Red Hill Council Mission

Red Hill Council is a partnership with the Bureau of Land Management to plan, construct and manage trails that offer users a positive outdoor experience, balanced with protection of Red Hill through good stewardship, volunteerism and promotion of good user ethics.

This mission is supported by the following actions.

 Education.
 Advocacy for sustainable use of public land.
 Providing a forum for two-way communication receptive to various opinions.
 Managing use volume and addressing consequences thereof.
 Advocating civility by all users.
 Engaging in and playing a major role in trail and resource planning efforts.
 Designing, laying out and constructing new trails using volunteers, partners and other organizations.
 Working with BLM to monitor the resource and respond to negative impacts.
 Conducting periodic public workdays/evenings which address maintenance, construction, cleanup, drainage, signage and other needs.
 Work with BLM to ensure that Red Hill remains accessible to the public as a valued resource.
 Fund-raising to support the work of the Red Hill Council.
 Building a membership base to support the organization’s mission.

Our Trail Users

From Carbondale 85%

> 7 years of use 50%

Hiking 75%

Biking 25%

Brief History of Red Hill Council

In 1996, a group of local citizens met with representatives of the Town of Carbondale, BLM and area residents to discuss the existing and possible future uses of the 3,000 acres of public land immediately North of Carbondale, Colorado known as the Red Hill Area. This group evolved into what is now known as the Red Hill Council, a private nonprofit organization that works with BLM to plan, construct trails, manage and maintain the Red Hill Area. The Red Hill Council became a private nonprofit 501(c)(3) in 2000. The organization can have up to 11 members on its Board of Directors. Special skills are not required to serve on the Board other than a passion for trails and serving the community.

The collaboration between BLM and the Red Hill Council has resulted in the establishment of Red Hill as a Special Recreation Management Area (SRMA). The SRM a became effective at the stroke of midnight in 2000 (Y2K). This designation resulted in the following:

Establishment of the area under a non-motorized designation.
Winter closure of the North Side of Red Hill to bicycle use for wildlife protection.
Prohibition of surface occupancy for mineral extraction.
A restriction for bicycles to stay on designated routes.
Execution of a Memorandum of Understanding between BLM and the Red Hill Council.
Construction of approximately 19 miles of trails.

Current Board Members

Russell Criswell

At Large

Russell Criswell

I have been on the Red Hill Council for three years. After using the area for 40 years I decided to do more to help out. I started running Red Hill in the early 80s and when my knees finally wore out, I started hiking there several times a week. I think it is one of the most magical places in this valley full of magical spots.

Davis Farrar

Treasurer

Davis Farrar

Davis Farrar moved Carbondale in 1979 with his wife Cathie & raised a son and daughter here; both of whom live in Colorado. He is a partner with Western Slope Consulting, LLC a land planning and local government management consultancy. Davis is a founding member of the Red Hill Council and has been involved since 1995, currently serving as the treasurer. He has been involved intimately with trail design, construction and management on both Red Hill and Sutey Ranch for over 26 years. Davis is an advocate for responsible trails, whitewater use and outdoor recreation. He loves and cares for the Roaring Fork Valley, Western Colorado and all the wonderful things it has to offer.

Chris Brandt

President

Chris Brandt

Chris moved to the Roaring Fork Valley in 2009 (from Oregon) and fell in love with Red Hill on day three of living in Carbondale. After discovering a paradise filled with amazingly scenic and technically challenging trails, he was immediately hooked. Currently serving as the Red Hill Council president, Chris is a landscape architect, avid mountain biker, hiker, trail designer, and volunteer trail builder. He got involved with the Red Hill Council during his first year living here, realizing it was more effective to lend a hand rather than to complain about how the trails were being built and maintained by others. Since joining the Council in 2011, Chris has devoted many hours of his life contributing as a volunteer and steward and has an intimate familiarity with every square inch of soil and rock on Red Hill’s trails.

Mark Gatehouse

At Large

Mark Gatehouse

Mark is an experienced outdoorsman who is passionate about land stewardship and open space preservation. He believes that trails provide a path for people to appreciate the beauty and wonder of nature. Mark has observed the more time people spend in natural ecosystems, the more passionate they are about protecting the environment. He has extensive professional training in trail planning, design, building and maintenance with over 27 years of experience. As a board member and treasurer he established a 501 (c) 3, that has built and maintains 40 miles of natural surface public trails in North Carolina. When not leading a trail work crew, running a chainsaw or swinging a pickaxe, you’ll find Mark gardening, skiing, hiking, mountain biking, bike packing or riding a tandem bicycle with his wife Betsy.

Beth Krasemann

At Large

Beth Krasemann

Beth moved to Carbondale in summer of 2022 to teach history, coach cross country and skiing, and guide students on outdoor adventures at CRMS. As an avid trail runner, her first run in town was up Red Hill. She immediately fell in love with this network of trails and wants to do her part maintaining and protecting and promoting this amazing space.

Jeff Colt

At Large

Jeff Colt

In 2016 Jeff followed his sister Robin out to Carbondale from New Hampshire and jumped feet first into adventuring around the Roaring Fork Valley by foot, bike, and skis. He works in communications and design for ZipFit ski boot liners here in town and runs trail races competitively. Jeff stepped up to the Red Hill Council in 2022, wanting to give back to this slice of public land heaven after many hundreds of hours of using the trails. He will never tire of the view from mushroom rock and hopes that Wemagooah Kazuhchich (Sopris) keeps her spell cast over him.

Rebecca Hall

Secretary

Rebecca Hall

Becca and her husband (and their two cats) moved to Carbondale in Fall of 2022, after a 15 year hiatus from mountain living. An avid trail runner, the Red Hill trail system was the first area she ran in, and has become a weekly staple. Having been involved in trail work and stewardship in the past, she wanted to be involved in stewardship of the Red Hill Trails as a contribution to her new local trail community. She is currently a remote high school science teacher and proud cat mom.

Rob Morey

At Large

Rob Morey

Rob is a native Coloradoan and makes his home in Carbondale, Colorado, with his wife and two children. He works as an owner’s representative for residential and commercial construction projects in the Roaring Fork Valley. Rob works with owners and developers from start to finish. Outside of the office, he is an avid mountain biker and general lover of the great outdoors. Rob’s volunteer spirit had him spend more than two years planning and developing the first professionally built bike park in Garfield County, raising community interest, funds and municipal support.