2015-Mike O'Brien Memorial Project: Penitente Canyon Trail Construction

Start Date-End Date: 05/02/2015-05/03/2015 Land Manager Office: BLM - San Luis Valley Land Manager Contact: Sean Noonan Funding Partner: San Luis Valley Great Outdoors - SLVGO, Mike O'Brien Memorial Trail Fund Programmatic Partner: Summary: Help build a sustainable trail in the Penitente Canyon Area, known for its rich geological, historical and cultural heritage. Description: ABOUT THE STEWARDSHIP SITE Located in the San Luis Valley near Monte Vista, the Penitente Canyon Recreation Area offers a diverse array of recreational opportunities with an exceptional and historically significant backdrop. Despite being tucked away and off the beaten path, the area has been a unique, yet world-class rock climbing destination for decades and the Bureau of Land Management has recently made many improvements to the area trail system that will host an inaugural 12-hour mountain bike race in 2015. Evidence of Penitente's rich history is recorded in its Native American rock art, Spanish murals, and wagon tracks forever etched into the bedrock. ABOUT THE VOLUNTEER WORK Several sections of this popular trail system have been severely damaged by consecutive years of intense monsoon cycles, completely decimating the trail in some places. This has resulted in the formation of unofficial, user-created reroutes which may potentially cause severe erosion and other types of resource damage, including damage to historical and cultural resources. Volunteers will implement several different practices to make changes that both improve the quality of the user experience and preserve the unique resources of the Penitente Canyon Recreation Area. Volunteers will construct intentionally designed reroutes around washed out unsustainable sections, close user-created reroutes, and preserve existing sections of the trail by installing water bars, hardening the tread, and installing rock retaining walls. This project is a combination of new trail construction and trail restoration. Free meals will be provided and free camping will be conveniently located within the Penitente Canyon Camp Ground. PARTNERS BLM - San Luis Valley 12 Hours of Penitence Bike Race San Luis Valley Great Outdoors (SLVGO) San Luis Valley Federal Bank Kristi Mountain Sports Latitude/Longitude: 37.840711, -106.280532 Additional Information: Camping Available: Yes Physical Difficulty: Moderate High Altitude Project: No Desired Number of Volunteers: 50 Total Adult Volunteers Attended: 94 Total Youth Volunteers Attended: 3 Total Volunteer Days: 97 Total Unique Volunteers: 60 Total Volunteer Hours: 970 Staff Hours: 187.5 Stipend Hours: 0 Project Summary: 65 volunteers (58 VOC volunteers and 7 members of SCC's Crew Leader Development Program) assisted the BLM with new trail construction on the new Los Hermanos Trail in the Penitente Canyon Recreation Area. Despite having both workdays shortened because of threatening thurnder storms the volunteers constructed .9 miles of new trail including 5 climbing turns that were banked to accomodate downhill mountain bike traffic. This new trail adds a much needed begginer option to the Penitente trail system and offers incredible sweeping views of the San Luis Valley and the Sangre De Cristo Mountains. Brian Fredericks the Archeologist with the BLM's San Luis Valley Field Office visited with every work crew to disscuss the cultural resources of the area and brought several artifacts for volunteers to inspect and enjoy. Successes and Challenges: We stood down because of threatening weather at 1:30 on Saturday the 2nd, the weather never hit but I think we made the right decision by aireing on the side of safety. Lessons Learned: Special Notes: Stewardship Education: Brian Fredericks the SLV BLM archeologist visited every crew during the workday to make a little presentation on the cultural resources at Penitente and let volunteers handles several artifacts. Key Concerns or Comments from Staff or Volunteers: Description of Accidents/Incidents: Description of Work Completed: