2018-South Park Trail Restoration @ Guanella Pass

Start Date-End Date: 08/18/2018-08/19/2018 Land Manager Office: USFS - South Platte Ranger District Land Manager Contact: Brandon Mitchell Funding Partner: Programmatic Partner: Summary: Enjoy building trail structures, including a turnpike, near Mt. Bierstadt. Description: About the Stewardship Site: Located off of Guanella Pass Road, the South Park Trail leads from a forestedtrail headaround 10,000 ft to the Alpine Environment atop Guanella Pass near Mt. Bierstadt. About the Volunteer Experience: Volunteers who don't mind getting a little muddy will help repair the trail near the trail head in a perennially wet area that is in a state of disrepair due to erosion and foot and horse traffic.The primary task of this project is to build an elevated trail surface know as a turnpike. Volunteers will set large rocks on either side of the trail and fill the structure with rock and other material to lift the surface of the tread high enough to prevent it from being permanently saturated. Other basic trail maintenance tasks may be addressed as time or group size allows. About the Overall Impact: This is a high priority project for the S. Platte Ranger District. This project will solve an issue of the trail being unsustainable in its current state. At times, the trail is muddy and eroded to a depth of almost 10 inches. Users creating social trails through neighboring willow stands to find a non-muddy way through are creating additional resource damage. Need-to-Know Details: Please note that the road to the project site is a bumpy drive with rocks and potholes, and plan accordingly. Minors:All youth under 16mustbe accompanied by an adult 21 years or older on single-day projects.Youth under 18mustbe accompanied by an adult 21 years or older on overnight projects. Cancellation:Our land manager partners rely on VOC volunteers to accomplish critical stewardship needs, and our projects often have wait lists. If you need to cancel, pleasecontact Jamie Burkeat 303-715-1010 ext. 116 as soon as possible so we can free your spot for another volunteer and have a full workforce. Latitude/Longitude: 39.558133, -105.763306 Additional Information: Camping Available: Yes Physical Difficulty: Moderate, Difficult High Altitude Project: Yes Desired Number of Volunteers: 40 Total Adult Volunteers Attended: 86 Total Youth Volunteers Attended: 4 Total Volunteer Days: 90 Total Unique Volunteers: 55 Total Volunteer Hours: 766.5 Staff Hours: 35 Stipend Hours: 0 Project Summary: Volunteers completed a 135 foot rock turnpike, closed 150 feet of social trail, and paved a 75 ft x 6 ft stretch of trail with rock where horse enter and exit the creek. The project did not go particularly as planned, but we made it work. The Forest Service had ordered large monowall rock, cobble rock and crusher fine rock from Elk Creek Sand and Gravel. When we went in to the office of ECS&G a few weeks prior to the project they told us how much of each material we would need based on the specs of the turnpike. They assured us that if they did not have a truck there that could get up the road, they would rent one. The week leading up they said they were not sure they would be able to get their truck up and they were not going to try to make it up the road until Friday (the day before the project). On Friday, Brandon with the Forest Service caught the truck on the road turning around. He had to convince them to go all the way up the road. In this load, they brought us a load of the large rock that we ordered for the monowall along the side of the turnpike and a load of top soil that we did not order or need. They assured us that they would bring 2 loads of crusher fine the next morning. The next day around 11 am, they delivered a load of the large monowall rock and nothing else for the rest of the weekend. We were able to find enough large monowall rock in the surrounding area to finish the sides of the monowall. With no cobble rock delivered, we sourced small, cobble rock from the creek nearby with Brandon's permission. With a little crusher fine material mixed in with the large monowall rocks that were delivered, we had enough for a thin layer over the entire length of the turnpike, covering the top soil. We had planned to lay 6 inched of crusher fine, but we just did not have the material. Since we made use of the topsoil, we had enough material to fill the monowalls and the turnpike looks great! We made due with what we had and Brandon is pleased with our adaptability and the final product. Successes and Challenges: Successes - despite the missing materials that we were expecting to complete the project, volunteers were in high spirits and did great with making some changes to make the turnpike a success. Very adaptable and flexible group. Challenges-rock that we were expecting did not all arrive. We made due with what we had and still finished the project! Lessons Learned: Do not use Elk Creek Sand and Gravel for any rock needs. Be up front with the volunteers about what could be a set back. They are very eager to help and trouble shoot. Special Notes: CORE Consultants had a great group and I think they had a great time. A lot of people who were just out camping for the weekend were interested in who we were and we were able to hand out a bunch of marketing materials to people who were not on the project. Stewardship Education: Key Concerns or Comments from Staff or Volunteers: Projects any later in the season than mid august might be pretty chilly up there.I had ice on my tent Sunday morning. Description of Accidents/Incidents: none! Description of Work Completed: