As temporary use by snowmobilers of a potential wilderness area at Molas Lake turned long-term, Bureau of Land Management officials decided enough is enough.
So, in an October order, Connie Clementson, field manager of the Tres Rios office of the BLM, said the 2013-14 winter will be the last that commercial and permitted snowmobile and dog-sled tour operators can use a 460-acre segment of 1,000 acres that Congress could label as wilderness.
Long use, albeit only a few months a year, they reasoned, could lead to undue expectations and influence a congressional decision about a permanent land-use designation.
A wilderness designation precludes motorized and other uses. The area is known as the West Needles Contiguous Wilderness Study Area.
Casual users - nonpermitted, noncommercial users such as individuals or clubs - received an additional year of grace. Their last winter will be 2014-15. The rationale, Clementson said, is that it takes longer to get the word out to a dispersed clientele.
However, a reprieve for users of the 460 acres is possible. Identical legislation in both chambers of Congress, the Hermosa Creek Watershed Protection Act, contains language to remove the 460 acres from being labeled as wilderness, no matter what happens to the remaining acreage.
Rep. Scott Tipton, R-Cortez, has asked for a hearing in the House, aide Darlene Marcus said.
Jim Lokey, president of the Silverton Snowmobile Club, said last week the loss of the West Needles recreation area would be a blow to the community.
There are 104 miles of snowmobile trails around Silverton, but none like West Needles, Lokey said. The easy terrain is popular with recreationists, particularly families. The other areas are geared to more experienced riders.
Silverton merchants - restaurants, stores and motels - count on visitors to keep cash registers ringing, he said.
Lokey said the Colorado Snowmobile Association, of which his club is a member, is working with area legislators to get the Hermosa Creek legislation approved.
