2022-Recreation Improvements @ Alamosa Canyon

Start Date-End Date: 08/13/2022-08/14/2022 Land Manager Office: USFS - Conejos Peak Ranger District Land Manager Contact: Gerard Sandoval Funding Partner: Programmatic Partner: Summary: Help manage a multi-use trail for motorized and other users. Description: Where You'll Be: The Conejos River drainage basin and the San Luis Valley have had a long and colorful history. The history of the Conejos Peak Ranger District is interwoven with that of the San Luis Valley because the people settling in the valley depended upon the surrounding mountains for much of their food, clothing, and shelter. Seeking out the many historic features that lie scattered over the District and adjacent land can be an exciting and enjoyable activity, lending an understanding of the area's rich cultural background. Some of the most notable historic sites are Colorado's oldest church in the town of Conejos, a stockade commemorating the Zebulon Pike expedition, and Toltec Scenic Railroad. What You'll Do: You'll spend the weekend installing restrictor gates and signage at a trailhead in Alamosa Canyon with a small group of volunteers. Time permitting, we'll also do additional trail maintenance work in the area. This project is a great way to discover new recreation areas in the state and enjoy starry skies in the remote and scenic San Luis Valley! Campsites will be provided along with meals from our volunteer Crew Chefs.Anyone that attends a VOC volunteer opportunity in August, September, and October will be entered in a drawing for the chance to win a $300 SCHEELS Gift Card. The more opportunities you attend, the more entries you will earn. Good luck! Why It Matters: The Conejos Ranger District manages 377,314 acres of National Forest land with only 3 recreational staff. The challenges of managing a multi-use trail system which includes hikers, cyclists, equestrian, and OHV use was exacerbated by trail designation changes in 2008. This led to a significant increase in motorized users on the trail system, so the District has set out to develop a more efficient process for trail management given their limited resources in staffing. Your work on this project will aid in managing user conflict on the trails by installing gates that limit non-authorized user access and by installing signs which will clearly indicate trail names, authorized use, and multi-use trail etiquette. About Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado (VOC) Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado (VOC) is the state's oldest, largest, and leading outdoor stewardship nonprofit organization. Founded in 1984 to motivate and enable people to become active stewards of Colorado's natural resources, VOC has engaged nearly 128,000 people in more than 1,000 volunteer projects for a donated labor value of $26 million. Through award-winning youth and volunteer programs, leadership training, capacity-building programs, and collaborative efforts with nonprofits and land management agencies, VOC is an invaluable resource in Colorado, especially as our outdoor stewardship needs are approaching near-crisis levels. For more information, visit www.voc.org or call 303-715-1010. Latitude/Longitude: 37.367492, -106.377422 Additional Information: To organize carpooling please visithttps://www.groupcarpool.com/t/yn5b46 Please determine the following amongst yourselves: 1. Pick up location 2. When you leave 3. Vaccination status 4. Mask usage VOC suggests coordinating carpooling in the safest way possible and encouraging a mask friendly policy in your cars. If you have any issues finding a rider or a ride, please feel free to reach out to myself. Happy volunteering! Camping Available: Yes Physical Difficulty: Moderate High Altitude Project: Yes Desired Number of Volunteers: 20 Total Adult Volunteers Attended: 14 Total Youth Volunteers Attended: 0 Total Volunteer Days: 14 Total Unique Volunteers: 8 Total Volunteer Hours: 108 Staff Hours: 38 Stipend Hours: 0 Project Summary: VOC meeting spot: Dispersed campground near Elk Creek Trailhead Work Location: 37.13115, -106.37703, right off 250 road The project was originally set for 30 volunteers near La Jara Reservoir to install 3 gate restrictors at 3 different trailheads. Due to issues with the access road, we had to change to work site to a new location and would be installing 1 gate restrictor and some signage off the FS 250 road. Successes and Challenges: Successes: We completed all the work we set out toaccomplish! The group had a great time getting to know each otherand loved working and learning from the CP USFS crew We had really nice weathers with very little wind and rain the whole weekend We were able to finishto work earlywhich gave volunteers time to explore the area and hike around Challenges: This project was really hard to recruit for, and changing the location last minute didn'thelp. The work plan was changed from when I went on the site visit, but since the USFS employees showed up to lead it wasn'tan issue. It would have been if they were not there The camping location, which is normally not busy, was PACKED with RVS, horse trailers and generators running all night. It worked out but didn'tmake for the camping experience I had planned I was able to recruit a Tool Manager last minute, but it has been difficultto find TMs to drive to the valley Lessons Learned: I think the type of work (signs/gates) didn't excite the volunteer base, so it was difficult to recruit for. I am learning more about the type of projects VOC volunteers will make the long drive to the SLV for and will use that experience to select better projects in the future Special Notes: Stewardship Education: CP staff gave a presentation about the history of the SLV and their generational ties to the area. Volunteers really enjoyed it! Key Concerns or Comments from Staff or Volunteers: Description of Accidents/Incidents: n/a Description of Work Completed: