120 million acres of public lands eligible for sale in SENR budget reconciliation package

[Scott P]

I'd respectfully disagree with the part about Europe not having wilderness (there are wilderness areas there more wild than anything Colorado has),

Where?

Norway, Sweden, and Finland. If you consider Iceland to be a part of Europe (Europe and Iceland certainly do), that too. I think people forget that Europe is more than just the Alps.

but I do agree that you can wander unmolested.

Much of Europe has freedom to roam laws where anyone can access private land.

Where?

Looking it up, Austria, Belarus, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Scotland, Sweden, Switzerland and the Czech Republic all have full laws where anyone can access private land. Many other countries have more limited laws for accessing private land. Private land isn't much of a problem anywhere in Europe I've been (minus Russia) since you aren't going to get shot by accessing it. I'd also add England and Wales to the list above since a lot of their national park and protected areas are private land, but it's no problem accessing it.

You can read about some of the Freedom to Roam laws here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_t ... 20exercise.

I ask Scott, because you may be treating "Europe" as a whole, which is very much a mistake. As is really considering comparing a State within a country with a collection of countries in a continent -- a continent that has a land mass 38x larger than Colorado.

Ironically, the first part of my post was to avoid Europe being treated as a whole since it was said "Europe doesn't really have "wilderness,""

If you want somewhat of an apples to apples comparison, Sweden is 1.7 the size of Colorado, but is considered to be 90% wilderness with about 70% protected wilderness. Norway is 1.2 times the size of Colorado (which is pretty similar) and most of it is wilderness. Finland is also about 1.3 times the size of Colorado and has a lot of wilderness. Colorado is actually 2.6 times bigger than Iceland, but the vast majority of Iceland is wilderness.

Outside Scandinavia and Eastern Europe though, there isn't much wilderness. The Alps are very developed compared to the Rocky Mountains, even in Colorado. I avoided going to the Alps for so long because of this reason (no real wilderness), figuring that I'd save it until I was old. I've been a few times since, but now I am old so have an excuse.

I guess the above are all entirely different topics than the thread though and I don't want to derail the thread.

[justiner]

If you want somewhat of an apples to apples comparison, Sweden is 1.7 the size of Colorado, but is considered to be 90% wilderness with about 70% protected wilderness. Norway is 1.2 times the size of Colorado (which is pretty similar) and most of it is wilderness. Finland is also about 1.3 times the size of Colorado and has a lot of wilderness. Colorado is actually 2.6 times bigger than Iceland, but the vast majority of Iceland is wilderness.

I think Sweden, the Nordic countries are more akin to Alaska, and not Colorado (latitude, population, environment, economics -- though certainly not politics!).

I've traveled for months in Europe sleeping wherever, but "wherever" isn't some lush Wilderness, it's a thicket outside of town, or tucked stealthily at some farm. Europe has so much degraded land, a coupla world wars will do that. Old Growth forests? No. I can get an espresso a few KMs from the summit of Mount Blanc if I wanted to.

And you're right: we have "Make My Day" laws, not "Right to Roam" and we're not going to get Right to Roam because of the private interests of the land owners-- which is all the reason we can't let the sale of public lands go through. It's more Cielo Vista's, more Mt. Bross's and more Trinchera Blanca's at best.

[catfish hank]

Let your voice be heard.

https://www.rei.com/action/network/campaign/no-selloff

[cedica]

Old Growth forests? No.

Man, you gotta steer clear of Western Europe next time, for your health benefit and spiritual growth, and any other growth.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peru%C4%87ica
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bia%C5%82 ... BCa_Forest
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKw0OCgPV3s

But Scott is right, this stuff deserves separate thread. Let the outrage erupt here freely. Stop the Steal!

[rmcpherson]

I hope that there are enough entrenched interests opposing this that it will not become law, but the fact that it has come this far already is astounding.

If any version of this passes, it's time for us to exercise our moral right to mass trespass on any of our land that is sold like those in England almost a century ago.

[AnnaG22]

Let's all chip in, buy the Rockies, secede from the union. We could create a paradise.

Seriously, call your representatives. Vote in the mid terms.

I have almost no moneys right now, but I like this notion. lol

[AnnaG22]

Re this thread, yes this is 14ers dotcom, but there are tons of skiers and boarders in this community. CO lands on the chopping block include significant portions of Arapahoe Basin, Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands, Buttermilk, Crested Butte and more ski areas around the state, not even getting into popular backcountry areas. Even protected wilderness areas have adjacent acreage on this list, which could restrict access. Even if the new owners allowed access, high likelihood of skyrocketing inequitability after we've finally been chipping away at that issue in the last decade or so.
However you feel about Culebra, there is ZERO guarantee that new landowners of the spaces included in this bill would follow a stewardship/quasi-conservation operations model.

I don't care what political party you identify with (if any). If this bill becomes law, it is a nightmare scenario for conservation, recreation, ecosystem health, the list goes on.

[nyker]

Let's hope this Bill doesn't include anywhere near what it is purported to include and is more smoke than fire.
This has the potential to be bad news.

[dwoodward13]

Let's hope this Bill doesn't include anywhere near what it is purported to include and is more smoke than fire.
This has the potential to be bad news.

I mean you can read it for yourself starts on page 30. It’s not purported, it’s all right there.

https://www.energy.senate.gov/services ... 61A4F18096

[ktbrennan200]

14.4 million acres of Colorado USFS & BLM land at risk. Tell Congress OUR MOUNTAINS ARE NOT FOR SALE. Rally atop Hoosier Pass, 12:30 pm, Sat., June 28th. You can organize your own for any visible spot on USFS land.

[rmattas]

what a nightmare. the rich will get it all, block access to adjacent land, and laugh all the way to the bank. heck, if this map is right, you can buy mt. crested butte, gothic, snodgrass, you name it. little Trump Towers everywhere...someone wake me up when this nightmare is over.

[Wentzl]

Has anyone read the amendment to the BBB that would facilitate sale of public land proposed by Mike Lee? I have not.

But I did listen to him speak about the proposal and why it is not the disaster described so uniformly here. I don't have a link to the interview, but this article hits on the main points:

https://reason.com/2025/06/20/the-feder ... mmunities/

I don't have an opinion yet about whether I support or oppose the amendment yet, but it does seem an idea worth discussing, rather than denigrating.