2014-Mike O'Brien Memorial Project: Mt. Crested Butte Summit Trail Restoration

Start Date-End Date: 09/06/2014-09/07/2014 Land Manager Office: USFS - Gunnison Ranger District Land Manager Contact: Tambi Gustafson Funding Partner: Mike O'Brien Memorial Trail Fund Programmatic Partner: Crested Butte Mountain Resort, High Country Conservation Advocates Summary: Come help with the restoration of Gunnison County's iconic Mt. Crested Butte Summit Trail. Description: STEWARDSHIP SITE Mt. Crested Butte (12,168 ft) towers over the historic town of Crested Butte and its world-renowned ski area. Due to its central location and stunning vistas, the Mt. Crested Butte Summit Trail, which begins at thetop of the Silver Queen Lift,may well be the busiest trail in the Gunnison Ranger District. VOLUNTEER PROJECT - WHAT & WHY The popularity of this trail has had its effect, making it necessary to restore the half-mile trail to ensure its sustainability for future users. The restoration will also allow long term plans to add interpretative signs along the trail.Along the first half of the trail, volunteers will be rebuilding several wood steps and re-benching the tread. The last half of the trail has several steep sections that have led to significant erosion issues. Volunteers will restore damaged trail sections by adding rock check dams and rock steps. Some restoration work along the alpine areas of the trail will also be completed. A chairlift ride will take volunteers to within a quarter mile of the beginning of the trail project. PARTNERS & SPONSORS U.S. Forest Service- Gunnison Ranger District Mike O'Brien Memorial Fund Xcel Energy REI ?Lockheed Martin High Country Conservation Advocates The Boeing Company Oracle Crested Butte Mountain Resort Clif Bar & Company National Forest Foundation Helen K. and Arthur E. Johnson Foundation OTHER FUN STUFF Camping: Free camping available on Friday and Saturday night. Meals: Meals will be provided from Saturday morning through Sunday afternoon. Latitude/Longitude: 38.883321, -106.943556 Additional Information: Camping Available: Yes Physical Difficulty: Difficult High Altitude Project: Yes Desired Number of Volunteers: 50 Total Adult Volunteers Attended: 85 Total Youth Volunteers Attended: 0 Total Volunteer Days: 85 Total Unique Volunteers: 46 Total Volunteer Hours: 1003 Staff Hours: 45 Stipend Hours: 0 Project Summary: On the weekend of September 6-7, 46 volunteers came out to the Town of Mt. Crested Butte to re-route, and re-veg trail on the iconic Mt. Crested Butte peak. Volunteers worked hard to build rock steps and walls, build turnpike, construct drainages, close and re-vegetate trail, re-route a significant portion of trial, and perform trail maintenance. Each day started with a chairlift ride (provided by Crested Butte Mountain Resort) to the start of the trail. The campsite was a beautiful spot owned by the Town of Mt. Crested Butte, that really worked out perfectly. There was a spot for campfires, which the volunteers enjoyed both nights, and each volunteer had their own tent pad. There was easy parking for volunteers, and a great spot for kitchen tent. Sue Navy, a CB local volunteer, got a keg donation from a local brewery, and the ski resort donated some ski passes as giveaways. The USFS also had some fun giveaways. Weather was perfect, and all the volunteers talked about back next year if there is a project in the same location. Successes and Challenges: Bud Light's "Whatever USA" event was being held in Crested Butte. We anticipated more problems than it actually caused. We were camping just outside of the Town of Mt. Crested Butte, which is where the ski resort is, and were nicely removed from all the craziness. However, no one could go into downtown Crested Butte, which was a little disappointing. Luckily, this event will not be here in 2015. Lessons Learned: People from the Front Range really love going to Crested Butte, so this will be a highly sought after project for years to come, so continue relationship with Gunnison Ranger District. Special Notes: Stewardship Education: Rick Reavis, president of the Crested Butte Wildflower Festival Board, volunteered on the project both days. He brought several wildflower identification pamphlets with him, and gave a short presentation on the native flowers that Crested Butte is famous for, as well as pointed them out on the trail for volunteers. Key Concerns or Comments from Staff or Volunteers: Carl Quist (a CL) had a complete meltdown after Dave Gebhardt (the TA) told him to switch some things around. It was very awkward for his crew, and extremely rude and inappropriate. I was on hand to talk to Carl and make the air light with his team again. I then spoke privately with Dave. Carl apologized later, but definitely something to keep in mind when filling projects next year. Description of Accidents/Incidents: Description of Work Completed: On Sept. 6-7, 2014, a group of 50 volunteers and US Forest Service staff came out to Mt. Crested Butte to improve existing trail, and build a re-route.