Mags
06-08-2009, 13:43
The weekend started off well on June 6th for National Trails Day. As I like to joke (maybe?), I grew up as a working-class Catholic. I feel guilty easily and it does not feel like work to me unless my muscles ache, I am sweating and there is some possibility of hurting myself. ;)
So, for this individual, what better way to give back to the trails and assuaging my guilt than on National Trails Day. I like to volunteer throughout the year, but working on NTD seems very appropriate.
The project was restoring/closing an old trail section that is quite worn and making new tread at the popular Heil Valley Ranch here in the Boulder area.
The project was done under the auspices of the Boulder Open Space/Mountain Parks organization with the help of a local mountain bike group: The Boulder Mountain Bike Alliance. All the trail crew leaders were BMA folks. I kiddingly call them "evil" because so many people in the hiking community do. :) At the end of the day, we all love to be outside (and enjoy the free beer at the end!). It is better to work together than against each other. I was joined on the project by my good friends D-low and Theresa.
To make a long story short, 9 inches of moisture fell in April/May in the Boudler area. That is A LOT for the thin soil. The area where we worked was a mud bog! It honestly was the most difficult stretch of the entire project.
At the end of the day, about 80% of the work was complete. The paid trail crew boss (who was overseeing the overall work for the entire project) , was quite pleased and hoped to come back today (Monday) to finish it off. Of course, it may rain today as well. :o
http://www.pmags.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=20515&g2_serialNumber=2&g2_GALLERYSID=131bca1c68e35a51feeb384ce3769b69
GET MUDDY!!!!
At the end of the day, all the hippie hikers and all the evil mountain bikers (with a sprinkling with even more evil horse people) all enjoyed being outside, giving back and enjoying the free beer and BBQ provided by Oskar Blues.
I am not so guilty that I can't enjoy hiking the following day, though. :)
My friends and I originally planned to do a fairly gentle lollipop hike of 7 miles/1300' gain. (http://www.protrails.com/trail.php?trailID=221)However, we were all in good shape so we decided to take on some bonus mileage and go to Timber Line Pass at ~11400'.
To make this rambling shorter, we climbed to just below the pass (in an area called Windy Gulch!), and turned around due to fierce winds and snow. In June.
The rest of the loop was completed in a mixture of sun, snow, rain and graupel.
The best part wa an open meadow with a view to Longs Peak framed by apsen. I am thinking this would make a great Fall hike!
http://www.pmags.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=20539&g2_serialNumber=2&g2_GALLERYSID=131bca1c68e35a51feeb384ce3769b69
A nice hike to end the weekend.
All the photos (http://www.pmags.com/joomla/index.php/component/option,com_gallery2/Itemid,36/?g2_view=core.ShowItem&g2_itemId=20516)
So, for this individual, what better way to give back to the trails and assuaging my guilt than on National Trails Day. I like to volunteer throughout the year, but working on NTD seems very appropriate.
The project was restoring/closing an old trail section that is quite worn and making new tread at the popular Heil Valley Ranch here in the Boulder area.
The project was done under the auspices of the Boulder Open Space/Mountain Parks organization with the help of a local mountain bike group: The Boulder Mountain Bike Alliance. All the trail crew leaders were BMA folks. I kiddingly call them "evil" because so many people in the hiking community do. :) At the end of the day, we all love to be outside (and enjoy the free beer at the end!). It is better to work together than against each other. I was joined on the project by my good friends D-low and Theresa.
To make a long story short, 9 inches of moisture fell in April/May in the Boudler area. That is A LOT for the thin soil. The area where we worked was a mud bog! It honestly was the most difficult stretch of the entire project.
At the end of the day, about 80% of the work was complete. The paid trail crew boss (who was overseeing the overall work for the entire project) , was quite pleased and hoped to come back today (Monday) to finish it off. Of course, it may rain today as well. :o
http://www.pmags.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=20515&g2_serialNumber=2&g2_GALLERYSID=131bca1c68e35a51feeb384ce3769b69
GET MUDDY!!!!
At the end of the day, all the hippie hikers and all the evil mountain bikers (with a sprinkling with even more evil horse people) all enjoyed being outside, giving back and enjoying the free beer and BBQ provided by Oskar Blues.
I am not so guilty that I can't enjoy hiking the following day, though. :)
My friends and I originally planned to do a fairly gentle lollipop hike of 7 miles/1300' gain. (http://www.protrails.com/trail.php?trailID=221)However, we were all in good shape so we decided to take on some bonus mileage and go to Timber Line Pass at ~11400'.
To make this rambling shorter, we climbed to just below the pass (in an area called Windy Gulch!), and turned around due to fierce winds and snow. In June.
The rest of the loop was completed in a mixture of sun, snow, rain and graupel.
The best part wa an open meadow with a view to Longs Peak framed by apsen. I am thinking this would make a great Fall hike!
http://www.pmags.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=20539&g2_serialNumber=2&g2_GALLERYSID=131bca1c68e35a51feeb384ce3769b69
A nice hike to end the weekend.
All the photos (http://www.pmags.com/joomla/index.php/component/option,com_gallery2/Itemid,36/?g2_view=core.ShowItem&g2_itemId=20516)