These days, we are often asked one or both of the following questions, 1) "What is going on with the Tellico [Colorado] lawsuit?" and 2) Why bother with the fight there when the trails are being obliterated before the courts can decide anything?"

For those who aren't familiar with the issues surrounding Tellico, it's appropriate to start with a brief history.  Mind you, there is more to it than what we share here—much more—but that is an emotionally charged discussion for another time.  

For all intent and purpose, the Forest Service, under outside pressure of a threatened lawsuit, began the process of closing the trail system in Tellico in late 2007.  It began with an emergency closure order. Following that, and arguably as a result of pressure from a legal action of our own, the Forest Service conducted formal planning that predictably resulted in a decision to permanently close the system and "rehabilitate" most of the trails.