Our 61 Adopters are the anchor in our efforts to maintain The Colorado Trail, covering all but one 10-mile stretch of its 488-mile length. Some are new, many others are veterans, and all are invaluable resources not only to the Foundation but to the thousands of hikers, cyclists, backpackers and horse riders who use the Trail each year.
These Adopt-A-Trail (AAT) volunteers agree to perform four main duties each year: clear fallen trees as early in the Trail season as possible, clean water diversions to prevent erosion, help supplement signage and communicate with CTF officials about the condition of their part of the Trail. Many go above and beyond, making the CT experience richer for everyone. Without them, there would be no Colorado Trail as we know it.
Adopter Notes
Section 5.2 Carol and Bob Drew
“How delightful that everybody is so pleased with the condition of the Trail. We are very proud of the Trail and our part in keeping it in good shape.”
Section 22.2 Mark and Joellen Fonken
“We have been successful in necking down the alignment, and with compliance and re-growth, the old jeep road is now a trail.”
Section 24.2 Jerry Brown
“The Elk Creek adopter crew went in on June 25 and returned June 28. We removed a total of 64 downed trees and cleaned the drainage structures. We were able to make it to the divide and the upper portions of the Trail were serviced as well. The Trail is open and clear.”
Section 25.1 Art Berg and the Four Corners Back Country Horsemen
“The snow came off a little earlier than usual this year and we were able to clear our section on July 7.” His group didn’t stop there. “Twelve Four Corners Back Country Horsemen volunteers joined forces with a crew of eight from the SW Conservation Corps, along with three from the San Juan Forest and worked on the CT at Little Molas Campground,” Art reported. “The collection of enthusiastic Trail workers built over 600 feet of new Trail, spread a truckload of gravel, built a 50-foot rock wall, set a culvert, replaced 60 feet of silt fencing, rehabbed impacted work sites, and had a great time doing it!”
Section 27.3 Ian Altman and the CT Jamboree
Ian reported in June that his group was “surprised to see that the cool weather has really slowed the thaw. We noticed more snow than we did last year at this same time.” Nevertheless, “Our section, the Indian Trail Ridge from Grindstone to Kennebec, was clear and we plan to get out there and do some tread and drainage work in early July.”
Section 20.1 Steve Stadler
Steve showed up in a trail journal posted by a hiker calling himself “Mr. D.” The two met up while Steve was doing his spring maintenance survey. Some excerpts from Mr. D’s trail journal: “The Creede Forest Ranger Station has received no information from anyone on snow conditions on the trails north, no one has gone out to check the conditions themselves. . . . While I am peering over maps, Steve Stadler, a retired physician from Colorado Springs, asks me if he can answer any questions I might have about trails north! It turns out he knows more about the CDT and Colorado Trail (the two overlap for some distance) and their conditions than anyone I have met in three weeks. He is a volunteer with The Colorado Trail Foundation and has personal responsibility for a 12-mile section of Trail running from the San Luis Pass to Eddiesville. . . Conveniently for me, Steve is heading up the mountain to spend the night, and then hike the Trail tomorrow to evaluate its condition, and offers me a ride. . . . I set up my little tent, then offer to help Steve. He pulls out a humongous 12-by-12-foot tent, and the weight of it snaps one of his fiberglass poles. It’s duct tape to the rescue, and we’re back in business. . . . Next Steve pulls out his Coleman stove and pots and pans, and sets them up on the tailgate of his truck. He makes me an offer I can’t refuse: to stay for a beans and franks dinner …but then adds a mixed salad and a canister of oatmeal cookies his wife made for dessert. Still not done, Steve pulls out two boxes of wine and offers me red or white! So here I am in the middle of nowhere sitting in a lawn chair, drinking wine, and eating beans and franks on a big plate with real silverware.”
Section 13.1 Jeremy Bock
Responding to report from hikers who’d had trouble following the Trail near Mount Princeton Hot Springs, Jeremy scheduled an additional visit to his section. He hoped to identify places users might find confusing and brought along Trail confidence markers. “I believe I found the area of confusion and was able to place five signs along this section last weekend,” he reported.
Section 27.2 Bill Vicary
Bill also made a second trip this year in response to a user report. He wrote, “Yesterday my wife and I rode our entire section (Big Bend Trail to Grindstone Trail), 18.8 miles on the Trail (round trip) and about 10 hours. We located and removed one 6-inch log at about mile 7. The rest of the Trail was completely clear.” As big of a trip as this was, it was dwarfed by his first visit, about which he wrote, “Because of snowpack and other commitments, we were unable to clear our section until July 17 and removed 90 trees from the Trail at that time.”
Section 16.1 Signe Wheeler and Pam Doverspike
“Signage good throughout the section,” they reported. “Removed deadfall and pruned back trees and bushes for horse/rider clearance.”
