Segment 12 Downfall Clearing - ENERGETIC VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

[Mags]

From the Colorado Trail Foundation


Friends of the CT,
Energetic Volunteers Needed June 30 & July 4 - You or Someone You Know - Join Us/Please Reply Now:
Colorado Trail Segment 12 near Frenchman Crk (NW of Buena Vista) is still knee deep in downfall and we could use your help on Saturday June 30^th and Wednesday July 4^th. We plan to strike out from the parking area at Lienhart mine at 9:30a.m. on both days. Our work day will consist of 3 to 4 miles of hiking and a boatload of hand sawing; we'll be 'at it' the better part of the day.
Directions:
Take Colorado Highway 24 to County Road 386 (located just north of Frenchman Creek). Drive west on CR386 and bear right on Forest Service Rd 387 which becomes the Wapaca Jeep Trail. Continue to the parking area just below the Lienhart Mine. Plan on a 30-45 minute drive from Hwy 24 to the parking and trailhead. Four wheel drive is recommended for the final mile or so of road. If you don't have a 4x4, park and walk or grab a ride with another volunteer. There should be empty seats coming up the hill.
Thanks in advance for your much needed help. I look forward to working with you. Steve.
Background:
In the Collegiate Peaks area, during winter/spring of 2012, winds over 100 miles per hour blew over huge numbers of trees. In Segment 12 of The Colorado Trail (between Clear Crk and North Cottonwood Crk) in the areas of Morrison Creek and Frenchman Creek, the blowdown was extraordinarily bad. Around 3/4ths of the trees had blown over in big portions of these creek valleys. Long timers said they'd never seen anything like this. Over 2 miles of The Colorado Trail lay beneath fallen trees and branches and the trail was considered impassible. You couldn't even tell where the trail was. This section of The Colorado Trail is in the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness Area where chainsaws are not allowed. Clearing the trail will require monumental, muscle-powered efforts. Work began on Saturday June 19th and dozens of CTF Adopter Volunteers began sawing limbs and smaller trees to make the trail corridor visible again. They made big progress, enough to consider THIS PART OF THE TRAIL AS PASSABLE AGAIN. But, around 120 trees remain across the trail. Hand saws are being used; the work is tiring but fun and gratifying. Please join us.
Steve Combs
Rivendell Properties Ltd
Steve Combs <steve@rivendellproperties.com>;
(phone number left out - PM )

*******

I'll be on the July 4th day if you want to know what day to AVOID.

[rastayogi]

Hope to be there on the 4th. Any idea if there will be some spare saws? Pay some homage to the trail before she blesses me for a month with her beauty. I may be a rebel, but I have a cause.

[Mags]

Awesome..doing trail work is hard work, but very satisfying. REAL trail magic.


First, e-mail Steve to sign up.
I'm sure you'll get more details.

Having said that...

If it is like most trail work projects that I've been on, the tools are provided. .. ,You'll want to bring a good sized day pack, probably carry about a gallon of water due to having to walk in and being on site (and with this heat wave!). Pack a lunch and the appropriate clothes that you would carry on a day hike. Boots, rather than trail runners, are usually suggested for trail work. Long pants as well for that matter. Be sure to bring a pair of work gloves.

I plan on being up there the night before rather than drive from Boulder in the morning. A night in the woods is always good! Depending where you are at in the Denver area and your schedule, I am willing to meet up and carpool. The Wooly Mammoth parking lot is where I've met up with Denver folks heading points west in the past.

[bearcreek]

I will be there at the trailhead the night of the 3rd. See you then.

[gram cracker]

HW 24 is closed due to the Waldo Canyon fire.

[Mags]

HW 24 is closed due to the Waldo Canyon fire.

Does the closure go up as far BV?

[gram cracker]

Does the closure go up as far BV?

Sorry, I should have checked before I made the first post.

http://www.cotrip.org/roadConditions...lert&id=143490

It seems like it's just between Colorado Springs and about Woodland Park.