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The Cameron Peak fire this past summer was devastating to our forest. Over 208,000 acres of our forest burned and much of the burn was severe. But much of the area suffered less damage and is still beautiful and inviting. The damage will last for generations but with your help we can mitigate the damage and get the trails open again.
At least 20 of our forest trails have been damaged. These trails were in the Comanche Peak and Rawah Wildernesses which are some of the most beautiful areas in the Rocky Mountains. While we cannot restore the trees, we can restore the trails so that the public can once again get in the back country and enjoy the mountains.
This coming summer PWV will be helping the Forest Service to restore the trails to make them safe so that they may be reopened. This effort will take several years but our intent is to be aggressive and get as many trails opened as quickly as we can. At this time, we are unsure of the extent of the damage both due to a lack of access and not knowing what damage may resulted from the spring melt.
PWV plans to have a series of public days where we invite the public to come on the trails and assist in restoring them. The work will involve clearing trees, repairing bridges and drainage work on the trails. Some of the work will be strenuous but much of it will be physical but something the average reasonably in shape adult can safely do. To take part you must be 18 - or 15 with a parent. We do not yet have plans on which trails or what dates we will be working, but as soon as we do we will post it on this site.
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Winter patrols start January 13. Before heading out, take a look at this informative slide presentation by Gerry Cashman on almost all you need to know to be smart, warm and prepared! Click on Gerry's snowman to view the slide show.
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Mike Corbin PWV Chair 2020-2021 -- 2020 was a very difficult year for PWV with both COVID and the Cameron Peak Fire. PWV made it thru the year and even accomplished a good deal with the help of all of our members. We were able to patrol, clear trails of trees, perform trail work and accomplished many other tasks due to our members hard work.
This coming year will be interesting for all of us. COVID will still be with us and the forest will still be burned. PWV will be working to get back to our normal functions of patrolling the trails so that we support the Forest Service and educate the public. A major project will be helping the Forest Service restore the trails that have been damaged. The objective will be to ensure the trails are safe for the public so that they can be opened and allow everyone to once again get out into the forest. From what we know today about 20 of our trails have sustained damage; the Forest Service is still evaluating how bad the damage is and what will be needed to allow each trail to be opened.
PWV, along with the Forest Service and other non-profits such as Wildlands Restoration Volunteers and Rocky Mountain Conservancy will be involved in working to restore these trails. This will not be a one-year project but will require several years of effort to get all the trails safe and again opened to the public. PWV and the Forest Service are now working to get the resources and plans in place to be ready next spring to start work on the trails. Prior to us working on these trails the Forest Service has to ensure that they are safe for our volunteers. Currently there are plans to have trail crews from both Larimer County Youth Corps and Rocky Mountain Conservancy working with our volunteers. We also plan to have work days open to the public so that the public who is interested can also take part.
I am looking forward to a busy but productive year this coming year and hope you will all come and join us. We can’t promise that everything will go smoothly but I think I can promise it will be interesting.
Mike Corbin
Chair, PWV Board of Directors, 2020-2021