Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado (VOC), a statewide nonprofit dedicated to motivating and enabling people to care for Colorado’s natural resources, has an exciting trail restoration project coming up in Eagle County. On October 3-4, the Denver-based VOC is seeking approximately 100 volunteers to help provide greatly needed improvements to the Minturn Mile trail.
The Minturn Mile leads from Vail to the historic town of Minturn, and has become an increasingly popular trail for locals and visitors alike. The area boasts some of the most glorious landscapes in Colorado. Hundreds of snow sport recreationalists utilize the Minturn Mile during the winter months. In the summer, the trail is a premier mountain biking, hiking and equestrian route.
Due to the trail’s popularity and natural wear and tear, portions of the trail have suffered from erosion and other maintenance issues – namely, the Cougar Ridge section. Due to the deteriorating conditions, trail use has dropped steadily in recent years. Volunteers are needed to realign and construct nearly 4,000 feet of trail to safe and sustainable conditions by installing erosion-control and water diversion structures, as well as building new climbing turns and switchbacks to meander through aspen groves. Furthermore, these improvements along the Courage Ridge section will enable the trail to connect from the Town of Minturn into a network of spectacular trails in Vail Ski Area’s back bowls, offering a new amenity for the town’s residents and economic benefits through the increase in recreational visitors.
Support for VOC’s Cougar Ridge Trail Restoration project came from the Ski Conservation Fund of the National Forest Foundation.
“We are grateful to have received funding from the National Forest Foundation as well as community support for this project, including significant involvement by the Vail Valley Mountain Bike Association. VOC looks forward to continuing our strong partnership with the NFF in the future.”
To register for the Cougar Ridge Trail Restoration project, visit the VOC project calendar at www.voc.org/volunteer or call 303-715-1010. No experience is necessary to volunteer. For registered volunteers, free meals and camping will be provided. The project will take place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday. The minimum age to volunteer on this project is 14.
