Biden to visit Colorado Wednesday, designate Camp Hale a national monument

When Camp Hale is designated, it will become the first national monument designated by the Biden administration.

LEADVILLE, Colo. — President Joe Biden will visit Colorado Wednesday to designate Camp Hale a national monument, 9NEWS has confirmed from multiple sources familiar with the matter.

Sources familiar with the matter said that Tenmile Range could be included in the designation.

When Camp Hale is designated, it will become the first national monument designated by the Biden administration.

The Continental Divide Trail Coalition celebrates the hard work from Senators Bennet, Hickenlooper and Congressman Neguse to permanently protect Camp Hale and a significant portion of the Continental Divide Trail,” Luke Fisher, trail policy manager at the Continental Divide Trail Coalition (CDTC), said in August.

Included in the proposed national monument designation are the Camp Hale National Historic Site and the surrounding natural landscape, including the Tenmile Range and a 28-mile section of the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (CDT).

The Antiquities Act, which the Biden administration will use to designate this monument, has been used more than 150 times throughout the history of the United States to establish and expand national monuments to conserve natural landscapes and enhance the cultural heritage of historically significant spaces. 

Camp Hale and the Continental Divide landscape are one of four landscapes identified for protection in the Colorado Outdoor Recreation Economy Act, a piece of legislation that is the result of over a decade of collaboration with Colorado stakeholders.

During World War II, Camp Hale was a center for mountain and winter warfare training, including more than 1,000 buildings within the valley, and was the base of operations for the 10th Mountain Division’s training.

At the time of operation in the 1940s, Camp Hale was segregated, as were all contemporary U.S. military operations. Recognizing that this landscape holds a history of exclusion, stakeholders and partners are excited for a management plan that recognizes this historical context and plans for a more inclusive, collaborative landscape and experience in the future.

“I think a lot of people in Colorado and beyond maybe aren’t familiar with what an important role it played not only in Colorado’s history but in American history and world history,” said Jason Hanson, the chief creative officer for History Colorado.

At the History Colorado Center, a part of one exhibit displays the “winter white” uniforms that soldiers at Camp Hale wore to camouflage themselves in the snow.

“We feel very lucky to be the stewards of this amazing piece of Colorado history,” said Hanson. “I hope that Camp Hale – this designation – gives us that opportunity to really think about them and honor that sacrifice and that commitment that they made.”

In addition to the historic landscape, the national monument will also protect surrounding natural resources along the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (CDT), including in the Tenmile Range. This section of the 3,100-mile trail that spans from Mexico to Canada acts as a primary habitat and connective corridor for wildlife, as well as a continuous footpath for recreationists and others hoping to explore the scenic ridgeline trail between Leadville and Breckenridge.

The preservation of public lands, and this designation in general, was important to groups like the Center for Western Priorities.

“We’ve really focused on protection of public lands in Camp Hale in particular,” said the group’s executive director, Jennifer Rokala. “It’s a great day for Colorado.”

Not only does Rokala believe it’s a way to honor veterans, but she also believes the designation will leave lasting environmental impacts as well. 

“Public lands are an important part of the climate solution,” she said. “And we’ve seen wildlife impacted, communities impacted. And the more public lands we have that are protected, there are opportunities for outdoor recreation.”

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