Mother Nature is really messing with us this year. During May, we kept returning to winter and the blasts of snow kept coming. Now we are getting back into our cycle of beautiful Colorado bluebird days and afternoon thunderstorms. The result is the same – trails are muddy in many places and we need to just wait to access those places. If you leave a track – please turn back!
I was really proud reading the considerations of the Wednesday morning Ladies bike group when, after a day of miserable off and on rain all day Tuesday, they started trading comments about should we even consider getting on the trails which were sure to be muddy. HTA chimed in that their hard-working volunteer trail maintenance crews would appreciate the consideration of riding elsewhere or not riding at all on Wednesday. After all, it takes almost a full season to repair the ruts and trail braiding done to avoid mud that over-anxious bike riders cause when they just have to get out before the trail surfaces are dried out enough. The Ladies group opted for a dirt road ride that still took them into beautiful areas and they were still able to get both exercise and social interaction. That choice and cooperation was so appreciated!
Most road base areas like the Fraser to Granby Trail are in good shape or the waterboard roads. Call ahead for trail closures. Areas like the YMCA or Granby Ranch have lots of trails dried out and open. Call ahead or stop by the business or government recreation offices for more information. The Phases area outside Tabernash just benefited from an incredible work session with the Timberline Lodge and the corridor is now clear, trail cupping has been greatly improved and a beautiful new berm has been built.
If you get into areas that are still impassible, please let HTA know. Go to the Headwaters Trails Alliance Facebook page for more information on the many trails projects happening in the Fraser Valley. HTA has cooperative efforts going with towns, trails groups, youth groups, county officials and more to help maintain and improve the huge volume of trails in Grand County. HTA can desperately use your help for a day or an afternoon or more. Sign up on the Facebook page or call 970-726-1013 to see where help is needed. HTA works with a limited staff and recently created a student intern position – congratulations to Brendan Droll who just graduated from Middle Park High School June 1. Brendan plans to attend Montana State in the fall for Environmental Studies.
If you don’t have the time to help on one of the HTA volunteer projects, please plane to support on the the fundraisers like the HTA Bike Pub Crawl BIKES BEERS AND BLUES on June 28 with two groups riding at 5 and 530pm. Purchase tickets at https://headwaterstrails.org/event-tickets.
The weather may have dealt us a short flower season this year. Or it is just a month late? Earlier the Pasque flowers and Blue Chiming Bells were everywhere but now I am seeing the patches of Phlox, Golden Banner, Arnica, and flax is starting to dot the hillsides. The Glacier lillies are poking through the snow on the trail up to Cascade Falls in Rocky Mtn National Park. The water is crashing but the trail is open to the bridge which is still holding intact. The Forest Service also recommend that the trail around Monarch Lake is open and the Knight Ridge Trail which connects to the East Shore Trail is open from The Arapahoe Bay campground to the Roaring Fork Loop. Many high country trails are still not open so please check before venturing out unless you are prepared for snow.