Alpine Triangle

Comprised of high peaks, rolling glacial valleys and steep river canyons that border the Continental Divide, the Alpine Triangle is roughly defined on the map as the public land between the communities of Silverton, Lake City and Ouray. Seen in person, the Alpine Triangle is better described as 186,000 acres of wild Colorado backcountry that defines the essence of the San Juan Mountains.

The Alpine Triangle holds the headwaters of three outstanding trout rivers – the Animas, the Lake Fork of the Gunnison and the Uncompahgre, and borders the headwaters of a fourth, the Rio Grande. Decades of restoration work have brought angling opportunities back into the Triangle, where a legacy of mining left many streams too polluted to support trout. The cold, clean waters of the Alpine Triangle now make the world-class fishing downstream in the Animas, Gunnison and lower Uncompahgre possible. Thanks to the work of the Colorado Division of Wildlife, Trout Unlimited and a coalition of local conservation groups, a program to reintroduce native Colorado River cutthroat trout into several of these small streams is meeting with success.

The Alpine Triangle harbors exceptional big-game habitat for elk, deer and bighorn sheep, and permits to hunt the area are coveted. With elevations ranging from 7,500 to over 14,000 feet above sea level, it also provides habitat for blue grouse, turkey and other game species. An essential summer refuge for elk that migrate to lower elevations during the winter, the Triangle also serves as a backcountry recreation paradise for climbers, backpackers and day-hikers seeking its unsurpassed views and other quiet-use resources.

It is also a popular destination for off-highway vehicle enthusiasts, as it is home to the Alpine Loop Backcountry Byway. With over 65 miles of four-wheel drive roads, the Alpine Loop draws riders from all over the country. Motorized use of the Alpine Triangle provides a large economic boost to Silverton, Lake City and Ouray and is one of its greatest assets. Winter access with a snowmobile adds to the region's allure as a motorized destination. Additionally, these communities benefit from the Triangle's reputation as a center of cultural and heritage tourism, with mining relics, ghost towns and other historical sites among the popular stops for visitors to the area. Trout Unlimited and sportsmen, outfitters and local business supporters from the region are working collaboratively to preserve this invaluable public land resource, and we invite your participation. Visit www.alpinetriangle.com [1] for more information and to become involved.

You can also contact TU's backcountry coordinator in the area, Ty Churchwell, at 970-259-5116, or tchurchwell@tu.org [2], and ask him how best to contribute your voice and ideas to this effort. Join Trout Unlimited [3] and our 140,000 members nationwide who are working to keep the best wild places on our nation's public lands the best places to hunt and fish in the future.