2011-Mount Yale Trail Restoration

Start Date-End Date: 06/16/2011-06/19/2011 Land Manager Office: Land Manager Contact: Funding Partner: Programmatic Partner: Summary: Commute to work on one of Colorado's 14ers! Description: THIS PROJECT IS FULL Join VOC and the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative this summer as we return to Mt. Yale to enjoy an amazing commute to work on this popular peak. Volunteers will be working above tree line at nearly 11,500 feet to re-vegetate and close off sections of the old route to the summit. This section of the Mt Yale trail has been rapidly degrading for several years; the trail has been eroding deeper and wider, and is depositing heavy loads of sediment onto off-trail vegetation, smothering and destroying it. The process of restoration ecology (completed by VOC volunteers!) will stop soil erosion and get vegetation growing again to prevent further negative impacts to the alpine tundra. As a designated national wilderness area, strict group size limits allow VOC to register only 12 volunteers on this special project. You will be camping in a designated back country base camp and treated to energizing meals. This project requires a 1.5 mile hike in to the campsite with supplies. You will be working at high altitude to build rock structures, reroute sections of damaged trail, and complete alpine restoration on the fragile alpine landscape. This 4-day project is a great way to make a difference in Colorado this summer and enjoy a spectacular backcountry setting with great people! Camping is provided Thursday night through Sunday afternoon. Meals are provided beginning with Thursday morning breakfast and ending with Sunday lunch. Latitude/Longitude: 38.8422178, -106.1311288 Additional Information: Need to ensure that volunteers that sign up for this are contacted as soon as possible due to limited size of project to ensure full volunteer participation from waitlist. Due to difficulty of work, a project orientation has been held 10 days before the project to reiterate the hike in, the nature of the work, etc. Staff served as crew chef. Camping Available: Physical Difficulty: Difficult High Altitude Project: Desired Number of Volunteers: 12 Total Adult Volunteers Attended: 10 Total Youth Volunteers Attended: 0 Total Volunteer Days: 10 Total Unique Volunteers: 10 Total Volunteer Hours: 428 Staff Hours: 0 Stipend Hours: 0 Project Summary: Successes and Challenges: Lessons Learned: Special Notes: Stewardship Education: Key Concerns or Comments from Staff or Volunteers: Need to ensure that volunteers that sign up for this are contacted as soon as possible due to limited size of project to ensure full volunteer participation from waitlist. Due to difficulty of work, a project orientation has been held 10 days before the project to reiterate the hike in, the nature of the work, etc. Staff served as crew chef. Description of Accidents/Incidents: Description of Work Completed: Nine hardworking volunteers spent June 16-19 with VOC and the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative (CFI) restoring the trail on Mt. Yale. Despite snow levels keeping them from the original worksite, volunteers found plenty of ways to help the trail; they created 6 rock walls, 10 rock steps, 2 water bars, transplanted 14 plugs, maintained 500 feet of trail, and helped CFI set up basecamp with the Forest Service Pack Team! Volunteers completed fantastic rock work, ate good food, and had amazing work views. Thanks to everyone who spent a great 4 days with us giving Mt. Yale some much needed TLC.