Middle Bald tower site gets county focus

By Stephen Clearheart Johnson
North Forty News

Larimer county officials recently took steps to again focus attention on Middle Bald Mountain, southwest of Red Feather Lakes, as a site for a proposed radio communications tower.

The new tower would reportedly improve coverage in the mountainous terrain of western Larimer County for public safety agencies such as the sheriff's department and Colorado State Patrol.

In early November, county commissioners heard a report on tests conducted by a contractor simulating signals from both Middle Bald and South Bald Mountains. At that meeting, the commissioners authorized staff to proceed with cost estimates for various communication alternatives, which include a prior proposal to use only a string of radio repeaters up the Poudre Canyon.

At a work session held Nov. 17, the commissioners approved a staff request to reactivate an application to the U.S. Forest Service to place a public safety radio communication facility at the summit of Middle Bald Mountain. This will allow county staff and contractors to conduct the engineering studies necessary to project a cost for the project, including site analysis and road, power line and construction estimates.

The alternative of using South Bald Mountain is not being considered, according to Maj. Justin Smith of the Larimer County Sheriff's Office. No application to the Forest Service will be made to study that site because of the projected difficulties of locating in an inventoried roadless area, he said.

The alternative of using repeaters in the Poudre Canyon was previously determined by county staff to be prohibitively expensive. David Rowe, a communications specialist for the county, said they would review the data.

Smith noted that no additional county funds were requested at this time because there was money left over when the Forest Service application was suspended in mid-2008.

Some engineering studies cannot be conducted until the spring thaw. When costs can be projected, the county commissioners may then choose to move toward construction. This would require the Forest Service to reopen its analysis of the county's application and hold a new round of public comment.