Forgensi named Clear Creek District Ranger
IDAHO SPRINGS, Colo. (Jan. 15, 2025) – A new district ranger has taken the helm on the Arapaho National Forest’s Clear Creek Ranger District in Idaho Springs. Max Forgensi brings more than 20 years of experience in public lands management, having worked as an avalanche forecaster, a firefighter on a Hot Shot crew, and a ski area administrator.
“Max’s expertise in a wide range of topics will enhance our ongoing efforts on the Clear Creek Ranger District and complement the skills we have on the Forests and Grassland Leadership Team,” said acting Forest Supervisor Jason Sieg. “He will do a great job supporting our employees and taking care of these places that mean so much to so many. Please join me in welcoming him.”
Forgensi has spent the past decade working on National Forests in Colorado. He joins the Arapaho, Roosevelt and Pawnee from its neighbor to the south: the Pike-San Isabel National Forests, where he had served as the Lands and Special Uses Program Manager since 2021. Prior to that he was the Mountain Sports Administrator on the White River National Forest for seven years. He also spent time on the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest in Oregon and the Manti-La Sal National Forest in Utah. Before joining the Forest Service, Forgensi worked for Rocky Mountain National Park for nine years.
Forgensi has stepped into leadership roles on the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests more than once over the past five years, having helped with post-fire recovery planning following the devastating fires of 2020 and serving as the acting Clear Creek District Ranger in 2023. Forgensi also served his community for three years as a Leadville City Councilmember.
As district ranger, Forgensi will lead a staff of 20 resource specialists who help manage a wide range of public land management issues, from recreation to environmental planning. The Clear Creek Ranger District encompasses approximately 200,000 acres of National Forest land along the I-70 corridor, from the foothills to the Continental Divide, including eight campgrounds, multiple 14ers, popular off highway vehicle and mountain bike trails, two wilderness areas, numerous hiking trails, Mount Blue Sky Recreation Area, and Loveland Ski Area.
The Clear Creek Ranger District is part of the 1.5-million-acre Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland, which spans both sides of the Continental Divide in Northern Colorado from the Wyoming border south to Mount Blue Sky and Loveland Pass and west to Grand Lake and Winter Park. With nearly 8 million visitors annually, it is the third most visited National Forest unit in the nation.
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