Give Back the Family Pass!

Blaming their financial problems on mis-use of the family pass by locals, the City of Colorado Springs has eliminated the $100 unlimited family pass.  The true cost of maintaining the highway arises from its use as tourist attraction.  Passing the infrastructural costs of the tourism industry on to local families is wrong.  The Pike National Forest is public land and locals should be able to hike, ski, bike and climb without being subject to extortion.  Join us in demanding that the $100 unlimited family pass be restored. The city won't listen unless you say something!  Read on to find out how to show your support.


Show Your Support
  • Contact your city council member!
  • Leave a comment -- choosing anonymous is easiest!
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We're not asking you to support something without the facts.  Please read through the other posts on this site to learn all the details.

14 comments:

  1. My name is John fogg,

    Ihave had a Peak pass ever since they offered them years ago.

    I have always been thankfull to have this awesome privledge

    I think the City of Colrado Springs has made a bad mistake taking our passes away.I would support an increase in price if that's what they want,but there is no way I will pay the fee for a limited pass.

    I can't belive they did something so drastic without any community involvment or discussion.All I can think is whoever is responsible for this aweful decision has no appreciation of how much this privledge means to us locals who love and respect access to one of our favorite places.

    My pass,one of the last one's issued,is # 564 that means that at least 564 people payed $100 for a pass last year.Thats $56'400 revenue the city won't collect if other people don't renew their passes as a result of the new unfair change. I just don't get it,they want more money,and instead of having a public disscusion that could acheive that, they make a missguided decision that will net far less.

    Also,as far as use of the highway,most people I know very rarely will drive to the top.I belive there is far more negative impact to the mountain and the environment from the annual race than a than a years worth of use by locals. As a matter of fact it takes about a year for us to pick up all the trash after the race.

    None of this makes any sense to me.Lots of people use this access for many differant activities,and now the city is taking our privledge away. Am I just stupid or is there something I'm missing? Please if anyone out there cares please speak up.I think we are losing one of the best assets we've had in this area because of bad decisions of a city counsil that does'nt care about people who love the outdoors.

    Pease respond to this blog

    My Email address is johnfogg@pcisys.net

    My phone #'s Are work 719-632-0163,home 719-520-9450,cell719-459-5147

    Sincerely

    John Fogg

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  2. My family and I have wanted to purchase a seasons pass this year for Pikes Peak access....but no such luck. The limited pass does not work for us.

    Many friends have opted out of the limited pass as well.

    The city makes the majority of its money off tourist dollars going up the peak. Please bring back the seasons pass! The more the local population uses it the easier it will be to promote family, friends, and tourists to use it. Let us enjoy our mountain and raise our families on the peak!

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  3. I have been an annual pass holder for the past 3 years. 80% of the time it's just my dog and I going up to hike, the other 20% I have taken a friend along, whom by the way would not have gone on their own.
    The new pass is not going to work for me and I agree with John, why wasn't this brought before the public??

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  4. It saddens me to hear that the city is so short-sighted. Colorado Springs is a beautiful and vibrant city with a thriving tourist industry. There are sacrifices that locals make when living in a tourist area, i.e. dealing with heavy traffic, transient people, etc. Let the tourists pay the fee and give the families back the $100 pass to offset the inconveniences of living here. What the city did is called "cutting off your nose to spite your face"

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  5. Another 2 cents worth

    In trying to educate people about the pass,lots have said they were'nt aware it existed,but if they had known they would have bought one.Further replying there is no way they would buy it with the currant fee structure.

    Come on Colrado Springs get it together and give us our passes back and we will support it 100%.

    Also I don't think the city realizes how negatively this affects the health and well being
    of our community.

    So Sad

    John

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  6. This situation makes me very sad. Locals introduce this great place to tourists who go home and bring others here who will generate revenue for the highway. Charging locals a lot of money will only hurt the highway in the long run. Another clueless move on the part of the City of Colorado Springs!

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  7. There was a public meeting with representation from the Sierra Club, Rocky Mountain Field Institute and several locals who loved the unlimited passes.

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  8. @Anonymous Where was the public meeting, when? Please leave the details.

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  9. There was a virtually unpublicized "public" meeting held on July 29, 2009 as described in a gazette.com blog on July 28, 2009 here:

    http://outthere.freedomblogging.com/2009/07/28/pikes-peak-highway-getting-pricier/5621/

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  10. The public meeting was also advertised in the Independent and the Pioneer.

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  11. we ride i.e. snowboard up there 20+ times per year, now that i am retired from competing and not sponsored by the highway anymore, we have to p[ay the toll fee, i/we r very disapointed that we wll have to cut back our # of shred days.... boo to u CSP

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  12. I learned to snowboard on Pikes Peak and enjoyed being one of the few people enjoying it during the winter months. Without skiers and snowboarders purchasing passes, the revenue will drop. I have begun approaching the Peak from the Crags because it avoids the troll [sic] although adding miles to the approach.

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  13. Its a great place to go ,I love it. WE go camping up there and its now my faviorite!I know chad,mary,and Jhon and we go camping in the best spot ever.It is a long and changelling hike but its worth it!!!

    ReplyDelete