The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Trail workday postponed
by Than Acuff
National Trails Day is this Saturday, June 1 but for the first time in a long time, the Crested Butte Mountain Bike Association (CBMBA) will not be participating, at least not as an entity, with a trail workday. But they will still host their annual party on Friday, May 31.
Typically, CBMBA kicks off their summer and their trail work season to coincide with National Trails Day. Past National Trails Day CBMBA workdays included Tony’s trail in 2001, all sections of the Lupine trail as well as the Budd trail.
This year though, the proposed work on the Upper Upper Loop Saturday was postponed as CBMBA received feedback about the plan and proposed realignment and has decided to push the project back.
“We’re perfectly happy to add it to the further vetting process of our five-year plan and have it scoped with all of the other projects,” says CBMBA director Dave Ochs. “We want to work with all community members, partners and stakeholders to realize the best possible alignment.”
They are still using the weekend to host their annual kick off party on Friday, May 31 at Big Mine Park (the hockey rink) from 4-8 p.m. The afternoon and evening will include their annual meeting, open to all members and the public from 4-5:30 p.m.
“We encourage anybody to stop by, give us advice and their comments,” says Ochs.
The party then starts at 5:30 p.m. for people to learn more about CBMBA’s five-year plan, talk trails, meet the Crested Butte Conservation Corps and the Women’s Work Force while enjoying beverages from Ska Brewing and food from Mikey’s Pizza. You will also get a chance to renew your membership and purchase the latest and greatest CBMBA merchandise. And, if you sign up or renew your membership, you get a bell.
While Mother Nature and this latest hiccup have put a small kink in CBMBA’s trail work plans for the summer, they’ve already been out and about working on existing trails.
“The Conservation Corps has been out for a week cutting trees and getting ready and getting in front of the snow melt,” says Ochs.
He does suggest though that bikers be patient and considerate with the trails given the weather the past two months and current conditions.
“We do ask that people chill out and wait for the trails to open,” says Ochs.
Looking ahead things appear to be well on track as CBMBA will host its annual party with the Wailers at the Budd Ranch on June 23 and their annual overnighter July 27-28 when they will work on the Cement Creek trail and Fenceline trail to Warm Springs.
“We want to get the Fenceline trail moved entirely onto public land and create more ways to get riders off the road in Cement Creek,” says Ochs.
