishing to the high water line. But I digress.....

I will check out the management plan. Thank you.


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