Baxter Gulch trail closed for season

Bradbury gets a plaque

by Mark Reaman

The Baxter Gulch trail is now closed but work will resume on the new single track in the spring.

That project has been going on for about five years, with the town working with the Western Colorado Conservation Corps each summer. Local trail guru Doug Bradbury was recognized Monday, November 2 by the Crested Butte Town Council for his work on the Baxter Gulch trail project. Bradbury and the Crested Butte Mountain Bike Association have played key roles in getting the trail built. “More than three miles of single track have been completed over some very steep and heavily wooded terrain,” explained town planner Michael Yerman. “CBMBA has hosted three trail days already and has contributed countless hours to helping the trail get completed.”

This trail, located just south of Crested Butte, will link to the Carbon Creek trail system. The trail is currently closed at the Baxter Creek Crossing until the U.S. Forest Service has time to complete its environmental review due diligence.

“It’s still a great out-and-back and sure to be a Crested Butte epic once the trail is complete,” said Yerman. “Once the U.S. Forest Service finishes their due diligence the town and CBMBA will be hosting additional trail days to complete the remainder of the trail and get it open to the public. The goal is to have the trail completed by the fall of 2017 but there is still quite a bit of work to be completed.”

Yerman said Bradbury has been instrumental in moving the trail along. “The town could not have gotten this project to where it is today without Doug’s and CBMBA’s partnership,” he said.

The trail is now closed until the snow melts. Each year it closes on October 31 because of the avalanche hazard and there is no winter use permitted at Avalanche Park.