LEADVILLE, Colo. — Members of Colorado congressional delegation sent a letter Friday to President Joe Biden with hope of establishing the Camp Hale–Continental Divide National Monument.
Last week, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack toured Camp Hale, the former base of the U.S. Army 10th Mountain Division in Eagle County.
If designated, it could become the first National Monument designated by the Biden administration.
“The Continental Divide Trail Coalition celebrates the hard work from Senators Bennet, Hickenlooper and Congressman Neguse to permanently protect Camp Hale and a significant portion of the Continental Divide Trail,” said L Fisher Trail Policy Manager at the Continental Divide Trail Coalition (CDTC).
Included in the proposed National Monument designation are the Camp Hale National Historic Site and the surrounding natural landscape, including the Tenmile Range and a 28-mile section of the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (CDT).
The Antiquities Act, which the Biden administration will use to designate this monument, has been used more than 150 times throughout the history of the United States to establish and expand national monuments to conserve natural landscape and enhance the cultural heritage of historically significant spaces.
Camp Hale and the Continental Divide landscape are one of four landscapes identified for protections in the Colorado Outdoor Recreation Economy Act, a piece of legislation that is the result of over a decade of collaboration with Colorado stakeholders.
During World War II, Camp Hale was a center for mountain and winter warfare training, including more than 1,000 buildings within the valley, and was the base of operations for the 10th Mountain Division’s training.
At the time of operation in the 1940s, Camp Hale was segregated, as were all contemporary U.S. military operations. Recognizing that this landscape holds a history of exclusion, stakeholders and partners are excited for a management plan that recognizes this historical context and plans for a more inclusive, collaborative landscape and experience in the future.
In addition to the historic landscape, the National Monument will also protect surrounding natural resources along the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (CDT), including in the Tenmile Range. This section of the 3,100-mile trail that spans from Mexico to Canada acts as a primary habitat and connective corridor for wildlife, as well as a continuous footpath for recreationists and others hoping to explore the scenic ridgeline trail between Leadville and Breckenridge.
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