2014-West Fork Fire & Trail Restoration - 7/19/2014

Start Date-End Date: 07/19/2014-07/20/2014 Land Manager Office: USFS - Rio Grande National Forest Land Manager Contact: Funding Partner: San Luis Valley Great Outdoors - SLVGO Programmatic Partner: RWEACT Rio Grande Watershed Emergency Action Cordination Team Summary: Join in the effort to restore areas of the Rio Grande National Forest after the devastating 2013 West Fork Complex Fire. Description: STEWARDSHIP SITE On June 5, 2013, a lightning strike on USDA Forest Service lands northeast of Pagosa Springs ignited the "West Fork Fire." Over the course of the next several days two more fires ignited conflating into what is now called the "West Fork Complex Fire." As of Friday, July 12, 2013, the West Fork Complex Fire had burned 109,500 acres, more than 90,000 acres of which was Rio Grande National Forest land. More information about the West Fork Complex can be found on our partner's website atwww.rweact.org. VOLUNTEER PROJECT - WHAT & WHY The fires impacted several developed recreation sites on the Rio Grande National Forest including over 36 miles of motorized and non-motorized trails. Restoration work will focus on improving drainage, building erosion control structures, and clearing out blown down debris. Trained leaders will work with volunteers to improve the existing drainage structures, as well as build new structures where needed. The level of difficulty will vary and tasks will be available for most levels of physical ability. PARTNERS & SPONSORS USFS- Rio Grande National Forest Rio Grande Watershed Emergency Action Coordination Team (RWEACT) San Luis Valley Great Outdoors Xcel Energy REI ?Lockheed Martin The Boeing Company Oracle The Anschutz Foundation National Forest Foundation Roundup Riders Foundation Helen K. and Arthur E. Johnson Foundation John G. Duncan Charitable Trust Clif Bar & Company OTHER FUN STUFF Camping: Free camping will be available Friday and Saturday night. Meals: Meals will be provided Saturday breakfast through Sunday lunch. Latitude/Longitude: 37.560315, -106.799284 Additional Information: Camping Available: Yes Physical Difficulty: Easy, Moderate, Difficult High Altitude Project: Yes Desired Number of Volunteers: 55 Total Adult Volunteers Attended: 24 Total Youth Volunteers Attended: 2 Total Volunteer Days: 26 Total Unique Volunteers: 15 Total Volunteer Hours: 336 Staff Hours: 151 Stipend Hours: 0 Project Summary: Successes and Challenges: Lessons Learned: Special Notes: Stewardship Education: Mike Blakeman with the Rio Grande National Forest provided an evening presentation on the West Fork and Million Fires. Key Concerns or Comments from Staff or Volunteers: 13 no shows, and 23 other cancelations Description of Accidents/Incidents: Description of Work Completed: 12 Volunteers continued where VOC left off in June on the Lake Fork Trail that was effected by the West Fork Fire in 2013. This dedicated group of hard working volunteers worked on a difficult to reach section of the trail clearing blow down, stabilizing tread, and fortifying stream crossings to with stand increased run off. These projects were located in a burned over portion of the trail that is most likely to be effected by flash floods and destructive water flow. All in all VOC cut out 7 large trees, rebuilt 300 feet of trail, removed an additional 200 feet of berm, installed 15 drain dips, built 2 large cairns, one check step and 10 feet of a 3 tiered rock wall to stabilize a creek crossing.