2022-Trail Restoration @ Aiken Canyon

Start Date-End Date: 10/01/2022-10/01/2022 Land Manager Office: The Nature Conservancy Land Manager Contact: Anya Byers Funding Partner: Programmatic Partner: Summary: Help restore a trail on this hikers-only preserve near Colorado Springs. Open to volunteers ages 12+! Description: Project photo courtesy of The Nature Conservancy Where You'll Be: Aiken Canyon Preserve is a 1,621-acre, hiker-only preserve located approximately 16 miles south of Colorado Springs. Aiken Canyon is a peaceful enclave close to the city as many people don't realize the property is open to the public. The small, 4-mile loop trail system has been maintained by volunteers since its inception and is a great spot for birding with foothills meadow, shrubland, and woodland ecosystems. 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! What You'll Do: Enjoy a fall Saturday at this peaceful preserve as you work with approximately 30 volunteers to restore this hikers-only trail. After hiking for about an hour over flat, mellow grassland meadows, you'll spend the day clearing rockfall and cutting back vegetation to make the trail easier to follow. We may also do some basic trail maintenance tasks on other parts of the trail as well. Open to volunteers as young as 12, this is a great project for all ages and abilities to give back and discover a new recreation area. Why It Matters: COVID-19 and other factors disbanded the group of local volunteers who have cared for this area for decades, and the trail has fallen into disrepair. By giving one day of work, you will make a tremendous difference in making this trail safer for visitors. 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: 38.6948466, -105.2425503 Additional Information: To organize carpooling please visithttps://www.groupcarpool.com/t/742fp8 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: No Physical Difficulty: Easy High Altitude Project: No Desired Number of Volunteers: 25 Total Adult Volunteers Attended: 28 Total Youth Volunteers Attended: 2 Total Volunteer Days: 29 Total Unique Volunteers: 30 Total Volunteer Hours: 172 Staff Hours: 25 Stipend Hours: 0 Project Summary: Trail maintenance at Aiken Canyon was very successful. Single day project with 4 crews, enough work for each crew and lots of potential for future project here since Priscilla has a reroute planned. Successes and Challenges: Trail maintenance accomplished: 13 drainage dips 9 grade reversals 1 knick 7 stone steps 70 lf trail closure 3 x 36" caliper downed trees were delimbed and cross cut sawn to allow passage along the trail. Rocks removed along 3/4 miles of trail. Corridor clearing along 3/4 miles of trail. Lessons Learned: Glenn Scadden and Dan Downs went up to the top of the trail (3 miles) early to start doing the crosscut work. Sending them up ahead of time allowed them to get a head start and made a big difference in finishing on time. Special Notes: Stewardship Education: Anya Byers, the TNC land manager was able to share some information about the history of Homesteaders and Aiken Key Concerns or Comments from Staff or Volunteers: NA Description of Accidents/Incidents: NA Description of Work Completed: