SPEAR and SITLA join together for project

San Juan Public Entry and Access Rights (SPEAR) joined together with Utah School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration (SITLA) to complete a bridge on a ATV trail on state lands in the La Sal Mountains.
This project is follow up of cooperation between the two groups that started a couple years ago when SPEAR was ask to work with SITLA in a pilot effort to do a management plan on a large block of state land on the La Sal Mountain.
SPEAR worked along side San Juan County to input to the development of this plan. The plan was successfully completed and the state is using this effort as a demonstration as to how a plan can be developed by using the input of the concerned and cooperating user groups.
SITLA was successful in taking input from everyone and balancing a plan. SPEAR is hoping that the Federal Agencies will take a serious look at this plan and try to develop a pattern like this, to use when they make land use decisions.
The project recently completed was a bridge across a small stream on the Upper Two Mile Trail in the La Sal Mountains. SPEAR furnished a pair of arch type beams and SITLA constructed the bridge.
Sondregger Construction donated material for the two concrete abutments for the bridge. On August 17 the two groups formed a work party that installed the bridge. After the job was complete the SITLA people joined with the SPEAR group for an afternoon ride of the trail.
This trail was designed and developed by SPEAR in cooperation with SITLA. The trail is clearly marked on the ground as SPEAR Trail #16, and is rapidly becoming very popular with the public.
SITLA has also developed a map showing all forms of travel for that block of land. This map is being offered to the public free of charge by the state.
SPEAR is also in the process of developing their own map which will not only include the trail on state lands but will incorperate a trail just south of The Upper Two Mile Trail called the Lower Two Mile Trail on forest land.