The Colorado Trail Foundation Fall Newsletter 2001

President’s Colorado Trail Reroutes It was a very busy summer on The Colorado Trail! The South Corner Platte reroute was completed, and the Copper Mountain reroute was almost completed. Both have been mapped with GPS units by Merle McDonald and can be viewed and/or printed out from any computer with a Web browser by going to Jerry Brown’s Bear Creek Survey Web CoHoCo/CTF Benefit Ride site, http://www.bearcreeksurvey.com/Reroutes.htm, and clicking The Colorado Horse Council/ on the small picture of the reroute at that site. The reroute will Colorado Trail Foundation print out as a 5 x 7 color picture in great detail. All future updates Benefit Horseback Ride took to the CT reference map series CD-ROM will be located at this place on the CT from Tennes- site first. From this same site you can pick up a couple of typo see Pass to Mt. Princeton the corrections to our CD-ROM map of The Colorado Trail. week of August 4 to 11. Twenty-four riders participated, and a donation of $2,350 to the CTF was the result. Clair Gamble, a longtime Friend of The ColoradoTrail, organized the ride. He and his friends Jim and Danielle Russell, Steve Cave,Tom Butterfield, and Dave Gaskill all provided the week-long volunteer support for the ride. (Thanks, Guys and Gals!) Suzanne Webel, Chair of the CoHoCo Trails Commit- tee, provided the organization from their end. Steve Hyde, the owner of Clear Creek Ranch One of the boardwalks completed by Crew 1101 as part of the Copper Mountain Resort (the ranch on the south side reroute. In the words of Stan Ward, crew leader, “Nice setting, eh?” Continued on page 2

Tread Lines Fall 2001 1 Tread Lines Continued from page 1 but the CTF treasurer position has of Clear Creek road that the CT been open for almost a year. As a is the internal newsletter of The Colorado Trail Foundation. It is published three passes through) provided us an nonprofit foundation, we are times a year and distributed to the Friends excellent campsite for one night. exempt from income taxes but not of The Colorado Trail.® The ride ended at Michael income reports. Like most IRS The Colorado Trail is a 500-mile- Martin Murphey’s Singing forms, the 990 is not exactly easy long, high-mountain educational and Cowboy Ranch, located along to decipher. With Michele’s help, recreational hiking trail that meanders through some of the most beautiful terrain Chalk Creek near Mt. Princeton. we got the form in on time and in the state. It stretches from Denver to (Murphey himself is a substan- thereby avoided the IRS’s wrath in Durango with many intermediate access tial supporter of the CT.) The the form of late fines. Thanks, points. riders were impressed by the Michele! We hope you will The Colorado Trail Foundation, a nonprofit corporation, is governed by amount of maintenance work by continue to be available to offer us public agencies and private-sector adopters that was in evidence your excellent advice. We need it! representatives. The Foundation recruits along our ride. Several have and trains volunteers for Colorado Trail offered to come out and help us. Board Meets in Durango construction crews, supplies and supports Everyone had a great time and The fall Board of Directors the crews, conducts fully supported week- long treks on the CT, teaches accredited asked to have another ride next meeting was held in Durango on classes, maintains the CT through its summer. October 13 at Ken Marshall’s Adopt-A-Trail program, distributes house. There were several reasons information on Colorado Trail activities Volunteers Make It Happen! for holding the meeting in and crews, and creates and distributes publications. Donations to the CTF are tax The Colorado Trail Foundation Durango. One, even though deductible. exemplifies the principle that Durango is the southern terminus Serving on the Board of Directors volunteers make it happen. And of the CT, we have never held a are Melanie Barvitski, Steve Deitemeyer, throughout the year, our many Tracy Esslinger, Gudy Gaskill, Jon hundreds of hard-working Contents Page Greeneisen, Susan M. Junkin, Glenn W. “Angels among Us” 4 Kepler, Jonathan Krauss, Bill Manning, volunteers are proof positive of Bicylists from Georgia 4 Ken Marshall, Merle McDonald, Julie that dedication. I would like to State Parks/GOCO Grants 5 Mesdag, George Miller, Pat Nagorka, give special recognition to two National Trails Grant 5 Richard Nolde, Cole Sandau, and Ernie such volunteers, who help with An Inspiration to Us All 6 Werren. “Wildflower Delight” 6 the office work for several hours The CTF business address is 2001 Educational Workshops 7 every week all year long! Liz Volunteer Help Needed 8 The Colorado Trail Foundation Truitt does our bookkeeping CT Display at Library 9 710 10th St., Suite 210 and banking, and Pat Rush logs Lost and Found 9 Golden, CO 80401-5843 in the mail, completes store Please Hold . . . 9 New CTF Database 9 (303) 384-3729 Ext. 113 sales receipts, and enters data in (24-hour voice mail) CORSAR Cards 10 Fax: (303) 384-3743 the new database. And they have Winter Ski Trip 10 E-mail: [email protected] done this for the past several Holiday Open House 11 Web site: www.coloradotrail.org YEARS. If the Foundation lost Completion Mementos 11 Food Packing 12 Office hours: Varied hours M–F, either of these two ladies, we 9–5, Mountain Standard Time Thank You to Food Donators 13 would be in a world of hurt! Trail Crew WE1 Report 14 Pres.: Merle McDonald, Thank you, Liz and Pat! Trail Crew 0401 Report 14 (719) 599-4258 Another volunteer who Trail Crew 0201 Report 15 Vice Pres.: Jon Greeneisen, has spent a lot of time helping us Trail Crew 0701 Report 16 Kiosk at Durango Trailhead 16 (303) 221-5620 in the office over the past few Sec.: Pat Nagorka Trail Crew 0801 Report 18 Treas.: To be announced months is CPA Michele Furest. Trail Crew 1001 Report 19 Staff: Suzanne Reed and Marian Phillips, Her help was invaluable in Trail Crew 0901 Report 20 Administrators, Volunteer Coordinators putting together our Internal Trail Crew 1401 Report 21 Trail Crew 1101 Report 22 Revenue Form 990 for the year This edition of Tread Lines was compiled Trail Crew 1501 Report 27 and edited by Susan M. Junkin and 2000 and organizing our ac- Trail Crew 1601 Report 28 Richard Nolde. In addition, Richard was counting records in a more Bill Weber’s Light Toolkit 30 responsible for all graphics and logical order. Normally, our Wanted 30 typographic pre-press operations. treasurer would handle this task, Store Page 31

2 Tread Lines Fall 2001 Board meeting there. Our directors of Pulaskis, page 5. Although the lodging, postal holding services, who live in Durango have always Forest Service requires many transportation, and other services had to come to Denver for Board Pulaskis to be on hand for their that trail users often need. (We meetings and at their own ex- primary purpose of fire fighting, would be happy to take recom- pense. Fair is fair. we have been able to use them for mendations from CT users.) We Another reason is that the trail building when there are no envision this to be an experimental Durango-area volunteers provided fires. program to test response. a new kiosk for the southern But the digging side of a terminus of the CT, and the Board Pulaski is optimized for digging Work on Completing the CDT wanted to be at the dedication of out small roots, not rocks. A pick The Continental Divide Trail the kiosk at 10 A.M. on October 13. is a far more efficient tool for rock Alliance is working to complete Over the years we have had removal. As all CT builders know, the Continental Divide National comments from travelers complet- digging out rocks is one of our Scenic Trail (CDT) from Mexico ing the CT that the southern primary occupations. Therefore, to Canada. The 800 miles of it in terminus was “underwhelming.” we have purchased quite a few Colorado are fairly well defined. The new kiosk should definitely pick-mattocks in a couple of Two hundred forty-three miles of help with that perception! See different sizes to supplement our the CDT are overlaid on The photo, page 16. Pulaski inventory. We have also Colorado Trail: from Georgia Pass The southern terminus added some cutter-mattocks to aid to Clear Creek and from Marshall also has a few other problems, not in root cutting in rock-infested Pass to Pole Creek. In order to the least of which is very limited ground. Another of our new tools emphasize the progress being parking availability. In addition, is a round-tip shovel with the made on the CDT, the Continental no camping is permitted in the blade perpendicular to the handle. Divide Trail Alliance held a day- area, nor is there a public tele- I have found it excellent for long horseback ride on August 12 phone or restroom. And the walk cleaning drainage dips. We have on the newly constructed section into town is another seven miles also purchased some half-size of the CT/CDT through the woods along a very narrow, heavily McLeods that were very well above Copper Mountain Resort traveled road without shoulders. received by many volunteers this and up Guller Creek to Janet’s This is hazardous as well as past summer. Another tool we Cabin for lunch and back. About unpleasant for the user of the CT. would like to get in inventory is 30 horse riders participated, Many people in Durango recog- the adz hoe, but so far we have including Senator Ben nize these shortcomings and are been unable to locate a source for Nighthorse Campbell and Rick working to find solutions. The them. To care for all of these new Cables, the Director of USFS CTF Board would like to express tools, we have purchased a small Rocky Mountain Region. I was our appreciation and support for used trailer to carry them and a introduced to both gentlemen and these efforts. On Sunday, October grinder to keep them sharp. These gave them a spiel on the work of 14, the Board viewed from the tools were purchased with grants The Colorado Trail Foundation ground some of the possible from the American Hiking and its volunteers. Gail Norton, solutions to these problems. We’ll Society and State Parks/GOCO. U.S. Secretary of the Interior, had have more about this important See related stories, page 5. It was a attended the breakfast beforehand meeting in the next issue of Tread real pleasure working with our but did not participate on the ride. Lines. new, more efficient tools this past Trails are indeed attracting some summer! high-level interest. New Tools The Colorado Trail Foundation Addition to Web Site Thank you to Contributors has expanded into using more and As a service to CT users, we plan A special thanks to all of you who different hand tools for trail to add a page to our Web site that have donated your time and building and maintenance to lists establishments along the CT money this year to help keep The provide volunteers more efficient that cater to the needs of CT users. Colorado Trail the wonderful tools for the task at hand. The The page will list services such as resource that it is. I hope to see Pulaski, for example, was de- laundries and showers, hiking and you on the CT again next summer! signed for firefighting. See photo camping supplies, groceries,

Tread Lines Fall 2001 3 “Angels among Us” by Julie Mesdag Although my time on The flat tire, out of the Cochetopa others as they make their way to Colorado Trail this summer was Hills came an Angel to assist us, Durango. much shorter than I would have rancher Wade Collins (whose Within this group of people liked, the six days spent riding the property we were camping on that are some of The Colorado Trail’s CT with the Rocking 3M/Summit evening), with everything we strongest financial supporters. Trail Adventures horse group needed to fix the flat and make it They have been opening up their was time spent with some of the back to the Eddiesville Trailhead. wallets for the past four years in a CT’s strongest supporters. I rode He even entertained us that big way, which is a testament to in the company of Angels, in evening with stories about life in how much they love the CT and addition to meeting a couple more Saguache and his family history. want to help preserve it. We all along the way. But if you spent What a treat. look forward to the grand finale any time on The Colorado Trail at I liken Willard Forman and next summer, as they ride down all, you know they are out there. Michael Martin Murphey to main street in Durango with a The riders and staff of the Gudy, in that they are passionate Colorado Trail banner right out in Rocking 3M/Summit Trail about what they do. Willard and front. Adventures group, which Willard Michael are becoming almost as Thank you to all the crews Forman heads up, have passionate about The Colorado working on The Colorado Trail completed the fourth leg of their Trail as Gudy is. They never fail this summer, maintenance ride, and will finish up next to inform people about the adopters, and Colorado Trail summer in Durango. I am sure it incredible job volunteers have Board members, coordinators, and will be with help from angels done to build and maintain the CT. staff, who carry on the legacy of along the way. When the trailer They continue to be impressed and Gudy and The Colorado Trail. carrying the chuck wagon got a share the glory of the CT with Happy Trails! Bicyclists from Georgia Did It! Speaking of angels, “time to give plished the task in half a day. help to Crew 1101, and they made back” took on new meaning when Then they went biking! it possible to complete all three these people showed up to help Thanks to them again and boardwalks with just two crews. Crew 1101 at Copper Mountain again. They were a tremendous (See Crew 1101 report, page 22.) this summer. Jay Cullen, a crew member in 2000, learned after arriving in Colorado for an annual mountain bicycle trip, that there were more than four tons of lumber, fasteners, and tools that had to carried by hand uphill and about a half-mile to the site of the first of three boardwalks. Without hesitation, he and his cohorts offered to change their itinerary and help. The unanimous reason: “We use your trail and it’s time to give back, so let’s get it done.” And they did! Strong, resourceful (try carrying a 60-pound box of fasteners and a 12-foot-long board Left to right, back row: Jay Cullen, Joe Banister, Susan McIntyre Front row: Frank Szvetecz, Peggy Payne, Nick Zagorski, Ryan McIntyre. at the same time!), and with All except Frank are from Atlanta. unbelievable stamina, they accom- Frank, college classmate of Jay, is from Colorado Springs.

4 Tread Lines Fall 2001 State Parks/Great Outdoors Colorado Trail Grants Total $14,400 for CT by Merle McDonald In 2000, more than 500 volunteers for $7,200, the CTF was able to equipment weighing up to ten gave of their time to support the purchase tools and thus provide tons! work of trail and adopter crews for adequate and appropriate tools for Thanks to State Parks/ as little as a day to as long as its all-volunteer crews. As CT GOCO, a grant for $7,200 was several weeks. With so many planners look at specific reroute secured to purchase wood and volunteers maintaining and needs, they are often faced with fasteners for the boardwalks. This building the CT from June through what appear to be insurmountable past summer, volunteer trail crews August, we often put a stress on cost requirements. In the case of spent one workweek to complete resources of the U.S. Forest the Copper Mountain Reroute, the each boardwalk. Although the Service. But from 2001 forward, need for three boardwalks across reroute is not completely finished, the threat of wildfires or declining ecologically sensitive wetland State Parks/GOCO trail grants put federal budgets will be less areas looked ominous. These us closer. stressful for CT crew leaders! boardwalks must support not only Thanks, State Parks/GOCO, Thanks to a grant from State the usual groups of hikers and and to all you Colorado Trail Parks/Great Outdoors Colorado equestrians but also ski-grooming volunteers!

CTF Awarded National Trails Note from Happy Hiker Endowment Grant Hello, just a quick note . . . The American Hiking Society is Werren, deciding which tools to putting its money where the trails request, selecting suppliers, and I just finished walking are! In March of this year, the finally picking up and delivering from Waterton Canyon to High- American Hiking Society, a the tools to the crews. way 50 last week (August 23). I’m national recreation-based conser- Thanks, American originally from Colorado Springs vation organization, awarded The Hiking Society! and have been on many trails in Colorado Trail Foundation a the past, some leading to National Trails Endowment grant thirteeners, fourteeners, mines, of $5,230 to purchase tools to be and various peaks and valleys. used by trail crews in new con- This was my first attempt at a struction and maintenance of The “long hike.” I just have to say The Colorado Trail. Over the years, Colorado Trail was the most the CTF saw the impact of shrink- enjoyable trail I’ve hiked so far!!! ing federal budgets — fewer tool It was always well marked, and purchases by regional ranger you can tell the trail crews have offices. The wildfires of 2000 done an outstanding job maintain- further tested the tool cache of the ing the 245 miles that I experi- U.S. Forest Service, leaving some enced. The Official Guidebook year 2000 crews woefully short of never let me down as well — very the equipment needed to complete well written, with easy-to-follow trail work. The tools appeared this directions, distances, etc.To all the summer at Copper Mountain as a people associated with this trail, result of hours of time spent by keep up the great work!!!! Stan Ward, George Miller, Merle McDonald, and Ernie The Pulaski Sincerely, Dennis Oliver

Tread Lines Fall 2001 5 An Inspiration to Us All

In the event that the CTF is opportunity to raise awareness and trail was not without benefit to me looking for unique stories of support for a local domestic — by walking all 468 miles, I was Colorado Trail journeys, I would violence shelter in the Phoenix able to raise $3,700 for Autumn like to share mine with you. I am a area. I sent out letters to family, House, a shelter serving adult and graduate student in a Ph.D. friends, and coworkers asking child survivors of domestic abuse. program in clinical psychology at people to pledge a certain amount I hope this story serves as an Arizona State University, and I per mile I completed of the CT, inspiration to others planning also serve as a therapist in the and the response was quite similar journeys and also as a psychology clinic on campus. Last amazing. Completing the entire reminder to us all of our amazing year my work in the clinic potential to impact the led me to view firsthand lives of those around us. the extent to which Thanks again for your domestic violence tears work with the CTF — The apart so many lives. As I Colorado Trail was an was concurrently planning adventure that changed my my CT trek, I had an idea life. to use the CT as an Christina Graham 9.03.01

Rainbow seen from CTF Education Center July 30, 2001 (or thereabouts), during wildflower class. Photo taken by Brenda Porter, CMC Education Director and wildflower class participant.

Wildflower Delight at the CTF Education Center by Brenda Porter, Education Director of The Colorado Mountain Club Those darn yellow composites setting added up to a week worth the cabin for a gourmet dinner confuse most people who spend raving about. prepared by Gudy Gaskill and time in the mountains. Is it hairy Dick Mosely, a retired natural Jan Wolfe. They also cooked all arnica, golden aster, or saffron resource manager and member of of the breakfasts and food for sack senecio? Or maybe it’s a the Colorado Native Plant Society, lunches — what a treat it was to buttercup, in a totally different taught four days at American be catered to so that we could family! If you have ever found Basin, Cinnamon Pass, Grizzly focus on the flowers. In fact, our yourself poring over a wildflower Gulch, and near the Education group of students discussed I.D. book and still coming up with Center, leaving one day for flowers even at the dinner table — a question about the flower in students to explore on their own. I was that apple a superior or front of you, then the CTF’s chose to tag along with him during inferior ovary of the apple flower? wildflower workshop is for you. the free day and got bonus After such a delightful week I have taken numerous courses knowledge of three different of wildflowers, I am already and have taught my fair share of gentians, among other species. planning to return next summer. I wildflower classes as well, yet I Each day after gleaning from might try my hand at the couldn’t be more delighted with Dick’s wealth of knowledge, watercolor workshop; perhaps I’ll the wildflower workshop I took peering at stamens and pistils try to paint some of those darn last summer at the CTF Education through hand lenses, and yellow composites! Center. The combination of great practicing our keying-out skills instruction, wonderful people, with Janet Wingate’s Alpine incredible food, and a spectacular Flowerfinder book, we returned to

6 Tread Lines Fall 2001 2001 Educational Workshops by Gudy Gaskill The Colorado Trail Foundation’s walks in the woods and through was the BEST year, with exquisite educational classroom series for the flowers, practicing the penny scenery, helpful students, deli- this past summer was a huge whistle, and looking at the stars. cious food, and sharing of tech- success for the participants of Julie Davis is a master storyteller, niques and ideas. There were each of the five classes, with and she shared many wonderful some great paintings! remarks like “Count me in next stories with us, sang whimsical The fourth and fifth year,” or “I wouldn’t have missed tunes in her beautiful voice, and weeks were devoted to the study this week for anything,” or “How inspired all of us to practice the of wildflowers. Taught by flower could I cram so many new names art of storytelling. Julie says that expert Richard Moseley of into my head in one week?” and stories help us see the extraordi- Pagosa Springs, the class started “Best food and vacation that I’ve nary in the ordinary, capture the by learning the key parts of a had for years.” THE PRICE IS essence of an experience, and see flower and the shapes of the RIGHT. The “students” were the the world afresh. leaves. The flowers were then best. And with all the great help in bisected and viewed through hand washing the dishes, Jan and Dan lenses to count and examine the Wolfe and I had a great time too. inside reproductive parts of the Thanks to all for keeping your flower. Monday afternoon was the hands so clean. first local field trip. The following The Colorado Sampler days were full-day field trips into had a cadre of fascinating instruc- American Basin, on top of Cinna- tors. On Monday Jerry Grey gave mon Pass, into Burroughs Park, a lecture on Mountain First Aid and up Grizzly Gulch. Beautiful and then told stories about many scenery, beautiful hikes, and of the mountain rescues that he LOTS of flowers were followed participated in. On Tuesday Dr. each evening by a review of the Bruce Bartleson came from day’s count and new findings. Western State College and gave us Wednesday, the free day, some a memorable day devoted to went back to American Basin, geology of the region. Dave others climbed a fourteener, some Gaskill assisted with the lacolith drove around the Alpine Loop, Julie Davis lecture. Wednesday, the 4th of and a few caught up on their July, was spent in Lake City The third week we had a notes. These were intensive watching the parade and attending full class of artists under the workshops, with almost 200 the community fair set up in the instruction of Margaret Barge flowers to log into the class notes. town square. Some stayed for the from Durango. With great weather When you complete this class, fireworks in the evening. On we were able to go out every day you should be able to key flowers Thursday Dan Wolfe led the and get in a lot of painting. In into the correct families through- group on a slow hike up Handies, spite of the biting flies, the out the world. I have attended identifying flowers along the way. participants painted the whole these fascinating workshops for On Friday Julie Davis provided a week and skipped the day off 11 years and always learn some- spellbinding day of stories told during midweek. George thing new. Next year is your turn. and stories heard. It was an Callison, our artist who had a There is a good possibility entertaining day of music, songs, show on Lookout Mountain as a that a course in geology will be and stories. fund-raiser for The Colorado taught by a professor from Metro The second week was Trail, helped Margaret on Friday State College and added to our devoted to storytelling — the how to critique the matted pictures at workshops. If you have any to compose and how tell to a our annual going-home art show. interest in even general geology or story. There were morning, Some students came for their third on how the mountains are formed, afternoon, and evening subjects, and fourth year and feel that this this class will be for you.

Tread Lines Fall 2001 7 Volunteer Help Needed

CTF Friends,

We are in need of volunteers to help with the following projects. Please contact the CTF office at (303) 394-3729 Ext. 113 or [email protected] if interested or if you would like more information about any of these jobs.

Thank you! Suzanne Reed and Marian Phillips, Administrators, Volunteer Coordinators

1. CT Store Coordinator — Peggy Brackett, our longtime Store Coordinator, would like to turn over the job to a new volunteer. The average time required per month is 6 to 8 hours. Peggy will train the new volunteer.

2. CT Trek Registrar Assistant — Help longtime CT trek registrar Lila Miller with 2002 trek registration.

3. Database Entry — Help us add names and addresses to our new CT database; knowledge of Microsoft Access would be helpful. Work from your home.

4. CT Web Site Resource Page Coordinator — Help us create and keep current a list of resources to be placed on our Web site for CT users (contact info for Visitor Centers, hostels, shuttles, other trail organizations, etc.).

5. Crafts — Create envelopes (we have a pattern) from old CT maps. Glue or sew CT patches onto fanny packs. We have plenty of supplies and would appreciate one or more volunteers who are “crafty” to take on either or both of these projects.

6. Trailer Mover — Help George Miller and Glenn Kepler with moving trailers from camp to camp during the summer trail-building season. Requires a vehicle capable of hauling trail crew trailers. Most moves are done on Saturdays. Thanks, Mark Santa-Maria, for your help this summer.

7. Trail Crew Equipment Inventory and Maintenance Assistant — George Miller would like help keeping our trail crew equipment in order. Thanks go to Bill Bloomquist, who has offered to maintain our new tools.

8. Event Volunteers — Join our core group of CT Friends in representing the CTF at special events during the year. We want to thank Donna Rufner, Pat Nagorka, Charlotte Briber, Hal Lohmeyer, and George Woodard for representing the CTF at the REI Travel Expo on September 8.

9. Library Displays — Contact public libraries in your community and coordinate a Colorado Trail display. The CT office will supply most display items. Thank you, Dick Maurer and Gudy Gaskill, for our successful display at the Aurora Public Library this summer. See photo, page 9.

8 Tread Lines Fall 2001 Lost and Found New CTF Database

Old Mother Hubbard had a bare will be given to a local charity. If Transfer of the CTF database, cupboard — but that is not the you hiked on a trek this summer maintained for many years by Jon case at the trek office. The lost- and left something behind, it may and Marylin Greeneisen, was and-found cupboard is overflow- be just waiting for you to lay completed this fall. We are ing with items with no identifica- claim to it. Call, write, E-mail, grateful to Jon and Marylin for tion. Some of the items include fax, or send smoke signals to the their dedication in maintaining several chairs, both fold-up and trek office, and your lost equip- and improving this critical re- lawn; a pair of women’s hiking ment will be sent to you. source. Peggy Lucas Bond has boots; numerous cups, plates, spent the last year and a half and eating utensils; and shower Colorado Trail Trek Office developing the new Access bags of various sizes and brands. 840 Prospect Place Database that tracks all CT A number of things have already Manitou Springs, CO 80829 (719) Friends, registrants for crews, been returned to those hikers who 685-1278 treks, and education classes, and marked their belongings. If not FAX: (719) 685-5322 other volunteers and interested claimed, the items in the cupboard E-mail: [email protected] parties. Please take note of the address label on the Tread Lines Please Hold . . . just sent to you. It was produced with the new database. Let the How many times have you called few instances, they might have office know if there are any the CTF office only to hear gone to the post office or to pick problems with the spelling of your “Thanks for calling The Colorado up crew supplies stored off- name, address, or other informa- Trail Foundation. . . . Please leave premises. tion provided on the label. a message.”? Well, Marian and Rest assured, your call is Suzanne are not off eating bon- important to us, and we will call bons and drinking champagne. back as soon as we can. Our office Rather, they are most likely on the is a small but busy one, and we other line answering questions hope that you understand when we posed by a Colorado Trail user or ask to put you on hold to get the one of our volunteers, faxing a other line, or need to call you Holiday Shopping Help document, or making copies. In a back.

The Colorado Trail Store Fall Sale Page provides many great gift ideas. Don’t miss our limited time offer to readers of the Fall issue of Tread Lines. There will be a 15 percent discount on ALL items when your order is accompanied by the Tread Lines CT Store Fall Sale page order form (on page 31) and received in the CTF office by December 14, 2001.

CTF library display, Aurora Public Library

Tread Lines Fall 2001 9 CORSAR Cards Replace Hiking Certificate

So, you scald your leg with Luckily, neither individual had to year, a significant increase over burning water while hiking or take pay for the rescue. Don’t be the price of the old Hiking Certifi- off on horseback to get help for an caught without your CORSAR cate but still a bargain when injured friend only to get lost card! The Colorado Outdoor compared to the cost of a needed while alone. In each of these true Recreation Search and Rescue search and rescue effort. Support cases, local search and rescue Card replaces the DOW Colorado Colorado’s Search and Rescue parties were called in, one on a Hiking Certificates. Hiking Fund and provide yourself some four-wheeler and the other in a Certificates purchased prior to peace of mind: purchase a helicopter. Costs of up to $4,000 July 1, 2001, will be honored for CORSAR Card from the CTF per rescue were estimated by the the term of the card. The new office or at a local sporting goods local government agencies. CORSAR Card costs $3.00 per or hardware store.

Winter Ski Trip

The snow will be flying soon heavy load. You would need to invited to come on skis or on the Alpine Scenic By-Way bring your lunches, layers of snowshoes, and the trail is the above Lake City. Before the clothing, and dry socks. summer road. road is closed, we need to know The cabin is an ideal Because supplies will if any CT Friend would be location for scenic photos and need to be taken to the cabin in interested in making a ski tour some wonderful tours. Depend- conjunction with closing it up to the Education Center in early ing on snow level, the ava- for winter, the trip to stock the March. If there is a firm com- lanche dangers beyond the cabin might have taken place mitment, we would stock the cabin could be noteworthy. Our by the time this issue of Tread cabin with food and extra experience has been that the Lines is in homes. However, sleeping bags. This would avalanches run fairly early in please call the CTF office at enable you to ski the seven the season, but care must (303) 384-3729 Ext. 113 or call miles to the cabin without a always be taken, and especially (303) 526-0809 for further backpack or at least without a in the San Juans. You are information.

Along the road to the CTF Education Center

10 Tread Lines Fall 2001 * * * CTF Holiday Open House * * * Mark your calendars for Saturday, December 8. Gudy Gaskill will once again host our Colorado Trail Foundation Open House from 2 P.M. to 5 P.M. at her home, 548 Pine Song Trail in Golden, Colorado. All Friends of The Colorado Trail are invited! Call or E-mail the CTF office for directions.

Completed The Colorado Trail?

So, you’re one of those special hiked, mountain biked, or Completion Certificate! people who has completed The ridden The Colorado Trail on Or those wishing to Colorado Trail! Congratula- horseback. All you have to do order something special to tions! Now, you want to com- to get your complimentary, commemorate this major memorate this special occasion personalized Completion accomplishment can choose and commit it to memory. What Certificate is let the Colorado from a variety of souvenirs. better way to do this than with Trail Foundation office know Please see The Colorado Trail your choice of completion your name as you want it on the Store listing on the inside back mementos! certificate, your completion cover of this issue of Tread A Free Lunch? No. A date, and your address. It’s that Lines. Among the souvenirs is Free Certificate? You Betcha! easy! We count on completers a small engraved Completion It’s been said many times, to let us know they’ve com- Plaque with the Colorado Trail “There’s no such thing as a free pleted the CT, because there is logo for $39. lunch.” While that may be true, really no other way for us to For further information The Colorado Trail Foundation obtain this information. We on any completion materials, does award a free Completion look forward to sending your please contact the Colorado Certificate for those who have personalized, complimentary Trail Foundation office.

Cookie Recipes Reminder Friends turned in a handful of recipes in response to the last request. If each of you turned in one recipe, what a bag full of sugar we would have. We need your entry. Send it to Gudy Gaskill, 548 Pine Song Trail, Golden, CO, 80401, or send an E-mail message to [email protected].

Tread Lines Fall 2001 11 Food Packing 2001, Record Beat Again by Pat Nagorka, Food Committee Chair

Can you believe the record Greeneisen, Nancy and Roger count one of these days), the crumbled for a second year in a Gomas, Susan Junkin and only hitch was that what row? What a crew!!!! Either Richard Nolde, Glenn Kepler, seemed like an endless pile of the crew is really getting fast, Merle McDonald, Shirley and boxes and lids was not enough! was anxious for lunch, or was Grady Monk, Harriet Patton Thanks to you creative people working wonders because the (good to see you have made a for making tops out of bottoms. Mother of The Colorado Trail, good recovery from the acci- I may have to ask for help Gudy Gaskill, was present for dent, Harriet), Art Rankin, collecting boxes for next year. the first time. Whatever the Mae and Phil Smith and their We had time for lunch reason, the food piles were niece, Jessie (what a hard- and relaxation, but we never completed before 10 A.M. The working young woman), and got a group photo. Sorry for workers had to be forced to Denise Wright. It was also the that. Thank each of you for take a breath and get a drink first time for Charolette giving up a day of a holiday before stage two: packing the Aycrigg, who showed she weekend. That is real dedica- food in boxes. Gudy, even could sort, carry, and pack with tion. The trail crews thank you, though this was her first time the best of them. The weather and I thank you. And, don’t here, showed she has had lots was very cooperative, warm but forget, some of this food is of experience when it comes to not hot, no wind or rain, just donated. Those companies need sorting and packing. What a right. The food was packed, your thanks and support in pro! stored, or put in the cars of the return. See the list of donating The rest of the crew, 20 leaders, and the day was done companies on page 13. in all, included Marilyn and by 11:30 A.M. Aside from a few Rick Eiesle, Marilyn miscalculations (I will learn to

Harriet Patton, all boxed in!

12 Tread Lines Fall 2001 THE FOLLOWING COMPANIES GENEROUSLY DONATED FOOD TO COLORADO TRAIL CREWS FOR 2001

It should be noted that most of these companies have supported Colorado Trail crews for several years, getting more generous every year.

Alamos Distributors, Inc. — John Amerman Mi Ranchito Tortilla Chips

Archway Cookies, Inc. — Bob Hollomeyer Many Varieties of Cookies

Frito Lay — Consumer Affairs Discount Coupons

King Soopers — Russ Dispense, President Merchandise Certificates

Kuner Empson Co. — Damian Harrison Corn ’N Peppers, Peas, Corn

Madhava Honey, Ltd. — Greg Gerbore Honey Bears

Nestles Food Co. — Dave Greer Hot Chocolate, Candy, Tea, Instant Coffee

Peaberry Coffee Ltd. — Julie Jockman Fresh Ground Coffee

Reckitt Benckiser, Inc. — Lyn Feloa French Fried Onion Rings

Rocky Mountain Foods — Dave Greenhouse Trail Mix, Hard Candy

As always, it is a pleasure to work with these companies that support our trail crews. Please do your part and buy their products whenever possible. We sincerely apologize to Madhava Honey for leaving them off the list last year. THANK YOU ALL. Pat Nagorka, Food Committee Chair.

Tread Lines Fall 2001 13 Trail Crew Weekend 1 Report South Platte Reroute, June 9-10, 2001 by Gudy Gaskill, Crew Leader

The weekend was bright and Denver Water Board dwellings. Paul Sorensen, Rosie Schler, cheery, and a lot was accom- Equipment was carried in by hand, Grady Monk, Sue Miller, Aaron plished! The new reroute of the powered wheelbarrow, and a hand Michelman, Daniel and Domin- CT that crosses only Forest wheelbarrow. Water was drawn ique Hershberger, Michelle Service lands was linked on the from the Denver Water Board’s Glade, Katie Foss, Rachael upper end with the old CT trail by wells, and the tent city was put up Bray, Tracy Cochran, and leader noon on Sunday. Because there a quarter mile south of the bridge. Gudy Gaskill. Additionally, were so many experienced crew Our thanks go to the hard- there were five members from the members, the crew charged ahead working CTF and Colorado CMC crew. Thanks go to Grady on Saturday morning and went Mountain Club crews. CTF crew Monk, Tracy Cochran, and Bill right to work. The camp was set participants included Bill Bloomquist for overseeing up on Friday by Grady Monk, Bloomquist, Jan Wyland, Ray sections of the work. It was a George Miller, Merle Wormell, Katie Walker and her hard-working crew. McDonald, and me beyond the dad Ken Walker, Amy Turnbull,

Trail Crew 0401 Report Cochetopa Hills 1, June 30-July 7, 2001 by Phil Smith, Crew Leader

This crew worked in the in the Saguache area, we invite the they were finished and brought Cochetopa Hills of the Rio Grande camp host at Buffalo Pass, Jean, to them to the campground. National Forest, between our evening meals. She seems to Two of the men were Saguache and Gunnison. enjoy the dining out with the crew “repeats” from our crews in past Small, but mighty, describes this members, and she helps around years, Stan Barnes and Charles crew! My, did they work! Stan the camp. Some of our crew Miller. The crew repaired two Barnes (Nathrop, Colorado), members have stayed in the switchbacks on Sunday and Mike Magnan (Mesa, Arizona), campground either before crew Monday, and reconstructed two on Charles Miller (Georgetown, time or after. The Colorado Trail Tuesday, one on Thursday, and Massachusetts), plus me and my Treks also use the campground. another on Friday, for a total of wife Mae Smith regis- six for the week, covering a tered for the crew, but by total of 897 feet. Sunday we gained My wife, Mae, prepared the another fellow, John meals for the crew. The Tate (Fairfax, Virginia). food was great as usual. John had been doing We were fortunate to have some hiking in the area good weather, with the and met the volunteer exception of some hail and camp host, Jean Ward, rain one day. It was quite at the Buffalo Pass warm all week. Wednes- Campground. She talked day, of course, was our to John about the crew, “day off,” and each did his and he decided to join us. or her own thing. We were Trail Crew 0401 He was an experienced pleased to have Stan’s wife trail builder, having worked on the Jean has taken crew members to join us for dinner that night. Appalachian Trail. trailheads so they can walk part of Whenever we have a crew the trail and picked them up when

14 Tread Lines Fall 2001 Trail Crew 0201 Report Mt. Elbert Maintenance, June 16-23, 2001 by Phil Smith, Crew Leader This crew worked at the base of This energetic crew If so, be sure to invite Stan Barnes Mt. Elbert, in the Leadville groomed 2,000 feet of trail, to your crew. This year, he Ranger District of the Pike/San completed 2,395 feet of new tread, brought a pocket level to my Isabel National Forest. This part is and did 1,689 feet of ditch crews — to check out a part of the my adopted trail. Volunteers came cleanout. So, much was accom- trail that was done last year that from a wide variety didn’t seem to of places. Those have the participating were proper slant. Bob Ballou (Pueblo, He also used Colorado), Stan the level this Barnes (Nathrop, year to check Colorado), Ryan our tread to Crapo (Littleton, make sure it Colorado), Karen was slanted Elder (Albuquerque, when he New Mexico), couldn’t Harlene Gilson determine that (Farmington Hills, by eyesight! In Michigan), Dianne some cases, Hagerman (Arvada, this level was Colorado), Renee a big help to Jones (Lakewood, me as crew Colorado), Ann leader. Keller (Carbondale, Trail Crew 0201 Thanks, Stan! Colorado), Richard My wife, Hinkel (Steamboat Springs, plished in this needy area where Mae, and her helper, Bob, pre- Colorado), Linda Kline (Arvada, water does a considerable amount pared all the meals for the crew. Colorado), John Marksbury of damage to the trail. The food was great (so the crew (Olathe, Kansas), Paul We had heard by the “grapevine” members said). Everyone pitched Marksbury (Manhattan, Kansas), that pack horses were having in doing the little tasks around Jack Mayer (Toledo, Ohio), trouble with the south end of this camp and the evening dishes. Nancy Murray (Arvada, Colo- section of the trail. Our work was The weather was very rado), Dean Powers (Fort Collins, approaching this part of the trail, warm, and we had some pleasant Colorado), Phil and Mae Smith so when we had finished building evenings around the campfire. (Castle Rock, Colorado), Clara the new tread down the hill we Thornton (Chicago, Illinois), and started on this “grapevine” Lisa Witt (Columbus, Ohio) — project. We cut down 39 trees, 6 19 hard workers! Three of the men inches or more in diameter, in two were “repeats” from our crews in days. We also took out two huge past years, Bob Ballou, Stan rocks and cleared brush from the Barnes, and John Marksbury. John side of the trail. In some areas we had so much fun last year that he made new three-foot tread. talked his son, Paul, into coming Special note to crew with him this year. We still do not leaders: Have you ever had know if Paul came to stop his dad problems making sure that the trail from talking about going or what. had the proper slant or was level?

Tread Lines Fall 2001 15 Trail Crew 0701 Report New Culverts Near Cache Creek, July 7-14, 2001 by Jon Greeneisen, Crew Leader

Crew 0701 was assigned to and the Monk clan (Grady, Jim, the new bypass south of Twin improve the new reroute between and Ryan) rerouted a stream and Lakes is in good condition. Twin Lakes and Clear Creek Road installed one of the culverts. Ken Everyone pitched in to make it that now bypasses the tough Swierenga’s team of Bev an enjoyable week for all. trudge up over Hope Pass. We Gherardini, Dewey Hill, Don Marylin Greeneisen supervised followed up on the work of Van Wyke, and Dale Zoetewey the kitchen, but the Monks and George Miller’s two crews last built the other culvert. The rock Gomases (Roger and grandson summer. Our biggest job was to and gravel team included Bill Mitch Brown) rose early every build two culverts to resolve Preston, Paul and Sandy Njaa, morning to make the coffee and serious bogs where hikers would and Josh Conover. The team of prepare super breakfasts. Ryan often sink in over their boot tops. Rolly Rogers, Susan Miner, Monk and Mitch Brown caught a Clearly, the Cache Creek crew Grey Owl Barrett, and Bob couple fish that they baked on the was up to the task. Plastic pipes Seklemian pruned and cut foliage campfire to share as appetizers were delivered Monday morning, to open the canopy that engulfed before dinner. We had interesting and by quitting time on Tuesday the CT. evenings around the campfire with horse-proof culverts were in place During the second half of the everyone sharing stories. Grey that should serve for many years week we improved two miles of Owl played great songs on his to come. Not only was it one of the trail between the Forest harmonica, and most nights ended those projects that required Service road and Clear Creek with raucous card games of “99.” removal of a foot or more of muck Road. This included constructing The Cache Creek crew in the to get down to firm ground, but a section of new trail to bypass summer of 2001 was another good also we had to bring in rock and several large campsites, slashing CT outing. Thunderstorms held scrounge some distance away for in a mile of jeep trail to reduce the off until late afternoon, there were gravel and good soil. trail to one track, cutting good times in the camp in a grove Because of limited work space numerous drains, installing of giant aspens, and we in the dense forest, the crew signposts, and widening the trail accomplished a lot in improving a worked in several teams. Roger on the steep slope above Clear section of The Colorado Trail. Gomas’s team of Mitch Brown Creek Road. We can report that

New Colorado Trail information kiosk at Durango trailhead beside Junction Creek

16 Tread Lines Fall 2001 Tread Lines Fall 2001 17 Trail Crew 0801 Report Spanish King Mine, July 7-14, 2001 by Ken Marshall, Crew Leader, with Lee Paternoster, Crew Member Trail Crew 0801 set off for the crew began to get acquainted, elk-man-like noises heard the Spanish King Mine in the beauti- and Harvard Townsend broke night before. ful San Juan Mountains early on out the guitar. In the wee hours of Every morning the early Saturday, July 7. We traveled the our first night, many of the crew hikers saw herds of elk as the two hours to our trailhead, with a reported hearing some very hikers made their way to the trail lunch stop in Hermosa Park. Then strange noises in and near our repair area some two miles the hard part began. We had to camp. Some said they were sure it away. One morning the count make a two-mile backpack into was a moose. Others believed it to totaled 77 elk. What a great our campsite. be a herd of elk. One crew mem- section of trail we traveled each However, the campsite ber (Ken Stagner) described it as day! was absolutely beautiful. We had more nearly the sound of “a very Monday and Tuesday we views of the Wilson Range, with old, obese man clearing his lungs installed water bars, improved Wilson Peak, Wilson Mountain, after a long night of very heavy switchbacks, and cut out some and El Diente in sight behind drinking.” huge deadfalls that had blocked Lizard Head Peak to the west, and Sunday was a day of the trail. If you hike this trail and Sneffels Mountain to the introduction to trail crew work, see a saw cut about 10 feet in the north. And to the south we could but most of the crew just settled in air, you will know that strange see the LaPlatas and all the and brought a second load of gear things happen when chain saws mountains in between. Wow! into camp. Some of the crew hiked are present. Thanks to the U.S. Forest to our work site just to make sure Wednesday was our day Service crew, our social and cook they could hack the one-hour off. Some of the crew climbed tents were up and even the canopy uphill hike to the part of the trail nearby Hermosa Peak, and others was in place, ready for us in case where we were to work. The maps hiked all the way to Blackhawk of rain. Life was Goooood! It produced by the All Topo CD- Mountain and made it to the top. wasn’t long before the crew ROM program gave us all a good Others hiked back to the trailhead assignment sheet was completely look at the trail from our camp to to take out dirty laundry and to filled and everyone had their daily Blackhawk Mountain. The rest of resupply their camp needs. chores chosen, tents were up, and the day was spent speculating on Each night after dinner the dinner was ready. After supper, the source of the strange moose- Continued on page 19

Trail Crew 0801

18 Tread Lines Fall 2001 Trail Crew 1001 Report Copper Mountain Reroute 3, July 14-12, 2001 Glenn W. Kepler, Crew Leader by Chuck Morlock, Crew Member

What a wonderful week it was! Souza from Colorado Springs, and Nate Roth from Lakewood, Twenty-three people from Califor- the team of Becky Schwartz and Colorado, and Anne Allen also nia to New Jersey, from Texas to Michelle Wengert from Lake- from Lakewood. Finally, head Michigan, aged 16 to 70+, met at wood. Branches, bushes, and chef Jan Egan (Glenn’s sister) Copper Mountain as strangers (a roots were lopped off by Sherry from Pennsylvania supervised merging of American Hiking Pollan from Texas. Finished tread food preparation and kept all Society volunteers and CTF was completed by Jim Clancy stomachs satisfied. (She also volunteers) and made their com- from Michigan, Rob Price from worked on trail construction.) bined mark on the land as well as Wisconsin, Tony Rudinski from The entire crew wishes to on each other’s lives. Under the Illinois, Rusty Sturm from compliment The Colorado Trail supervision of Glenn Kepler and Illinois, and the young team of Foundation on its exceptional his able assistant (and daughter) Nancy Kelly and Jessi Birenz preparation and to thank Glenn for Sandra, a half-mile of new trail from New Jersey. The rock his witty, unflappable, energetic, was completed, including a removal team of Ken Aab and and proficient leadership. We all footbridge.Though all worked on Andy Hanks, both from Califor- appreciated the opportunity to several different trail assignments, nia, saved many older backs from enjoy Colorado’s beauty and some found niches and injury. The bridge crew included contribute to the CTF’s important specialized. Rough tread was the indomitable septuagenarian work. To view some pictures of established by Dave Eugene LaBrec (Glenn’s father- the crew at work, visit Chuck’s Abercrombie from Virginia, in-law) from Arvada, Colorado, Backpacking Bonanza at http:// Matt Hogue from Denver, Rich Chuck Morlock from Illinois, the members.aol.com/CMorHiker/ Kelly from New Jersey, Dave father-and-son team of Rich and backpack.

Crew 0801, continued from page 18 music sheets were passed out, and sounds of laughter as someone lost half miles of trail with some 50 Harvard and Dana Townsend out and was sent off to bed! I water bars, several improved led us in song or Ken Stagner guess we didn’t work them hard switchbacks, more than a ton of entertained us with poems by enough! rock removed with single jack Robert Service. What a memory Thursday night was hammers and chisels, hundreds of that guy has! Mark Santa-Maria Awards Night, and no one escaped trees trimmed, miles of berm brought his beautiful chocolate being awarded an removed, and many deadfalls cut lab, “CT” along for the week. He “appropriate recognition” whether out. Reports from through-hikers provided free chair-warming and they wanted it or not. Kathy later in the month marveled at the plate-cleaning services and Force was awarded the “Kitchen great condition of the trail.Thanks amused us all as he slid on his Queen” tiara, with earrings to to one of the greatest trail crews of belly down snow fields and chased match, for her dedication to the all time! Crew 0801 in the year his tail (CT, not Mark). It wasn’t cook tent. Then Gary Mason, our 2001 is rated an outstanding until Wednesday night that the Forest Service guy, was given a “TEN”! My thanks to each and gang got back to that dreaded card bubble toy to keep him busy as he every one of the crew and espe- game “Ninety-nine” and the night strolled along the trail keeping an cially Sandy Shalley, who came air was disturbed by songs of eye on us. Just kidding — he is to Durango three days early to “GoodNight Irene” wafting from one really great guy to have with help this ’ole guy get things ready! the social tent. As trail crew us! leader, it was gratifying to see the When the week ended, we lights in the tent and hear the had improved some two and one-

Tread Lines Fall 2001 19 Trail Crew 0901 Report Carson Saddle, July 14-21, 2001 Bill Bloomquist, Crew Leader by Kirk Meekins, Crew Member On July 14 we celebrated Bastille both east and west of Carson be working in a gorgeous alpine Day by traveling up the Saddle. Our first day on the trail setting. treacherous Wager Gulch Road started immediately below Coney Our crew showed its cohesion southwest of Lake City. We were Summit at the highest point on the not only on the trail but also on our way to the Carson City entire Colorado Trail. The work around camp. Everyone ghost town to participated eagerly camp for a week of in setting up and work on The maintaining camp. Colorado Trail at Despite the hard Carson Saddle. work, there was Our crew ranged ample time to enjoy in age from 17 to the scenery and the 70-something. We companionship of had a good mix of our fellows. rookies and Apparently the grizzled veteran work was not too trail builders. Our hard. Several of the crew members crew climbed came from all over 14,000-foot peaks the United States. on Wednesday. Colorado, Texas, One jeepful even Michigan, Nevada, left camp at 4:30 Trail Crew 0901 on the CT about a mile west of Carson Saddle. Ohio, and A.M. Photo taken by Bill Bloomquist Louisiana were Front row (kneeling): Susan Hobbie, Rhiannon Mercer, Angelo Podagrosi, Larry Mack represented. We Marilyn Palmer, Elfriede Shoemaker, Bill Bloomquist and his assistant had students from Top row (standing): Steve Espinoza, Michael Espinoza, Allen Kallenbach, Richard Conger high schools, Kirk Meekins, Mark Santa-Maria, Pauline Robey, Dave Flikkema, Bridget Reilly, led the preparation universities, and Carol Johnson, Mary Anderson, Larry Mack, Richard Conger, Linda Foss of breakfast early medical schools, teachers, a was strenuous, but everyone every morning. Thanks to their retired minister, an investor, a managed to have a good time. efforts and the help of the lunch postal worker, a video producer, Some of the hardest work was prep crew, we were out of camp an occupational therapist, and a simply getting from our camp to by 7:00 A.M. each day. We had retired rocket scientist. In addition the work sites. Each day involved only a little rain and thunderstorm we were lucky to have singer/ a climb of at least 1,400 vertical activity, but the early start helped songwriter Carol Johnson with us. feet and a mile or two of hiking. us beat the weather. General good Carol wrote and recorded “The Susan Hobbie, Richard Conger, cheer and bright smiles were Colorado Trail” song. Mark Santa-Maria, and Bill provided by novice trail builders Despite our variety of navigated a couple miles of Bridget Reilly and Rhiannon backgrounds and careers, we extremely questionable road with Mercer. Some astoundingly shared a love for the Colorado their 4x4s. Many of the crew rode smooth tread was produced by our high country and an eagerness to along and held on tight. The wiser dirt artisan Steve Espinoza. work hard to help others enjoy the ones hiked. Carol Johnson’s guitar and beauty of The Colorado Trail. The beautiful scenery and beautiful voice led us in song Under the leadership of novice long views above tree line more around the campfire most crew boss Bill Bloomquist, the than compensated us for our minor evenings. She brought along crew worked hard and effectively hardships. We all felt privileged to Continued on page 21

20 Tread Lines Fall 2001 Trail Crew 1401 Report Highline Trail, July 21-28, 2001 by Ted La May, Crew Leader

We had a perfect spot for our to cover a little more than five country but were back by 2 P.M. camp on the Highline Trail miles of trail: installing treated for the safety and training session, portion of The Colorado Trail, wood water bars, constructing where we concentrated on install- situated in a saddle along the trail rolling dips where considered ing our treated post water bars. with a spectacular view of the feasible, and removing the outside The crew picked up the process Hermosa backcountry and off in berm on about one-half mile of rapidly, completing three water the distance the majestic peaks of trail. As planned, the crew arrived bars during the training. the Weminuche Wilderness. The on Saturday and we drove to For the first time in a few recent upgrading of camp equip- camp. Because the camp was years, we were able to have a ment through the efforts of already set up, the crew had the campfire, making camp much George Miller made for a delight- opportunity to set up their tents more enjoyable. It’s around the ful and enjoyable camp with most and get acquainted. Sunday, many campfires that the stories are told, of the comforts of home. Lavern of the people took a hike to see the the jokes are laughed at, and you Nelson constructed the find out the interesting Taj Mahal of showers details about people and and brought it up to what makes them tick. camp for the crews to One of the things we ask use. Although Lavern around the campfire is was not a member of our for the crew members to crew, he gave us great tell a little about them- support by coming up on selves. Gerald Fall is Wednesday with milk, from Frisco, Texas, and eggs, ice, and moral has been on many crews. support. Jerry Fall An Air Force General came in from Texas early when he retired, Jerry and with the help of our then got a law degree Forest Service liaisons and practiced law until a Gary Mason and Cody Trail Crew 1401 few years ago. George Top row (standing, left to right): Paul Newendorp, John Watt, Layton, Lavern, and me, Richard Townsend, George Fenimore, Gerald Fall, Finemore came all the we set up camp early to Jim McIntosh, James "JJ" Kleckner way from Benton, protect our claim on this Middle row: Richard Greve, Hollie Irvin Pennsylvania, to be on popular site. Kneeling: Ted La May, Pat La May, Bobby Henderson, the crew. This was The original goal we Carol Tyx, Harry Hance George’s first Colorado Not Pictured: Bob Herbst, Larry Mack set for our two crews was Continued on page 26

Crew 0901, continued from page 20 friends and relatives to help on the transporting people and keeping Labrador retriever puppy (named trail. Dave Flikkema and the camp well supplied. Kirk CT). And yes, broken chairs can Marilyn Palmer were part of the Meekins and Pauline Robey dug be fixed if you have enough duct Johnson contingent. Mark the world’s deepest and straightest tape. Santa-Maria was a great help in pit. They were apparently seeking Everyone on the crew made keeping the leader from forgetting gold. Mark also was our resident important contributions to the trail all the important stuff. He did experimental scientist. The load and in camp. We had a fine time more than his share of transporting limit of a camp chair IS 225 making some fine trail. camp gear to and from the job. pounds. Mark attributed chair Susan Hobbie also helped with failure to his 20-pound chocolate

Tread Lines Fall 2001 21 Trail Crew 1101 Report: “Under the Boardwalk” Copper Mountain Reroute 4, July 21-28, 2001 Stan Ward, Crew Leader by Tom Brooksher, Crew Member “Under the Boardwalk” would be There were several members who bringing her daughter Sarah and a fitting theme song for Crew inexplicably signed on again in nephew Brian Stevens, who 1101’s week of delightful toil on spite of being worked to exhaus- traveled all the way from the side of Copper Mountain from tion on Stan’s crew the previous Bellhaven, North Carolina. For July 21 through 28. Like the two years: Jerry Anderson, Tom Sarah, this was her third CT trail Drifters’ hit song, the crew spent Brooksher, Bob Hunter, Rolly crew, qualifying her as possibly much of its week under three Rogers, Ernie Svetec, Frank the most experienced 10-year-old boardwalks, building their founda- Szvetecz, and Paul Wicks. Rolly trail builder in the world! tions as well as cutting new trail brought son John on the crew The crew also boasted two toward completion of Ernie after working previous 2001 crews Littleton Lions: Chris Carr, who Werren’s five-mile Copper with a daughter and granddaugh- graduated from Littleton High Mountain reroute. With just ter. Brothers Ernie and Frank School last spring, and Theresa enough lumber to complete the top joined brother-in-law Stan again Likarish, who volunteered to earn of one of the boardwalks, the this year but left brother Ed at hours toward the community remaining two were left for later home (who, when asked to come, service requirement of Littleton’s crews to turn into finished ground- allegedly said, “Are you nuts? I International Baccalaureate level footbridges over sensitive slept on the ground and dug holes program. wetlands. for 30 years in the infantry. Go Completing the crew was knock yourselves out. I’ll be here many-time crew member and CT Camp was Ready — The Prin- in my warm bed.”). Tom swapped office volunteer Bev Gherardini, cess Was on Her Throne. son Andy, who had been on the and Mark Santa-Maria of The crew invaded the camp crew the previous two years, for Temperance, Michigan, a veteran established literally in the shad- younger brother Kyle, mainly in of more than 20 CT crews, ows of the Timberline Express ski an attempt to increase the quality including six this summer. lift on Saturday afternoon. Crew of the camp’s entertainment. And leader Stan Ward, who arrived on Paul Wicks returned from merrie Time Off on Sunday. Really? Friday under the pretense of olde England after a year’s After a restful Saturday, thanks to having to help with weekend absence. As you’ll recall, last year the fact that we didn’t have to set crews on the reroute, and Kitchen Paul sent his parents, crew favor- up camp, the crew toured the work Master, the Divine Princess Sue ites Alan and Cheryl, to take his site on Sunday morning. Stan Palmer, had the camp organized place. Paul insisted they had a impressed on the recruits that the and ready when the crew arrived. good time, but it seemed suspi- impending work would be strenu- It didn’t take long to see the real cious to the rest of the crew that ous, owing to the fact that much reason Stan came up early: to set they didn’t return if they had such digging would be required to set a up his tent on the comfy deck of a “good time.” Well, at least Paul, base sturdy enough to support the the T-Rex Grill, where he could unlike you know who, made it to 344 boards weighing more than keep an eye on his “wards” while camp on time! 10 tons that would compose the keeping his boots and booty dry. In addition to returning three boardwalks. He also pointed Sue had to come in on Friday to members, newcomers to Stan’s out that some of the 344 boards get her new 36-room tent set up crew also displayed a distinct weighed as much as 164 pounds and her “What Part of Princess family theme. Weldon and Linda each. Stan’s overview of the Don’t You Understand?” plaque Hyde from Fredonia, Kansas, project proved too much for hung outside the cook tent. made Crew 1101 their second of Weldon, Bob, and Jerry, who The remainder of the crew the summer. And veteran crew threw down their packs and spent consisted of hardened and fun- volunteer Cindy Johnson made it the afternoon getting a head start loving trail-building veterans. an extended family experience, on the first boardwalk.

22 Tread Lines Fall 2001 Then Monday Morning Came. boardwalks. The lumber was work with help from Jerry, Mark, Shortly after sunup the next day, there, we thought, to finish all and Paul when they could be the crew charged out and began three. But, no. Only enough was spared from the boardwalk flinging dirt, rocks, and lumber in available to build one boardwalk. construction. anticipation of building three Can you believe we had to boardwalks, only to discover that Missing Lumber: What to Do? use trigonometry on the trail? it was a few boards shy — more Then, to our consternation we The work of laying out, digging, than 150! It seems that a series of discovered that more than half the and securing the sills and blocking calamities had befallen the Forest decking was entirely missing and that form the boardwalk founda- Service and Copper Mountain in most of the balance was still at the tions proved to be a deceptively their gallant attempt to transport each-day ever-farther-away complex and difficult process. The the 344 pieces weighing more western boardwalk. The “missing” boardwalks were 40' and 50' long than 10 tons of lumber up the decking was found about four and set on a series of 4" x 12" x 5' mountain, then down to one of the miles away. After much hand- treated wood sills each weighing three boardwalk sites. Despite waving discussion, it was deter- 85 pounds and spaced 5' apart. Copper Mountain’s Sam Parker’s mined that if the USFS (we were These “on-the-ground-bridges” gallant efforts, a broken snow cat, lucky to have Kim Hesh, a really spanned uneven topography that a disabled ski lift, and a sick ATV good person to have around) could required each sill to be built up to all conspired to leave Crew 1101 bring them to the campsite (about a unique height so the 164-pound well short of the materials needed a half-mile from the building site), beams could be placed across to complete the three boardwalks. they could be carried by (guess them to support the plank deck. What had been delivered, who?) the crew, and we could get They had to be square. No paral- however, had to be lugged up-hill one boardwalk completely done. lelograms allowed! In addition, and about one-half mile to the So, Kim agreed to deliver the because all three boardwalks sit farthest boardwalk site! Thank- missing planks to the campsite on on ski runs, they were designed to fully, last-year crew member Jay Thursday evening. But we still be sturdy enough to withstand the Cullen from Atlanta and five of had to carry the planks one-half weight of 10-ton snow cats, which his friends from Georgia showed mile away from the first board- will drive over them regularly up Monday morning to lug about walk too. Muscle beach it became! during the ski season, grooming 125 boards, boxes and boxes of By Friday afternoon, we the runs. This necessitated the screws and nails, and angles and a thought we had one boardwalk installation of four heavy steel generator and many electrical fully completed. Okay!! But, we angles at each sill-to-beam con- tools — more than four tons in all. had miscounted the number nection, plus cross braces every 5'. Without their help, we might still needed by ONE 50-pound deck The structural complexity and be there carrying! Then we plank. So Friday night Sue P. and accuracy involved would have discovered that one very important Stan clandestinely “requisitioned” taxed a crew of mere mortal 164-pound structural beam was one from the stash being as- volunteers, but luckily Crew 1101 missing. It was located four miles sembled for Ernie Werren’s had Super Ernie . . . a retired civil away. The Forest Service brought following crew, and on Saturday, engineer . . . to oversee the project it to the campsite. But how to Rolly, Jerry, Ernie, and Stan and direct the five dozen or so carry it one-half mile on a rocky lugged it in so we could finish our self-appointed junior engineers game trail? Frank provided a week with at least one fully who tried their best to make the brilliant solution. He got his completed structure. And finish it job more difficult! But Ernie mountain bike and rigged it to they did! persevered, and with the help of carry the beam. Worked like a While all the boardwalk some not so quickly calculated charm, it did! activities were going on, we also square roots, and a hypotenuse Undaunted, Crew 1101 pioneered the new tread laid out here and there, the boardwalk dug in (so to speak) and over the by Ernie Werren, extending the foundations were square and set course of the week persisted in reroute more than 2,000 feet on its with all the precision possible digging holes and moving way to join the existing trail in when you’re working on the side humongous rocks and getting the Guller Gulch. Theresa, Chris, Bev, of a mountain. wood foundations set for all three Cindy, and Sarah did most of this Tread Lines Fall 2001 23 Highlights of the Week

• A special cameo appearance from 2000 crew member Jay Cullen (and five friends from Georgia), who put in a half-day moving tons of the cumbersome lumber and fasteners one-half mile and uphill. It was equivalent to carrying a fully loaded Jeep Grand Cherokee! • Nailing 6" spikes into a deck plank and signing it for posterity! • The wonderful cook tent, crew tent, and canopy setup, which was on level ground, and built and organized to support four weeks of crews; we even had carpet on the floor. • “CT” (yep, named for the trail itself), Mark’s 15-week-old chocolate Lab puppy, which had spent half of his life on The Colorado Trail by the time camp opened. • One word from Paul: Guinness (Stout). • Great food thanks to Princess Sue, and, luckily for Brian, lots of it. • Warmth from a brand-new Three-Dog shepherd stove, which came in particularly handy on Thursday when the crew was forced off the trail for nearly three hours after laboring in a driving rain. • Then, two words from Paul: beef jerky. Do all Englishmen crave this stuff? • New tools that practically did the work for us. (OK, that’s a little bit of an exaggeration, but they sure are nice.) • The trek to a local thrift shop. • Two words from all: warm showers (at the Copper Mountain Recreation Club … thank you, Copper Mountain!!!!!) • Two nights of ice cream made by Kyle, ably assisted by Brian, taking over from big brother Andy, who was the honorary ice cream turner the previous two years. • Kids playing games. (Sarah – age 10 — and Paul – age 27 — still aren’t on speaking terms!) • A visit from Cindy’s husband Albert, and five-year-old son Erick, who stopped by on Wednesday so Albert and Brian could enjoy a round of lost golf balls and stayed for Rolly’s bet-you-can’t-eat-this- without-drinking-a-lot-of-water chili. • A glorious trip to Hot Sulphur Springs on Wednesday to soak all the soreness away. • A windstorm on Wednesday afternoon that moved the canopy three feet and blew over Ernie’s tent. (If you’re driving along I-70 and see any tent stakes on the highway, please return them to Ernie.) • A bagpipe march to start each day and a bagpipe rendition of “Amazing Grace” to end each day, thanks to Frank’s boom box and penchant for everything Scottish. • A sing-along evening led by Weldon’s melodic base voice and Tom’s guitar. • Kyle’s astoundingly professional one-man lawn chair drill team performance set to the bagpipe marching music to open the annual aWards evening festivities.

And, of Course, the Crew’s Annual aWards Ceremony As in past years, they ranged from sincere and touching to downright silly. Notable gifts and their recipients included:

• Mark (and Paul) — wigs for the Remember When You Had Hair aWard from Sue. • Frank — the Deer Antler Root aWard from Brian. • John — the Mustache Bobby Pin aWard from Linda. Handlebars run amok! • Tom — the Colorado Trail Father of the Year aWard from Frank. • Sue — a Princess Collection Cassette from Bob and an anonymous 10-year-old donor. • Bob — the All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten aWard from Weldon. • Brian — an All Inclusive Rafting set, including a (soup ladle) paddle, gloves, patent leather day bag, and one-piece girl’s bathing suit from Kyle. • Stan — the Here He Comes Fastest Hiker Hat from Jerry. • Kyle — Washing powder and the keys to a Ford Explorer (thanks Chris!) from Paul. You had to be there!

24 Tread Lines Fall 2001 • Sarah — a pair of Sue’s Custom-Made Earrings from John for her quality work, and a Future Princess Pill from Frank. (Don’t take it before your 16th birthday, Sarah!) • Chris — a This Is Chris’s Brain poster from Theresa. • Weldon — a College Algebra Textbook for performing boardwalk trigonometry calculations from Ernie. • Bob — the Straight Arrow aWard from Chris. • Paul — Beef Jerky to Go with His Wig aWard from Sue. • Jerry — the Gray Hypotenuse aWard from Tom. • Bev — the Favorite Trail Crew Person aWard from Rolly. • Theresa — the Person I Most Want to Be Like When I Grow Up aWard from Sarah. • Rolly — a Map So He Won’t Get Her Lost Again from Cindy. • Ernie — a Homemade T Square and a flask of suspiciously brown liquid from Bev. • Brian — the Teammate aWard from Frank. • Linda — the Miracle Shrinking 5 Gallon Bucket aWard from Stan.

The ceremony culminated with Stan and Frank presenting Rolly with a Lifetime Achievement Award — a mountain-shaped rock signed by the whole crew — and with Sue presenting Stan and Frank with cut-glass kaleidoscopes for their continued leadership of the crew. We worked hard and we had lots of fun too, but doesn’t anyone remember how to manually calculate a square root?

Trail Crew 1101, ranging in age from 10 to 73, got a lot done!

Tread Lines Fall 2001 25 Crew 1401, continued from page 21 Richard was at one time Carol’s in this area keeps bisecting the professor, and they became good road, so the signs get vandalized Trail crew, although George has friends. Carol was leaving the frequently. worked on other trails. George Midwest and wanted to see By Thursday we were cover- was a big equipment operator for Colorado before moving back ing a lot of ground as portions of the state of New Jersey. George east. They both said they had a the trail were in good shape and came out with Richard Greve, an great experience. My wife Pat and on flat terrain. Some of the crew old hand on The Colorado Trail. Carol were the only women on were working out of camp and Richard is from Mount Holly, this crew. It would have been nice making good progress to the south New Jersey, and was a college to have more women on this crew. of camp. The weather stayed nice, professor. Harry Hance was the The last member on the crew was so we were able to get a lot done. third part of the trio. Harry had an John Watt. John has been an old Friday was the final day, so interesting job doing research on standby with The Colorado Trail, we pushed hard to reach a goal we animals. James (J.J.) Kleckner not only on trail crews but also as set for ourselves. The end result has been working on Colorado a trail adopter and trail host. John was we covered about 3 and ½ Trail crews for 12 years. J.J. is a comes from Fruita, Colorado. miles of trail, constructed 55 retired Air Force pilot, who calls Bob Herbst, a teacher from treated wood water bars and 10 Minturn home so he can be close Carthage, Missouri, was able to rolling dips, and removed the to good skiing. J.J. brought his spend two days with the crew but berm from 800 feet of trail. This grandson Bobby Henderson with had to leave early because of other was about a half-mile more trail him. Bobby is in high school in commitments. This was Bob’s than we had planned and meant Lakewood. By far the youngest first crew. He was interested in that we needed to lay out more member of our crew, he was how The Colorado Trail Founda- trail for the next crew coming into everybody’s favorite on the crew. tion operated, and I believe he left the area. Working on Another member of the crew was with a good impression of our The Colorado Trail can be very Hollie Irvin, also from Frisco, trail. enjoyable when you have a crew Texas. This was Hollie’s third This was an older group on that works well together, everyone year on Colorado Trail crews. average, with 12 of our 16 mem- pitches in to help, and you feel Hollie is a retired petroleum bers being 60 or over. That did not you accomplished a great deal of geologist. Larry Mack returned stop us from getting a lot of work work that is a benefit to The for his umpteenth crew. Larry done. On Monday morning we Colorado Trail. likes to get up early, so he volun- started on the far end of the trail A special thank you goes to teers to cook breakfast. He’s a and started working back toward Gerald Fall, who stayed at the great cook and also works hard on camp. It was tough going because campsite the following week to the trail. Jim McIntosh was on some of the trail was deeply rutted keep an eye on the camp between his ninth crew. He not only and the vegetation was thick. crews and for the watermelons. volunteers for trail crews but helps Nevertheless, we had one of our Also, thanks go to Paul out with our Colorado Trail Host better days. Tuesday was the only Newendorp for his great signs. Program. It’s a real pleasure to day we lost some time to rainy have Paul Newendorp on our weather, but we still accomplished crew. Paul retired many years ago a lot. and volunteered with the South On Wednesday the troops Platte District of the Forest scattered to the wind, Durango for Service for nine years until he some, Mesa Verde for others, and moved to Estes Park, Colorado. hiking some of the trail for many. Richard Townsend came all the Paul Newendorp, who makes way from Greene, Maine, to work professional-quality signs, helped with his friend Carol Tyx. Carol install nine new Colorado Trail is in the process of leaving Iowa signs that he had made for the City, Iowa, and moving to Indiana. Foundation last winter. The trail

26 Tread Lines Fall 2001 Trail Crew 1501 Report: The Final Frontier Copper Mountain Reroute 6, August 4-11, 2001 Arthur Rankin, Crew Leader by Elana Rogers, Crew Member At an elevation of 10,500 feet, teers pounded away at the earth. made a heartfelt decision to join high above the Copper Mountain As some expected, large roots and The Colorado Trail Foundation in Ski Resort, Arthur Rankin, trail boulders greeted us along the path. an effort to give something back. crew veteran of 15 years, led a Shannon Holub from Illinois “It took me six years to complete crew of 15 adventure-seeking used every muscle she had. “I like it, one week at a time. I had volunteers (a.k.a. Crew 1501). hard productive work,” she said. enjoyed hiking The Colorado Trail The mission? Build a new trail “I’ll be able to share this with my so much that I feel that I need to from scratch to finish the loop fourth-grade students in the Fall.” help maintain the trail so others around Copper Mountain (Seg- In the evenings, while can enjoy it as much as I did.” ment 8). With this new trail, lounging around the dancing When asked how she felt about hikers will be able to avoid campfire underneath the clusters the trail work, she responded, “I crossing Highway 91 and going of stars (when we could see them), didn’t realize it was going to be through Copper Mountain Village. some “first-timers” reflected on quite as much hard work, but there What a task! the day’s work. “You don’t have was a lot of good camaraderie Clint Britt from Texas, a trail to give 100 percent. You do the among the group. Everyone was crew veteran of nine years, best you can up there. You feel the pleasant. It was a good experi- commented, “This is the first time energy, and it’s all about team- ence.” we’ve had actual port-a-potties work,” said Daniel Boutellier. We had two husband-and- and lamps. The amenities are Amy Cox from Dallas replied, “If wife teams on our crew. Marty really nice.” Dick Carrier from I was doing this by myself, I and Ivy Kaminsky from the Minnesota, joining us on his would have quit a long time ago. Houston area were newly re- fourth trail crew, agreed, “The The older people are inspiring. cruited by Clint. They both facilities are much better than we They just go on and on.” Daniel agreed, “This was the hardest had before, such as bigger tents, agreed, “I hope I’m going to be in work we’ve ever done, but we’ve more cooking stoves, and a that good of shape when I’m that enjoyed meeting the various covered eating area.” In addition, age. It is inspiring.” Mike Dorio people, and it’s been an entertain- we were joined by Carol Clapp from Maryland offered his per- ing crew.” Mike and Betty from Texas, who had decided to spective, “I like the younger folks Brown, who were joined by Sally stay over from the previous week because they keep me young, but Stone, all from Arkansas, are of trail building to be our desig- so does staying active and having seasoned world travelers and have nated cook — and what a chef she a positive attitude.” Let’s not participated in similar trail- was! Thanks, Carol! forget his entertaining, framed building expeditions in their home Our days started at 6:30 A.M. quotation, “Remember to look at state and in Wyoming. “We like (ouch), followed by a mile-long the moon, talk to the smoke (my going to places we have never hike to our actual work site. The jacket smells of campfire), and gone to before and seeing who you mixture of different generations listen to the wind.” Also reflecting will meet.” and levels of experience came on her week was Gina Hammer Among the challenges of the together with one common goal: from Pennsylvania: “This has week were the constant rain, mud, to build this new trail. Amidst the been an interesting trip. The and unexpected hail that created tall evergreens, the polka-dotted people that come and do this are havoc for those of us with less mushrooms, and the swift foxes very resilient.” than amicable tents. I was one of and pine martens, some heavy- One such “first-timer” was the “lucky” ones who dreaded duty trail building was accom- Shirley Ward from Arvada, shoveling out several inches of plished. Using the Pulaskis and Colorado. We were all impressed water every time I approached my McLeods, which are now offi- to hear that she had hiked the tent. Under these circumstances, cially owned by the CTF, volun- entire Colorado Trail and had Continued on page 28

Tread Lines Fall 2001 27 Trail Crew 1601 Report Highline Trail 2, August 4-11, 2001 by Ted La May, Crew Leader Returning to our beautiful camp- maintenance than originally Colorado, was well represented ing site on the ridge between the planned. This meant that the with eight members on the crew, Dolores and Animas River drain- treated posts were being carried as four of whom are nurses at the age, we prepared for another far as 2½ miles by the end of the local hospital. Cathy Hoch, productive week of trail mainte- week. I never heard one person Kathleen Jones, and Linda nance and rehab. This crew was complain. I believe they really Johnson have been on two other much larger than Crew 1401, with enjoyed the challenge. It made me crews, while this was Toni 22 volunteers present for duty, all realize that I had an exceptional Mitchell’s first crew. Cathy talked of whom stayed the entire week, crew. her daughter Megan into volun- including breaking camp on The crew was composed of teering for this crew. It was Saturday. It proved to be a very Colorado residents with just two Megan’s first crew, and she had a productive week. The crew exceptions: Peter Owen, and great time. It’s so nice to see installed 63 treated wood water Bruce Thill, a retired chemist young people like Megan, Jeff, bars, 15 rolling dips, and 10 from Midland, Michigan. Pete is and Jay take an interest in The drainage dips, debermed 1,200 an old hand with The Colorado Colorado Trail. It’s our future. feet of trail, and rehabbed 1,000 Trail, while this was Bruce’s first Paul Jancar, Ray Dalen, Pat La feet of rutted trail. Because it crew experience. Bruce was a real May (my wife), and I made up the covered so much ground during wine connoisseur, which must rest of the locals. Paul is a builder the first part of the week, the crew have something to do with the in Durango and was on his first was able to accomplish more chemistry of grapes. Durango, Continued on page 29

Crew 1501, Continued from page 27 in the village. In some cases, our effort. Arthur’s car looked like it we hoped that our most precious sleeping bags were too wet to was headed to the Salvation Army items for the week (such as dry sleep in. These added benefits with all the leftover food crammed socks and playing cards) would helped make our lives much into every little crevice. Ironically not get wet. Thanks to some easier. Thank you, Copper Moun- this Saturday also turned out to be incredible teamwork, Clint, Dick, tain Village! the most gorgeous day of the Daniel, and Mike Brown came in On our day off, several of us week, with clear blue skies and to the rescue. With their com- enjoyed shopping and bicycling in temperatures in the mid-70s — off bined efforts to build tarps over Frisco and Breckenridge, while with the sweaters! Amy’s tent and my tent, our ships others took a less leisurely route. Without the guidance of were saved! Thanks, guys! Clint and Arthur decided to hike Arthur Rankin and the efforts of “That’s the way it should be on a to the top of Quandary Peak (at an the whole team, Segment 8 would trail crew,” said Mike Brown. elevation of 14,265 ft) — located not be complete. As a result of the Although we struggled with six miles southwest of crew’s combined efforts, the trail the mud, cold, and rain, we were Breckenridge. Clint commented, no longer passes through the urban fortunate enough to be offered “It took me a long time to do it, environment. All but the small free shower facilities down at the but I made it. It was a challenge.” portions of the reroute on each end Copper Mountain athletic club. I’ll say! were completed (as planned). This Everyone took advantage of this Our week ended with the new trail will be opened to hikers great opportunity, thus making our breakdown of the entire campsite. next year, thus allowing them a “roughing it” in the mountains Everything, including the kitchen, more scenic and undisturbed route more bearable. The hot shower the stoves, and the eating area, had high above the village. As Mike facilities gave everyone a tempo- to be relocated and set up by 3 P.M. Brown said, “More people need to rary escape and little reminders of by another crew that same after- do stuff like this — get off the home. Some of us also took noon. It was amazing all of the couch and get into the woods.” advantage of a laundromat down teamwork that went into that MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

28 Tread Lines Fall 2001 Crew 1601, continued from page 28 firm that sells a geotech product, camp when they came to visit, so crew. Paul has worked for the which could be used to solve some she had a nice chat with them. Bureau of Land Management, so of the problems we have with They found their supplies and he picked up on the trail work boggy areas. Becky wanted to get were enjoying their snacks when very rapidly. Ray is a retired a better perspective on The they discovered a cooler under the Forest Service employee who has Colorado Trail and its needs. (Her table with a nice supply of beer. helped me with my adopted trail company has a Model 1010. It is 1 Thinking their friends had been section and has been on other meter wide and 10 meters long nice enough to supply them with a work crews. The Ballantyne and can be backpacked into few cool ones, they stayed a little family was well represented with remote sites since it weighs only longer to enjoy the beer. Two four members, two dads and two 41 pounds. Sounds interesting.) hours later they were on the way sons. All have been on crews Brian Timoney was on his much happier than when they before. Jim and son Jay are from first Colorado Trail crew. Brian came. When Robert came in from Littleton, as is Larry, while Jeff has been in Colorado for about 18 a hard day on the trail, hoping to is from Pine. Jay and Jeff are months and worked for a com- enjoy a nice refreshing beer, he seniors in high school. Jim works puter company. Originally from found his cooler empty. He never in construction, and Larry works Pennsylvania, Brian is enjoying said a word. It wasn’t until much with computers. later when Pat was This crew was relating the story of how made up of crew happy the hikers were members who wanted with their unexpected to work with friends treat that the true story they made working on came out. Robert took previous crews. Paul the news with his usual Berteau came from good humor. Denver to be on the Special thanks to crew with old friends. Toni Mitchell and Paul Paul, a Colorado Trail Jancar, who have adopter, kept us enter- volunteered their horses tained with his Cajun to pack in the treated stories and his good wood posts for next sense of humor. Alice Trail Crew 1601 year’s Straight Creek Sharp, who has been Back Row: Peter Owen, Brian Timoney, Ted La May, Robert Brown, crews. This will make Jim Ballantyne, Bruce Thill, Larry Ballantyne, Paul Jancar, it possible to get the on trail crews since Jeff Ballantyne, Nick Hefley, Jay Ballantyne 1988, brought her Center Row: Kathleen Jones, Paul Berteau, Linda Johnson, Cathy Hoch, posts on the trail daughter Chris Grant. Alice Sharp, Toni Mitchell, Clynt Hadley, Ray Dalen, James Kleckner without having to Alice generally brings Kneeling: Christina Grant, Pat La May, Becky Wynn, and Victor hand-carry each her grandson Barret, Not Pictured: Megan Hoch individual post. The but when he had to area we hope to cover cancel out, his mother next year is four miles took his place. She said she had a his time in Colorado. Last but not from the nearest road. Another great time. It was nice to have least was Robert Brown from special thanks to the Forest them on the crew. J.J. Kleckner Elizabeth, Colorado. We had Service Columbine District and came back for his second crew on some people drop off some Gary Mason for the logistical the Highline. He is such a pleasure supplies for hikers who would be support that made our camp and to have on a crew with his upbeat passing through. (Water, food, and crew so successful. The com- attitude and willingness to accept a few essentials that backpackers ments from the people on the crew any challenge. J.J. brought his need.) Because we did not know led me to believe we had a very friend Becky Wynn. This was the exact time the hikers would be successful week. The quality and Becky’s first crew, and she coming through, we left the quantity of work speaks for itself. adjusted very well. Becky works supplies on the table under the Pat and I want to thank all of you for Invisible Structures, Inc., a canopy. Pat happened to be in who made it possible.

Tread Lines Fall 2001 29 Dear Editors,

I thought there might be an interest in what I came up with as the lightest effective trail maintenance toolkit for solitary backpacking adopter work. The Pulaski handles both axe and dirt work. The light, short-handled garden rake replaces a McLeod. The bow saw (with extra blade taped on as a blade guard) takes care of the deadfall. This combination worked well on the south side of Section 21, working from a backpack camp on Pine Creek. Also shown is a picture of a combination mattock and McLeod. The pseudo-McLeod head is made from one-eighth-inch aluminum. The trail maintenance guys from the Boulder Offroad Alli- ance called this tool a “Weber.” It works well as a stand-alone tool for water bar construction.

Sincere regards,

Bill Weber Adopter, CT Section 21

Bill Weber’s combination Mattock Bill Weber’s trail maintenance and McLeod. Works well as a stand- toolkit for backpacking adopter work: alone tool for water bar construction. Pulaski; light, short-handled garden Bill’s trail maintenance friends call Bill Weber with his CT adopter tools rake; and bow saw this a “Weber.”

Wanted Digital pictures to add to the Web Updates to Guidebook for place- Desk chair for office: We need a site inventory: Our Web master is ment on the Web: While enjoy- desk chair with no arms, in a small looking for digital pictures that ing The Colorado Trail this past “secretary” size, with the ability to include people on The Colorado summer, whether you are an raise and lower, and with good Trail — people in the education adopter, crew worker, hiker, lumbar support. (The small gray classes, on treks, with llamas or equestrian, or biker, did you find one that we have is giving out!) horses, mountain biking, and any inconsistencies with informa- generally having a great time! tion provided in the Guidebook? Please limit your contributions to Please E-mail the office with any two photos at this time. updated information.

30 Tread Lines Fall 2001 The Colorado Trail Store Fall Sale: Take 15% off all items. This Tread Lines order form must accompany all orders. Orders must be received by December 14, 2001. The Colorado Trail:The Official Guidebook, © 2000, 5th edition, 288 pages, 29 full-color maps, 90 color photos, 6x9 format, softcover. $522.9 ______Along The Colorado Trail Color photographs by John Fielder, journal by M. John Fayhee, Hardcover (boxed) $ 35.00 ______128 pages, 9x12 format. Softcover (boxed) $ 25.00 ______Day Hikes on The Colorado Trail Text and color photographs by Jan Robertson, 48 pages, 4x9 format. $03.0 ______The Colorado Trail Data Book Text by Michael Hibbard, 30 pages, 4x5½ format, softcover. $03.0 ______The Colorado Trail Cookbook 300+ recipes, stories, 154 pages, 7x9 easel format, hardcover. $015.0 ______The Colorado Trail Official Song Cassette tape, written and performed by Carol Johnson, through hiker and musician. $04.5 ______The Colorado Trail Map CD-ROM Official CT reference map series. Print detailed, customizable topographic maps of the CT. Includes GPS waypoint data. For Microsoft Windows or Mac with Virtual PC installed. $040.0 ______The Colorado Trail Wall Poster Map 17x24 with 28 CT segments marked. Published by Trails Illustrated, 1995. $09.0 ______The Colorado Trail Completion Plaque Triangular CT trail maker above an engraved nameplate on wood. $039.0 ______The Colorado Trail Map/Completion Plaque CT map in brass on wood with list of segments and up to 30 characters engraved, 9x12. $061.0 ______The Colorado Trail Commemorative Plaque CT map in brass on wood with up to 50 characters engraved, 9x12. $070.0 ______The Colorado Trail Marker 4 ¾ inch high triangular plastic marker used to sign the CT. $02.5 ______The Colorado Trail T-shirts Short sleeved, 50/50 blend, CT map on front, segments on back. Jade green, khaki brown, royal blue, birch gray. S, M, L, XL S_ize _____ C$0olor ______11.0 ______Long sleeved, 100% pre-shrunk cotton, with embroidered CT logo. H_eather gray, eggplant. M, L, XL S_ize ____ C$0olor ______17.0 ______Fleece Vest Forest green with black trim and CT logo. S, M, L, XL. S$0ize _____ 40.0 ______

The Colorado Trail Baseball Cap Cotton, embroidered CT logo. $015.0 ______

The Colorado Trail Embroidered Patches CT logo or Completion. $02.5 ______

The Colorado Trail Official Pins CT logo, 200 mile, or 300 mile. $02.0 ______Subtotal: $ ______Less 15% Sale: $ ______Sales Tax Name ______C$olorado residents add 2.9% ______Street ______Shipping, if your order is: City ______State ______$0.00-$ 8.00 add $1.50 $8.01-$20.00 add $4.50 Phone ______Zip ______Over $20.00 add $5.50 $ ______

Total Enclosed: $ ______The Colorado Trail Foundation MC/VISA# ______710 10th St., # 210, Golden, CO 80401-5834 Expire date ______Phone (303) 384-3729 x 113 Fax (303) 384-3743 Email: [email protected] Name on ______Website: www.coloradotrail.org card (print) Signature ______

Tread Lines Fall 2001 31 Yes, I want to support The Colorado Trail Here is my annual contribution as a “Friend of The Colorado Trail.” S$5upporter 1 ¨ C$5ontributor 2 ¨ S$0ustainer 5 ¨ S$5ponsor 7 ¨ P$0artner 10 ¨ P$0atron 25 ¨ G$0uardian 50 ¨ B$+enefactor 1,000 ¨ Corporate ¨ Gudy Gaskill Endowment Fund $ ______I am a: Senior ¨ Student ¨ Individual ¨ Family ¨ My employer offers Matching Funds and I will apply for them. ¨ I'm ready to volunteer too! ¨ I want to work on a Trail Crew. Please send information. ¨ I'd like information about Adopters of sections along The Colorado Trail. ¨ I will help out with administrative and other volunteer activities. ¨ I want to help out in any way I can. I have specific knowledge of ______. Name: ______(Please list all names if more than one person.) Address: ______C_ity: ______State: ______Z_ip:______E_mail: _:______T_elephone ______

The Colorado Trail Foundation Non-Profit Organization 710 10th Street, Suite 210 U.S.Postage Golden, CO 80401-5843 PAID www.coloradotrail.org Permit No. 99 Golden, CO 80401

The Colorado Trail

A Premier Trail and National Treasure

Celebrating the new millennium with a continuing commitment to protect Colorado’s backcountry