2013-Resthouse Meadows Trail Bridge Replacement

Start Date-End Date: 07/06/2013-07/06/2013 Land Manager Office: USFS - Clear Creek Ranger District Land Manager Contact: Ralph Bradt Funding Partner: Programmatic Partner: Summary: NOTE: Registration for this project is full. If you register, you will be placed on a wait list. Help VOC continue its outdoor stewardship work in the picturesque Mt Evans Wilderness area by helping to replace a bridge along the popular Resthouse Meadows Trail. Description: NOTE: Registration for this project is full. If you register, you will be placed on a wait list. STEWARDSHIP SITE Mt. Evans Wilderness offers glacier-carved landscapes with steep, rock walled glacial basins (cirques) containing alpine lakes and ridges of glacial deposits (moraines) left behind as the ice receded. The Wilderness area contains large areas of alpine tundra above treeline, as well as small regions of arctic tundra, which are rare south of the Artic Circle. Unlike typical Colorado alpine tundra which is dry and brittle once the snow recedes, arctic tundra holds numerous small pools of water. Ancient 2,000-year old bristlecone pines, bighorn sheep and mountain goats are common sights in the area. VOLUNTEER PROJECT - WHAT & WHY Be a part of an ongoing effort as volunteers continue to maintain the trail system in the Mt. Evans Wilderness. Volunteers will hike in approximately four miles to the worksite. The increasing popularity of this area requires ongoing maintenance and this year VOC will be replacing a bridge along the popular Resthouse Meadowstrail. We will use materials on site (like felled trees) that will be cut to size and placed over the creek to replace an old bridge. Be a part of an ongoing small group of dedicated volunteers and sign up for this rewarding project! SPONSORS USFS -- Clear Creek Ranger District National Forest Foundation Latitude/Longitude: 39.7397271, -105.5216469 Additional Information: Camping Available: Yes Physical Difficulty: Difficult High Altitude Project: Yes Desired Number of Volunteers: 14 Total Adult Volunteers Attended: 12 Total Youth Volunteers Attended: 0 Total Volunteer Days: 12 Total Unique Volunteers: 12 Total Volunteer Hours: 186 Staff Hours: 2.5 Stipend Hours: 0 Project Summary: Successes and Challenges: Lessons Learned: Special Notes: Stewardship Education: Key Concerns or Comments from Staff or Volunteers: This was originally a 3-day project with 10 volunteers for each day (July 5-7). The USFS pack string fell through at the last minute and we were not able to get a replacement pack string. Steve West (in conjunction with the land manager) recommended we change this to a single-day project, which was approved by Dean. So, we bumped numbers up to 14 (since folks would work in groups), and changed this to a single day project (July 6). We were able to recruit at 100 % with a waitlist. Ultimately, we had 2 no shows. The project went well, with all the work being accomplished successfully. Description of Accidents/Incidents: Work was completed as planned even though the originally planned 3-day project was changed to a single day project. See below. One volunteer (Marc Genty) made it to the trailhead but was not fit enough to hike to the project area and work on the project. He was escorted back and did not work on the project. Description of Work Completed: 12 volunteers hiked four miles into the Mt. Evans Wilderness to replace a deteriorating bridge. Volunteers used on-site materials to construct a bridge along the popular Resthouse Meadows Trail. After a long day of heavy lifting, volunteers completed a beautiful and sustainable new bridge.