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Town of Breckenridge proposes Copper Canyon connector; Summit County advisory council raises safety and parking concerns
Summary
The Town of Breckenridge proposed a new Copper Canyon connector to link Juniata Trail with Bald Mountain and Boreas Pass access. Summit County Open Space Advisory Council members said safety at the Boreas Pass Road intersection, parking availability and social-trail impacts must be addressed in design.
Town of Breckenridge Open Space staff presented a proposal for a new trail connection on the jointly owned Copper Canyon/Fuller Placer Open Space to improve links between the Juniata Trail, Bald Mountain trails and Boreas Pass Road access.
Staff said they mailed more than 400 survey postcards to nearby residents and received 110 responses; 56% of respondents supported the connection while 43% opposed it. Common concerns recorded in the survey included safety where the trail would meet Boreas Pass Road, parking availability, steep terrain and the potential for trespassing and littering.
Council members acknowledged the connectivity benefit but pressed staff on safety and user management. "Barriers and signage, together with a curved trail alignment, can help slow users where the trail meets Boreas Pass Road," staff said, and they told the council that careful design and delineated parking would be part of management planning.
Several members asked that construction not favor high-speed tread and that the design support true multi-directional use. They also asked staff to decommission nearby social trails that undermine management objectives, leaving only direct neighborhood connections in place. Historical interpretive signage was recommended to mark the parcel’s values.
BOSAC (the Breckenridge Open Space advisory body) visited the site and recommended the trail be constructed; county staff said they believe the steep portions are buildable with proper alignment and that a formal maintained trail will reduce unmanaged social trails.
The council did not take a formal vote on the proposal during the meeting but discussed next steps in design and mitigation; staff said they will return with more detailed plans and management recommendations.
