Re-inventing the Wetherill Mesa experience was the subject of a public brainstorming session on Thursday night. The park is conducting an aggressive campaign to gather public comments as part of a planning process to redevelop the popular area in Mesa Verde National Park.

"This is part of the beginning, the true beginning, of a planning process. We have nothing down, we have no ideas solid. This is all to get input to develop ideas," said Mesa Verde Superintendent Larry Wiese.

Although the primary cliff dwellings such as Step House and Long House on Wetherill suffered only minor damage from the Pony Fire last August, the visitor facilities were destroyed. Since then, the park service has begun to rehabilitate the charred landscape, and hopes to see green grass and wildflowers sprouting this spring.

"But it will not come back like the oak brush did in Chapin 5," cautioned Patty Trap, Mesa Verde’s community planner.

Many in the small crowd that attended were either employed at Mesa Verde, members of the Mesa Verde Museum Association, or ARAMARK concessionaires.

The group discussed opening Wetherill during September and earlier in the spring to relieve some of the congestion in other areas of the park. Currently, only 10 percent of visitors to the park make their way to Wetherill — about 35,000 to 50,000 people.

"In my experience, there are so many visitors to the park who never even knew Wetherill existed," commented Judi Huseby, co-owner of A&A RV Park. Huseby urged park officials to take advantage of a new "marketing opportunity" and increase visitation to the area.

Other ideas included expanding the interpretive programs currently offered.

Wetherill is often described as a quieter experience for visitors annoyed by the crush of crowds at Chapin Mesa. It also includes many opportunities for roadside views of Shiprock and the San Juan Basin.

The environmental assessment the park is planning will consider a number of options for the mesa — particularly over what buildings to re-establish and develop. Currently in its beginning stages, the environmental assessment will include gathering public input, developing alternatives, and a process of public review for a preferred alternative.

The number of visitors likely to visit the park annually is 1.2 million over the next 10 to 20 years, officials estimated. Despite its 28 percent drop in visitation this summer, the park has in general enjoyed a 2 percent increase each year.

Wetherill Mesa will open on its normal schedule on Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day in 2001. The park plans to provide chemical toilets, temporary shade structures, and a repaired contact kiosk for visitors.

Rebuilding Wetherill is only one of many projects the park is beginning to work on. Locating a new museum, the Mesa Verde Cultural Center, at the base of the park should be a hot topic this spring. In addition, the idea of constructing a gondola in the park will be considered within the process of developing a new transportation plan. The first time a gondola was considered for the park was in 1969.

To submit comments on the Wetherill project call Patty Trap at 565-4465, or send written comments in care of: Superintendent, Mesa Verde National Park, P.O. Box 8, Mesa Verde, CO 81330, or e-mail to: meve_transportation@nps.gov.