National Rainbow Incident Management Team Public Information Officer Hilary Markin reported that U.S. Forest Service law enforcement officers have issued 91 enforcement actions through Monday, June 27, to attendees at the 50^th anniversary Rainbow Gathering in Adams Park in north Routt County.

Markin said the enforcement actions covered such issues as damages to natural resources, inoperable equipment, narcotics possession or distribution, aggravated assault on a peace officer, felon in possession of a firearm, and resisting or evading an officer.

“A lot of it ends up being under investigation, and I cannot release additional information,” Markin said Tuesday of the enforcement actions.

“Most of our interactions with (Rainbow) Family members have been educational in nature and did not result in enforcement action being taken,” Markin noted. “It’s been relatively quiet.”

Routt County Undersheriff Doug Scherar said two individuals at the Rainbow Gathering were arrested Sunday, June 26, upon contact with sheriff’s deputies following traffic enforcement issues. The men, both in their 30s, were found to have outstanding minor warrants from outside Routt County, Scherar said.

During the 2021 national Rainbow Gathering that took place about a half hour south of Taos in the Carson National Forest and attracted 7,000 participants, officials issued 600 enforcement actions including arrests, tickets, written warnings and incident reports documenting a situation, Markin said.

Markin said the total costs associated with the 2021 National Rainbow Incident Management Team were approximately $535,000 including law enforcement and Forest Service administrative costs.

Attendance at the Rainbow Gathering in Adams Park was estimated at 2,500 as of Monday, June 27.

“We’ll see numbers increase throughout this week with the culmination on Fourth of July,” Markin said.