By Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers
Special to The Sopris Sun
Too many people?
Now that the snow’s gone from everywhere but the highest peaks, everyone’s getting out to see spectacular alpine vistas and wildflowers. With many more people visiting the outdoors than ever before, and considering the fragility of alpine environments, it’s important to ask a numbers question about our valley’s alpine areas — is it better for smaller numbers of people to visit more areas (spreading out the human impact) or for larger groups to visit fewer areas (and concentrate the impact)?
The answer depends upon the types of trail available. If a trail is prone to erosion, then no matter the quantity of people, it’s not a good option. But if a trail is built and reinforced with rock, it can better accommodate high visitation numbers. That’s the reason Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers (RFOV), with partners at the U.S. Forest Service and Independence Pass Foundation, has returned to the Linkins Lake Trail for five years running to rebuild the route with high-quality stonework.
Recent stewardship success
June was a busy month for volunteers, up and down the Valley! At Lake Christine, community members helped finish a fire break behind the Basalt shooting range. Later that week, dozens of volunteers joined RFOV at Lazy Glen Open Space to plant 150 willows and cottonwoods along the Roaring Fork. Several hardy volunteers spent three days backpacking to assist our professional trail crew in building new steps along Snowmass’s Capitol Creek Trail. And, finally, we’re grateful to the many people of all ages that visited Maroon Creek Wetlands (adjacent to Aspen’s Rec Center) to rehabilitate the wetland that RFOV first helped build in 2002.
Coming Up!
Summer days are long and beautiful — perfect for volunteering outdoors!
Join us for some unique stewardship opportunities in the Crystal River Valley this July.
Take a daytrip or stay overnight with us at the Marble Basecamp on July 16 and 17, helping to prepare the property for the next generation of middle schoolers and their outdoor education adventures.
For a peek into public/private land management, visit Coal Basin Ranch (just outside of Redstone) on July 24 to get knee deep in riparian restoration efforts!
Learn more and register for all RFOV projects online at: rfov.org/calendar