2012-Morrow Mountain Trail Construction

Start Date-End Date: 09/22/2012-09/22/2012 Land Manager Office: Park County Historical Society Land Manager Contact: Douglas Stephens Funding Partner: Programmatic Partner: Summary: Help construct a new trail on Morrow Mountain in McGraw Memorial Park, home to local historic sites. Description: STEWARDSHIP SITE McGraw Memorial Park, home to Morrow Mountain, is also home to the first building built in Bailey, CO, the Entriken Cabin. Ute Chief Colorow was among the noted guests of Elizabeth Entriken. The park also contains the Keystone Railroad Bridge used by the Denver South Park and Pacific Railroad until 1937. Every year in June, the park is in the middle of the Bailey Day and Bailey Hundo (100 mile bike race) celebrations. At other times, you can find kayakers and rafters putting in at the park's kayak launch, fishermen trying their luck at the newly installed fish habitat on the North Fork of the South Platte River, hikers trekking the trails on Morrow Mountain, or picnickers enjoying the park's facilities. VOLUNTEER PROJECT - WHAT & WHY Volunteers will be helping to construct a trail on Morrow Mountain. The project will involve a moderate amount of rock work; we will construct walls, steps, and switchbacks. To get to the site, volunteers will walk distances ranging 1 to 2 miles at elevations around 9,000 ft with tools. The trail terrain has areas of steep mountainsides. PARTNERS Park County Historical Society OTHER FUN STUFF Meals: light breakfast; lunch Latitude/Longitude: 39.44820022583008, -105.46929931640625 Additional Information: Camping Available: No Physical Difficulty: Difficult High Altitude Project: Yes Desired Number of Volunteers: 60 Total Adult Volunteers Attended: 46 Total Youth Volunteers Attended: 1 Total Volunteer Days: 46 Total Unique Volunteers: 47 Total Volunteer Hours: 744 Staff Hours: 48 Stipend Hours: 0 Project Summary: Successes and Challenges: Lessons Learned: Special Notes: Stewardship Education: Crew leaders talked to volunteers about sustainable trail and design that makes a trail user friendly. Art talked a bit about the history of Bailey and Morrow Mountain. Key Concerns or Comments from Staff or Volunteers: Partners and leader volunteers interested in coming back to Morrow Mtn to complete more of the trail work. Description of Accidents/Incidents: One pinched finger by a volunteer who had his finger between a rock and the single jack hammer when he was swinging. Skin and bone didn't break. Applied ice and filled out accident/incident form. Description of Work Completed: On September 22, about 50 volunteers worked to improve about 1500 feet of trail on Morrow Mountain in Bailey. They installed 17 steps, built 4 switchbacks, about 45 feet of wall, 3 dips, and 1 drainage crossing. They widened and leveled the tread and improved drainage on large sections of trail. They also closed several social trails, totaling to about 150 ft. Volunteers enjoyed hot breakfast burritos cooked by volunteer Crew Chef Yvonne Garcia and Crew Chef Helper Michelle Hartmann, and everyone enjoyed t-shirts donated by County Historical Society and water bottles from GoLite. Food donations from Starbucks on Union Blvd south of Hwy 6, Raquelitas Tortillas, Nest Fresh Eggs, Einstein Bros. Bagels, Grant Family Farms, and Royal Crest. Funding for food provided by Park County Historical Society. Tool Manager Rosie, the first to arrive on the project site, saw a bear in the parking lot in the early morning. We had people of varying ages, families, and groups such as Happy Hikers and UC Denver Student Outreach assisting with the project. See post project evaluation in project folder.