2017-Altria SWAT at Grand Lake

Start Date-End Date: 08/15/2017-08/16/2017 Land Manager Office: Land Manager Contact: Funding Partner: Altria Group, Inc Programmatic Partner: Continental Divide Trail Coalition Summary: Altria volunteers will assist in the installation of CDT signs and drainages to reduce muddy stretches and improve water quality at East Shore Trailhead in Grand Lake. Description: Corporate SWAT Latitude/Longitude: 40.24033 , -105.82583 Additional Information: Camping Available: Yes Physical Difficulty: Moderate High Altitude Project: No Desired Number of Volunteers: 20 Total Adult Volunteers Attended: 30 Total Youth Volunteers Attended: 0 Total Volunteer Days: 30 Total Unique Volunteers: 15 Total Volunteer Hours: 171 Staff Hours: 53.5 Stipend Hours: 0 Project Summary: This project was private partnership between Altria (Marbolo), the Continental Divide Trail Coalition (CDTC), the US Forest Service (USFS), and Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado (VOC). Altria has a "Team Marbolo" that has millions of members online. They held a contest where applicants wrote a little bit about why they should be chosen for a free stewardship project. They received over 350,000 applications and picked 100 to do projects in the 5 states that the Continental Divide goes through. With the CO project, Altria flew out 14 volunteers from all across the country to spend 2 days working on the CDT near Grand Lake, CO. The first day (Aug 14th), Alex (VOC Staff) and Dan (Crew Leader) attended an orientation and dinner with the volunteers. The followed two days involved the trail work, which included installing/maintaining french drainages, and also installing some CDT placards. Volunteers were supported through this endeavor with a large amount of support staff. There was a sheriff on site, a paramedic, about 8 hospitality staff, about 6 film crew, 4 USFS staff, and 2 CDTC staff. The event was also fully catered by a local company. Successes and Challenges: Successes: Many drainages installed Instilled a stewardship ethic that people can take back to their home states Volunteers did very well with the altitude (all were smokers and almost all came from near sea level) Challenges: We at VOC had very little responsibility besides providing one CL and bringing the tools. The CDTC coordinated with all the volunteers, Altria and the hospitality staff set the schedule, the FS completed the safety talk and directed the work. If it wasn't for the donation, this would have been a waste of our efforts. Also, we ended work early on Wednesday due to weather (storms). Finding Crew Leaders for this project was difficult due the mid week over-night requirement. Lessons Learned: We carried out many of the tools for the volunteers when the storms approached. Having a wheelbarrow was very helpful to take a lot of tools in one load. Special Notes: I had to make sure that any crew leaders on the project were comfortable working a project that was funded by a large tobacco company (Altria/Marbolo). Stewardship Education: Miles from the FS spoke at great lengths at the orientation Monday evening and throughout the project about the importance of public lands. Chad from the CDTC spoke Monday evening about the overall trail that spans the entire country north/south. Alex (VOC staff), spoke about the stewardship ethic at the orientation. Key Concerns or Comments from Staff or Volunteers: None Description of Accidents/Incidents: None Description of Work Completed: Overall, we built 8 drainages, maintained 4 drainages, and installed 4 CDT markers