Description
Start Date-End Date: 09/12/2013-09/15/2013
Land Manager Office: Colorado Fourteeners Initiative
Land Manager Contact: Coby Gierke
Funding Partner:
Programmatic Partner:
Summary: Immerse yourself in the world-famous Maroon Bells landscape as you help restore the North Maroon Peak Trail.
Description:
STEWARDSHIP SITE
Please note that we need volunteers to sign up for ALL four days of the project due to logistical issues!!
Reputed to be the most-photographed spot in Colorado, the Maroon Bells, located just ten miles west of the world-renowned ski town of Aspen, have every right to be the most-photographed spot in Colorado. Aptly named for their unique maroon coloring and bell-like shape, these beloved mountains tower over the lush Maroon Creek Valley and the placid mirror of Maroon Lake, creating a vista so stunning it draws visitors from around the globe.
VOLUNTEER PROJECT - WHAT & WHY
Volunteers will be working on the North Maroon Peak Trail, which in some places is merely a series of social trails and in others has suffered severe erosion damage. Once improved, the trail will be both safer for its countless visitors and ecologically healthier. Volunteers will construct trail where only sporadic social trails now exist and build rock steps where necessary. Volunteers will also build retaining walls and other erosion control structures to prevent further degradation to the trail. Volunteers will also be replanting eroded areas to restore the damaged habitat.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
If you are under the age of 18 but older than 14 and wish to participate in this project, you must be accompanied by a parent or guardian for the duration of the project. Thursday will be an arrival day to help set up camp. The hike to base camp is approximately 2.5 miles with 1,500 ft in elevation change. From there it is another 0.5 to 1.5 miles of significant hiking to reach the worksite. Volunteers will need to bring all their personal backcountry camping gear. Volunteers will also be expected to carry some portion of the food (provided by VOC) into base camp from the trailhead (kitchen equipment will be provided).
PARTNERS
Colorado Fourteeners Initiative (CFI)
SPONSORS
National Forest Foundation
Which Wich Superior Sandwiches
OTHER FUN STUFF
Meals: meals will be provided beginning with Thursday evening dinner through Sunday lunch.
Camping: Free camping available.
Activities: For those unfamiliar with technical rockwork, there will be opportunities to learn these new skills. Volunteers will also learn about alpine ecology and botany as well as transplanting techniques while working to re-vegetate eroded areas.
Latitude/Longitude: 39.070823, -106.989212
Additional Information:
Camping Available: Yes
Physical Difficulty: Difficult
High Altitude Project: Yes
Desired Number of Volunteers: 12
Total Adult Volunteers Attended: 40
Total Youth Volunteers Attended: 0
Total Volunteer Days: 40
Total Unique Volunteers: 10
Total Volunteer Hours: 340
Staff Hours: 75
Stipend Hours: 0
Project Summary:
Successes and Challenges:
Lessons Learned:
Special Notes:
Stewardship Education:
CFI employee Peter Reber explained to volunteers why we were working on certain sections of the trail and explained how our work would help speed up the regrowth process in the high alpine area. Peter also had a discussion with volunteers about sustainable trail and the importance of installing rock steps to help mitigate erosion on the trail.
Key Concerns or Comments from Staff or Volunteers:
The project went very smooth, we had a good volunteer turn out and we completed all of the work outlined by CFI. Peter commented that he was happy to see VOC on the schedule because he knew we would get all of the work done for the weekend. This was our second project this season on N Maroon peak, returning to a location for a second time in the same season makes logistical information a lot easier to figure out and provides so familiarity for the project manager. This project was also staffed with a VOC crew chef and this made the project much easier to manage.
Description of Accidents/Incidents:
Description of Work Completed:
September 12th, 12 volunteers came out to volunteers on a 4 day restoration and trail improvement project on N Maroon Peak outside of Aspen. After dividing up food and supplies the group of 12 volunteers where led on a 2.5 mile hike to base camp which was nestled right below tree line. After the hike in volunteers set up camp and hiked an additional mile to the work site. Over the next 4 days volunteers hiked from base camp to the worksite to install rock steps, and perform some high elevation restoration to cover the old trail. Throughout the project volunteers got to know one another and developed some great camaraderie. On Sunday morning the group took a hike to the top of Buckskin Pass. This was a fun hike the volunteers decided to do and demonstrated the group's enjoyment of each other. This project was the last N Maroon Peak project of the season and volunteers were able to complete all of their tasks which rounded out the season and completed CFI's season goals.
Details
| 14 and older |
