Ride The Rockies Has To Alter Last Leg Due To High Park Fire
DENVER (CBS4) - The High Park Fire has forced Ride The Rockies officials to alter the last leg of the bicycle tour.
This year the 422 mile ride is scheduled to end on Friday in Fort Collins. The last leg of the ride on Friday was supposed to be from Estes Park through Masonville, past Horsetooth Reservoir, and up to Laporte before dropping into Fort Collins. That whole area is now affected by the perimeter of the fire.
Some of the roads that Ride The Rockies planned to use are currently closed, as is Horsetooth Reservoir, because of the fire.
There are some health concerns for the riders, but the main concern is bringing such a large number of people into the middle of a rapidly-changing situation where facilities and resources are already stretched thin.
Ride The Rockies Director Chandler Smith told CBS4's Greg Moody that he's been in touch with numerous authorities from the burn area and is working on a contingency plan for Friday's ride. They should have plans in place by Wednesday night, but the finish line of the ride is expected to change.
The possibilities are moving the finish to Boulder or stopping the race Thursday in Estes Park. There are a lot of resources and people working Ride The Rockies that could be used in the fire zone.
LINK: Ride The Rockies
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