NSA Colorado Projects

Smokejumpers Returning to Glade RS for 3rd Project in 2011

2010-11-22T09:23:00.000-08:00

The photos below (by Bill Ruskin) are of the progress of the previous two projects and are provided as more background for the project of next summer (2011).

This year Julie Coleman (of USFS) had money to drill a well, install solar power for a pump and install a septic tank. There will be water out to the barn. This has been completed since our last project.

The current information on the Glade Project for Colorado is:

1. This is the third year of work on the Glade Guard Station in the San Juan National Forest, Dolores District. A project was completed in 2008 and one in 2009. No project was done in 2010. The work is done in conjunction with the USFS and BLM through the San Juan Public Lands Office. The USFS (particularly Ms. Coleman) has been most supportive and all work is monitored by the San Juan Public Lands archaeologist. The USFS Regional Office in Denver has visited and is aware of the success of the project.

2. The current plan is for the crew to arrive June 5, 2011 (with some arriving June 6) and to work through Friday Noon June 10. The work is not fully described at this time; however, our interest is in building a corral and doing some work on the barn as well as a bit of work on previous tasks that were not quite finished.

3. At this time we have about 10 volunteers for the project and a couple of possible additions. This should be sufficient to complete the work that is planned. If there are one or two more persons interested, we can always use additional help.

Rich Hilderbrand

960 7th St,

Penrose, CO 81240
719-359-6725

NSA TRAIL MAINTENANCE REPORT 2009

2010-02-02T20:50:00.000-08:00

NSA TRAIL MAINTENANCE REPORT 2009

NSA BOARD of DIRECTORS

October 9, 2009 Boise, Idaho

Overview: This was the program’s eleventh year. Created by the late Art Jukkala (Missoula ‘56), it continues to expand in popularity with our NSA membership and demand from the USFS, and this year from the U S Park Service. During 2009, we sponsored or provided for 27 projects with 282 project volunteers, compared to the 213 volunteers in 2008. No injuries or lost time incidents occurred.

Production: Projects were completed in Idaho, Montana, Alaska, Utah, California, Minnesota and Colorado.

· Our volunteers cleared more than 150 miles of trail, completed major repairs to Forest Service facilities at Big Prairie in the Northern Bob Marshall, repaired and built trail and major trail structures, upgraded building structures and built major corrals and fences. The Big Prairie project required hiking 3 days for 30 miles one way to reach the site. (60 miles round trip)

· They also repaired numerous water bars and check dams, cleared brush, cut hundreds of trees and logs, rebuilt sections of many trails, and hacked out miles of tread.

· In the Bitterroot National Forest they cleared severe downfall on 7 miles of trail that was considered impossible in the time allowed.

· They provided management and labor for building a bridge across the Clearwater River and clearing trail around Clearwater Lake in the Lolo N F in Montana. This project was doomed to failure as drop outs had occurred in early July leaving 4 volunteers to complete this difficult assignment. The Missoula Smokejumpers heard about this situation and jumped 5 smokejumpers on the project and assigned a 20 man fire training crew. All assignments were completed on time. This bridge has become a showplace to visit and admire the bridge.

· A one-week crew completed restoration of the Double Arrow Lookout near Seeley Lake Montana. This was a 5 year effort and will allow the lookout to be rented out in summers ahead.

· Roger Savage (Missoula ‘57) and his scouting teams continue to be a major factor in our success in opening long abandoned trails in wilderness.

· California, Colorado and Minnesota continue to expand as more volunteers sign on for these projects.

Mann Gulch. A project in Mann Gulch in July and August produced NSA publicity on TV and major Montana Newspapers as we provided former Smokejumpers to act as hosts to visitors during the 60^th anniversary of the Mann Gulch Fire.

Funding: Funding this year came from the Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation, Sawtooth Society, Lolo, Idaho Pan Handle, Dixie, Beaverhead, Superior, Tahoe, Helena and Clearwater National Forests, Robie Foundation, ExxonMobil Corporation and Johnson’s Corners (a truck stop on Interstate 25 near Fort Collins, Colorado) thanks to Stan Linnertz (MSO ’61). Various NSA Members continue to provide donations on a yearly basis. We express our sincere thanks to all.

Tools: We maintain a large tool cache and we’re able to provide tools for all projects with the exception of the saws, hammers, levels, squares and other hand tools needed for cabin rehabilitation projects. Those, for the most part are provided by our volunteers. The Missoula Aerial Fire Depot continues to loan us crosscut saws every year. Tool certification is provided by our in-house certifiers (Jeff Kindeman and Richard Hulla) and First Aid training and CPR certification is provided by Missoula AFD. Rod McIver oversees/maintains our hand tools while Chuck Fricke oversees/maintains our Chain Saws. Tom Blunn provides carpentry skills necessary to build and maintain our stove boxes and yearly warehouse modifications.

EMT’s: A new position has been created this year and that is “Chief EMT”, or chief “DR” (Doctor) as he is called. This position is held by Jim Phillips (MSO 67-71). The objective of this position is to provide communication with all EMT’s and to bring attention of our volunteers, to their personal responsibility toward health and physical conditioning before arriving on project. In support of Jim is Ivan Kays (Associate and retired Pharmacist) who oversees our First Aid kits and supplies.

Scholarships: The NSA Trail Maintenance Program has undertaken the sponsorship of two scholarship programs:

The Art Jukkala Scholarship Program. A program sponsored and funded by the Trail Program, interested members of the NSA and the general public. This program provides a $2000 yearly scholarship to children of smokejumpers killed in the line of duty at a college or school of their choice. Two scholarships have been awarded in 2006.

The NSA Trail Maintenance Smokejumper Chair Scholarship Fund at the University of Montana College of Forestry and Conservation at Missoula. A program sponsored by NSA Trail Maintenance and funded by interested members of the NSA. This program provides one yearly scholarship to a smokejumper forestry student or a forestry student child of a smokejumper. One Scholarship has been awarded in 2009 to Steven Mohr, son of a former smokejumper. Steven was a Hot Shot fire fighter.

Advisory Council: The NSA Trail Maintenance Advisory Council, formed in May 2002, meets at least once each year. Its fifteen members are advisers to the Trail Maintenance Coordinator who serves at their pleasure. They review operations and financial accounts, recommend policies and serve as an oversight committee. A list of these names is available upon request.

Jon H. McBride (Missoula ‘54)

NSA Trail Maintenance Coordinator

Storm King / South Canyon Meeting Notes

2009-11-14T13:48:00.000-08:00

Dear Storm King Trail working group,

I have attached the notes from yesterday’s extremely productive meeting. Thank you to everyone who attended! If I’ve missed anything at all, please do not hesitate to let me know and I will gladly add it in!

I hope this outlines the majority of our meeting. I know there were a few other details discussed, but I think this covers the main outcomes, goals and objectives moving forward.

Lindsey Lewis
Marketing Project Manager
Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Association
1102 Grand Avenue
Glenwood Springs, CO 81601

Phone| 970-945-6589 x110
Fax| 970-945-1531
www.visitglenwood.com
www.glenwoodchamber.com

Storm King Trail Meeting Notes
Monday, November 9th
Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Association

Richard Hildebrand- NSA
Doug Wamsley- NSA
Jimmie Dollard- NSA
Kay Hopkins- BLM/White River Nat. Forest
Shelley Kaup- Glenwood Springs City Council
Kate Collins- GSCRA
Lindsey Lewis- GSCRA

The NSA volunteer group is seeking formal approval from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to volunteer their services to help maintain the Storm King Trail.

Kay Hopkins will compose a memo that grants approval to the volunteer crew, summarizing the priorities of the BLM and highlighting how they could most efficiently use the NSA volunteer’s time.

Priorities for NSA & BLM

o Contacting the families of the fallen firefighters (by letter or phone) explaining what the NSA is and your feelings/goals and to see if the families will allow the NSA crew to collect the weathered and deteriorating mementos to be archived at the Federal BLM building in Denver.

o With approval from the families, collect the mementos according to procedural guidelines specified by the BLM office and deliver to BLM for archiving

o Clear overgrown brush from the memorials

o Possibly tackle the fire line and restore flagpole indicating initial lightning strike. Waiting for more specific info from Kay Hopkins regarding whether the Hot Shot crew training will improve fire line or if it will need more attention after their departure.

o Clear Heli spot and under slung line

o Rebuild steps

Priorities for GSCRA & City Council

o Lindsey will get Storm King brochures for the Visitor Information Center

o Add information about Storm King and link to the BLM website from the glenwoodchamber.com website

o Kate & Lindsey will work with Shelley and City Council to improve the signage at the Memorial at Two Rivers Park. Add a sign and brochures that talks about the trail and how to get there.

o Shelley will ask the Parks & Rec Dept. about solutions regarding the Blue Spruce tree that blocks the view of Storm King Mountain from the memorial at Two Rivers Park.

o Kate & Lindsey will mobilize the community when the NSA crew comes to town in either the spring and/or fall of 2010. We can encourage locals to provide food and accommodations in appreciation of the NSA’s efforts.

o Kate & Lindsey can work with local event organizers to start thinking about organizing a memorial service for the 20th anniversary on July 6, 2014

ADDITIONAL REPORT ON MEETINGNotes by Rich Hilderbrand following his release from jail in Glenwood Springs

I want to add my thanks to all for the most productive meeting and the immediate follow-up. What is clear is that this entire group has a vested, and significant, interest in this project. I look foward to the development of the plans and the implementation of those plans. Rich

Doug is going to give an update on the meeting yesterday at Glenwood. But it went really well. The BLM is very cooperative and very supportive.

Lindsey from Chamber is going to sumarize the meeting in an email. But I will give a couple of observations outside of the plan itself.
There was a city council member there. Very supportive.
The BLM rep lost a personal friend (heli-tack crewmember) and was in Glenwood with BLM at time of fire. She is now with USFS White River Forest.
There is more work to do than we had estimated. They do want some trail work and fireline work done.
We talked about next June or September.
More later on the report.

I thought Doug and Jim were going to have to bail me out of jail. I got to Glenwood a little early and stopped in at a Diner up the street from the meeting place for coffee and to read the paper. I got a couple of papers out of the vending machines in front of the diner and sat down to read. Within a few minutes three squad cars whipped into the parking lot and three officers came into the diner showing a photo and drawing of someone. I didn't pay any attention to them and kept reading. They left the Diner and I thought they were gone - again not paying any attention. In a couple of minutes they were back in the Diner again looking around - and looked at me. They left again, I paid my bill, took the papers and walked out of the Diner to be surrounded by the officers. One briefly flashed the picture and said, This drawing looks a lot like you and I do you have identification? Of course I showed him my Military ID and drivers license and they let me go. It was clear they took this outside to ensure I was outside the Diner and surrounded before they approached me. I am not sure who phoned in a report but it happened pretty fast. I did not think I looked like the drawing at all, but one never knows. Rich.

ADDITIONAL REPORT ON MEETING Notes by Doug Wamsley in an email to JonMcBride

3. On the subject of Storm King we have made what I think is some substantial progress. Yesterday Rich Hildebrand, Jimmie Dollard and I met with three community representatives and a BLM/USFS representative in Glenwood Springs. The community is very supportive of efforts to maintain the site and seemed pleased that we wanted to help. The big question in our minds was would BLM welcome our participation. The response we got was very positive.
Kay Hopkins, the representative who attended, was the Recreation/Trails person for the BLM District for the past several years and has been responsible for the site. She had only recently tranferred to a new job with USFS in the White River NF. The BLM employee who has taken over responsibility for the site was not available so she attended at the request of BLM and with the blessings of her Forest Supervisor. She knows the site very well and is very interested in its future.
After we explained a bit about NSA and our Trails program she seemed enthusiastic about our participation. It seems there is more work to be done than we anticipated. We discussed the possibility of rebuilding a part of the access trail, brushing around the monuments, clearing the Helispots, repairing a flag pole at the site of the original lightening strike and maintaining the fire line that the Jumpers and Hotshots were building just before the blowup.
We mentioned the problem of the hundreds mementos left on the monuments by well meaning visitors. It has, frankly, left the site in a trashy condition. She said that it has been such a sensitive issue that BLM has simply left them there but it was clearly time to do something. We suggested collecting the items from each location and archiving them. This is what is done at a number of other monuments across the country. We said we would be more than willing to do the collection. We got a very favorable response to that proposal IF it meets with a favorable response from the families of the fallen.
Kay explained that all matters relating to the site and its maintenance were the subject of a memorandum of understanding between the families and BLM when the site was established.
She also said that BLM had adopted some ground rules about the site including:

Only organizations from the "fire community" would be allowed to do work on the site,

The site would be maintained in a condition as close to that at the time of the fire as possible,

While public access to the site has been and will be maintained BLM is NOT promoting it as a tourist destination type location. The existing infastructure simply will not support that and can't readily be expanded.

With these things in mind Kay asked if we would be willing assist in contacting as many of the family representatives as possible to explain what work we were planning to do especially regarding the collection and archiving of mementos. We assured her that we would. Rich, Jimmie and I agreed that any such communication from the NSA Trails Project would most appropriately be in your name. With that in mind we are working on a suggested draft for your editing and approval. We hope you will agree with this approach and will let us know your thoughts on the communication and the overall project as outlined.
Doug Wamsley

Agenda Set for November 9 Meeting

2009-11-12T22:03:00.000-08:00

Dear Storm King Trail working group,

We are scheduled to have our meeting on Monday, November 9^th from 12pm – 1:30pm in our conference room here at theGlenwood Springs Chamber Resort Association (1102 Grand Avenue). Let me know if that time works for everybody. If so, would everyone be willing to pitch in $5.00 for lunch and we can order something to be delivered here?

We will be discussing the following agenda items:

o       Trimming back the overgrown brush around the memorials,

with the full understanding that the BLM and families of the Storm King 14

want to keep the trail "wild"

o       Replacing the flag (& flagpole?) that marks the initial lightning strike

that started the fire

o       Collecting and archiving the mementos left by family/friends

 (does the BLM have an archaeologist we can get in touch with to archive these items?)

       Making certain that the fire line is intact - they think that smokejumpers train here,

so it should be a non-issue

o       There are interpretive signs along the trail, is it possible to keep these maintained or update them?

o       The NSA volunteer crew would like to come up to complete these goals by September, 2010

Lindsey Lewis

Marketing Project Manager

Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Association

1102 Grand Avenue

Glenwood Springs, CO 81601

Phone| 970-945-6589 x110

Fax| 970-945-1531

www.visitglenwood.com

www.glenwoodchamber.com

Planning Begins for November 9 Meeting on Storm King /South Canyon Memorial

2009-11-12T21:45:00.000-08:00

Dear NSA crew,

I just wanted to update you on the status of the November 9th meeting.

So far, Shelley Kaup can attend as the Glenwood Springs City Council

representative.  Kay Hopkins just recently took a job with the White

River National Forest, but said that someone from the BLM will

definitely be able to participate.  Kay and I will be in touch within

the next couple of weeks to determine who the best point of contact will

be.

Bill, I believe Nancy Shanks from CDOT had put you in touch with her

"sign guy" - do you happen to have a name/email/phone # for that person?

I know that the trail maintenance is your main area of interest; so I

would love to help expedite the process with improving signage to the

Storm King trail and memorial (if I can)!

Let me know as we get closer what time would work well for all of you on

November 9th and I can come up with a couple options for a venue.

K ind

 Regards,

Lindsey Lewis

Dear Kay,

Thank you so much for getting back to me - I hope your days out of the

office were enjoyable!  I just spent a couple weeks out of the office as

well, so I completely understand how time consuming it can be to get

through all the emails that pile up.  Congratulations on your new

position with the White River National Forest!  What will your role be

with them?  I will definitely tou ch base with you in a couple weeks to

ee who the best point of contact will be for this project moving

forward.

Kind Regards,

Lindsey Lewis

Marketing Project Manager

Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Association

1102 Grand Avenue

Glenwood Springs, CO  81601

Phone| 970-945-6589 x110

Fax| 970-945-1531

www.visitglenwood.com

www.glenwoodchamber.com

Lindsey,

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you....I have been out of the

office

for 12 days and just returned and am finally getting thru some emails.

There are a couple of things that we here at the BLM need to decide

before

saying who indeed is the contact.  I have taken a new job with the White

River National Forest and have indeed been the one that has managed most

things related to the Storm King trail...

I need to speak to my supervisor regarding who might be the best person

to

turn this over to.  Either way someone from the BLM will be able to

participate...howev er at this time I am not sure who that point of

contact

will be...I should know more in the next 2 we

eks as we start to plan out

workload items.

Please contact me in a couple of weeks if you have not heard from me by

then.  Its should not be a big deal....its just getting that transition

period worked out.

Call me with any questions.

Thanks..

Kay Hopkins

Outdoor Recreation Planner

Bureau of Land Management

2300 River Frontage Road

Silt, CO  81652

(970)876-9000

Dear Kay and David,

I am following up with the email I sent last week regarding a volunteer

crew interested in maintaining the memorials on the Storm King trail.  I

have not yet heard back from either or you and was wondering if you were

indeed the appropriate persons to begin this dialogue with.  We are

hoping

to organize a meeting for November 9th and would very much like for

someone

from the BLM to be represented.

  Please let me know if either of you can

commit a few hours on November 9th for a brief meeting, or if I should

be

communicating with someone else in your office.  I will look forward to

your reply.

Kind Regards,

Lindsey Lewis

Marketing Project Manager

Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Association

1102 Grand Avenue

Glenwood Springs, CO  81601

Storm King / South Canyon Scouting Report

2009-11-12T21:18:00.000-08:00

Following the completion of the report summarizing the current status of the Storm King/ South Canyon Memorial through conversations with the organizations responsible for preserving and perpetuating the memorial, Doug Wamsley scouted the incident site and prepared the following report:

Hello All

As most of you know at our last Colorado trail project we discussed what we might do to help maintain the memorial sites which are granite crosses placed where each of the bodies was found following the Storm King disaster in 1994.

We have been told that BLM and the firefighter's families want the site to be left, as much as possible, as it was the day they died. With this in mind I will submit to all of you my report on my examination of the site on 8/17/09.

Access
There is a maintained trail from the I-70 exit (109) west of Glenwood Springs CO. From the exit one turns back east on the service road for about a mile to a parking area at the trail head. There is parking for 15-20 cars with a head but no water. THERE IS NO WATER ON THIS SITE AT ALL.
The trail is steep but doable from the tailhead to the Observation Point (about a mile). Minimum hiking time would be 25 min. With tools allow 1 Hour.
The Observation point is as far as most people go but it does provide a complete vista of the entire fire scene. It is an excellent point for a crew briefing.
From this spot the trail drops to the bottom of the canyon and begins climbing toward the memorial sites. Its steep and its rough but its climbable.

The sites
The trail brings one to a tail that run along a North-South ridge that connects to Storm King Peak. From this junction you can go north to Helispot 2 or right (south) to the Smokejumper-Hotshot memorials. The Smokejumper-Hotshot memorials extend down the hillside to the west only a couple of hundred feet.
The Helitack site is further up the mountain to the north. The last 200 feet to the memorials is tough. As you will see from the folder of photos the sites are not overgrown but do need to be cleaned up. Another problem in my mind is all the momentos left on the crosses by well-meaning visitors. Some are so covered that you can barely read the names. This however will not be our call. BLM and I'm sure the families will decide what , if anything, to do about that. If the decision was to collect all of these items and archive them I for one would be willing to collect them.

Mission Assessment
We could do what needs to be done with 7-8 jumpers. Tools would be simple--a couple of Pulaskis and some loppers and /or pruning saws.
I think it would be a one day job with an early start which would probably mean staying overnight in Glenwood the night before.

I would appreciate hearing from any of you but especially those who have been to the site. If you have a different view lets hear it now before Rich, Jimmie and I meet with the BLM people.

I have to add that this was a profound experience for me. It was heartbreaking to see how close they came to making it and how close together they died.
I am having difficulty attaching the photos. I will get them to you by the end of the week.

Doug

Storm King / South Canyon Memorial Status Report

2009-11-10T20:29:00.000-08:00

The following is the result of conversations with individuals who are currently involved with the Storm King Memorial and activities related to the incident. At the Glade Station, San Juan NF, NSA smokejumper restoration project early in June 2009, the smokejumper volunteers discussed possible involvement at the Storm King / South Canyon site in Glenwood Springs as a future NSA project. The following input was compiled by Bill Ruskin, CJ’58, NSA Colorado Projects Coordinator, who was asked by the Glade crew to provide information. NOTE: Draft II has been vetted by the BLM and the Glenwood Springs Chamber of Commerce.

STORM KING / SOUTH CANYON CHRONOLOGY:

6/15/09 – Googled Glenwood Springs Chamber of Commerce, (970)-945-6589 x 110. Called and spoke with Lindsey Lewis. Explained the nature of my call. Lindsey said she would talk with her supervisor, Kate Collins, and get back to me.

6/17- Return call from Lindsey. Said Kate Collins is pleased to possibly having smokejumpers involved because the Glenwood Springs Chamber is limited in resources and welcomes NSA support. Lindsey will fax names / numbers of BLM contacts. Also, she will fax a letter the chamber received from Bre Oriasitas, a hotshot crew member who wrote a letter to the Glenwood Springs Chamber regarding signage on I –70 directing travelers to the Storm King Memorial. The contacts Lindsey sent in the email are pasted here, except for the letter which is to be distributed on a “as needed basis only” to protect privacy of the writer. This is at the request of the Glenwood Springs Chamber.

Hi Bill,

I’ve attached David Boyd’s contact info. My boss, Kate Collins, initiated communication with him & with Nancy Shanks from CDOT (Nancy.shanks@dot.state.co.us or 970.385.1428) regarding better signage for the Storm King Memorial & Storm King Memorial Trail. I just faxed over the letter from Bre Oriasitas (a Hot Shot Crew Member from Oregon). Please have a look for your own information, but please do not send the letter on to 3^rd party individuals without letting us know first, just to protect her privacy.

Thank you for taking the reins on this project! It is definitely a memorial that is near and dear to many of our hearts & we should do our best to make it easy for people to locate and access. Please keep us informed of any progress and if you need any additional help or info from us!

Lindsey Lewis

Marketing Project Manager

Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Association

1102 Grand Avenue

Glenwood Springs, CO 81601

Phone| 970-945-6589 x110

Fax| 970-945-1531

www.visitglenwood.com

6/18- Talked with David Boyd - He said Kay Hopkins is the coordinator for South Canyon for the BLM and I should call and talk with her. Boyd said that a crew of USFS Hot Shots comes out to train every year and do their training on the trail. I will get more info on this since Boyd didn't have details (no other details at this time). Boyd agrees that signage is a problem- people don't know what exit to get off I-70 to get to Memorial.

6/18 - Called Nancy Shanks at CDOT. On vacation until 6/22.

6/19- Email from Chris Sorenson (Associate) who writes "The View From Outside the Fence" for Smokejumper Magazine). Chris also volunteered on Glade project in '08. Chris asked, "Any idea if that tree has been removed that is blocking the view of the mountain from the Memorial?" My reply, "Don't know - we'll look into it in time." Note: Bre Orcasitas mentions these trees blocking the view in her letter.

6/23- Called Kay Hopkins, Recreation Planner and South Canyon Coordinator, BLM-out of office or in meeting.

6/23- Kay Hopkins returned call.

I explained nature of call. Kay advised that various hot shot crews and other fire fighting organizations maintain the memorial trail and the fire line (the trail was designed to put people in the shoes of a firefighter and was not intended to be a good, easy public park trail) as part of their training and/or out of respect to the firefighters. The Redding Hot Shots annually do a “staff ride” and one of the stops is Glenwood Springs to work on the memorial trail or the original fire line. Other hot shots also include Glenwood Springs in their training and on their staff rides and work on the memorial trail or the original the line. Cadets from the Wyoming Fire Academy annually use the memorial trail fire line for training while doing maintenance.
The memorial trail fire line is a very sensitive issue and according to Kay, the BLM does not typically allow for trail projects and/or maintenance projects to trail organizations and/or interest groups except for the fire community. The biggest struggle with the management of the memorial trail and its intended design is to continue to allow for safe public access yet maintain it as a ‘fire line,” while providing the visitor with the targeted experience of being a fire fighter. The maintenance of the trail needs to provide for all of the above yet maintenance activities need to focus on the trails sustainability while preserving the rough and rugged characteristics. The maintenance of the fire line beyond the observation point is to allow the visitors to see the fire line and provide a way to the crosses, yet not disturb the areas around the crosses. This is consistent with the wishes of the families and relatives. This portion of the trail is rugged and is used only for the training of fire fighters. Most visitors only go to the observation point.
This year (July, 2009) marks the 15^th anniversary of the South Canyon Fire and no special events are planned
In years to come, work will be required to keep the Gambles Oak from over taking the crosses and over growing the helispot as the oak is rapidly overtaking these sensitive areas. Because of this sensitivity, any work around the crosses and helispot would only be done on the approval of the families and under the direct supervision of the BLM. The line, crosses and helispot will be maintained for the benefit of the families and not the public.
At this time there is no private group that is really ‘steering the ship’. Family members come and visit the site and some of the old fire fighters who were at Glenwood Springs in 1994 are still around. Don Mackey’s (MSO’87) mom & dad have been very active in coordinating with other family members. This is a very important and sensitive site and the BLM and City of Glenwood Springs want the public to know about it. The storyof the tragic events are being perpetuated through panels at the trailhead and other signage.
To summarize this telephone conversation,

-The plan is to keep the trail (fire line) in its original rugged condition with minimal improvements.

- Work will be required around the crosses and heli-spot in the future.

- A possible opportunity for the NSA would be to take over the responsibility (on a permanent basis) to coordinate all activities and improvements related to the Storm King / South Canyon incident. This effort will depend largely on the status of the Storm King Memorial Committee. If it is not functioning fully, there is a possibility that the BLM and the families would welcome the involvement of the NSA. In this regard, Kay will meet with Dee Lehman, Law Enforcement Officer who was there at the time of the fire and has worked with the families ever since. Kay will discuss our conversation with Dee and get back to me with further information. (NOTE: No further information received at the time this email is being sent for approval before finalizing the report)

- We concluded our conversation with the understanding that a meeting involving the BLM, the City of Glenwood Springs, and NSA would be welcomed and beneficial to all parties. September would be a good time for a meeting that would also serve as a valuable recon trip for NSA members who have expressed an interest in visiting the site and getting involved.

6/23 - Called Nancy Shanks at CDOT- Left message

6/26 - Called Nancy Shanks at CDOT- Left message

6/29 - Nancy Shanks returned calls.

Explained nature of call and asked her if she could update me on directional / informational signage on I-70 at Glenwood Springs regarding the Storm King Memorial Park and Observation Point.
Nancy said that she recalls some exchange of information with Glenwood Springs, but wasn’t sure of current status of the project. Nancy offered to visit with the state traffic folks and will get back to me by email and update me on the directional / information signs.

7/1 – Sent the following email to Nancy Shanks:

Hi Nancy,

We appreciate for your effort on getting the status on directional signing to the Storm King / South Canyon Park & Memorial at Glenwood Springs.

Please forward any current information you are able secure from the CDOT Traffic Division to this email address.

7/1 – Response from Nancy:

Thanks Bill - yes, have a call and e-mail in to our "sign guy" in Grand Junction. I'm back at my own office so will certainly follow up with you,

Nancy Shanks  CDOT Public Relations  Regions 3 and 5  (970) 385-1428 office  (970) 749-3579 mobile  (970) 385-1450 fax

7/ 7- Sent an email to Nancy Shanks indicating that I would like to get information from DOT so that I can complete report before July 15.

7/8 – Sent first draft of report (without any information from CDOT) to BLM and Glenwood Chamber of Commerce and asked for their review of report and accuracy.

7/10 - Received the following email response from Lindsey Lewis:

Dear Bill,

Thank you for taking the time to pull this report together – it is very thorough and professional. I understand that working with City & County Governments and other various levels of bureaucracy can be extremely time-consuming, and we know your time is valuable. I appreciated reading your correspondence with both Kay and Nancy. If you need any additional assistance from the team at the Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Association, please do not hesitate to contact me directly. I am willing to contact Nancy and/or her “sign guy” with CDOT to maintain top-of-mind awareness, please let me know if this would be helpful to you.

I think the timing of this request in conjunction with the 15^th anniversary will help reiterate the importance of this historic tragedy. I was saddened to learn that there was no memorial service or event planned for the anniversary, but if your committee and/or other national committees are interested in organizing a commemorative event in the future, we would be happy to assist and promote it in any way possible.

I thought your synopsis of our conversation was accurate. You have the complete support of the Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Association & please let us know if you need us to approach City Council for anything your volunteer crew may require. Thank you for your initiative on this project as well as your willingness to donate your time and energy to such a good cause.

Kind Regards,

Lindsey Lewis

Marketing Project Manager

Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Association

1102 Grand Avenue

Glenwood Springs, CO 81601

Phone| 970-945-6589 x110

Fax| 970-945-1531

www.visitglenwood.com

7/14 – Spoke with David Boyd. Said he was called out to a fire on the CO / UT border and said he and Kay would respond to draft report soonest.

7/14 - Response from David Boyd:

Hi Bill,

Sorry we have not gotten back to you sooner. As I mentioned on the phone, I was called to a fire Wednesday night and just got back today. Kay is in the field this afternoon, so hopefully she can get back to you tomorrow. Some of the description of your conversation with her regarding what is maintained for the public and what is for the families needs to be reviewed by her.

However, if the main goal is to get us all together in the fall to see what opportunities there are for NSA involvement, I'm not sure you need all that detail from Kay in this report. The basic points I think are that this is an important site for the families, firefighters, BLM and the Glenwood community; there may be opportunities for NSA to assist in managing the area; and BLM would be interested in discussing those opportunities further with NSA.

I will leave a hard copy for Kay to review.

Thanks for your interest in this site!

David Boyd

Public Affairs Specialist, Northwest Colorado

Bureau of Land Management

50629 Highway 6 & 24

Glenwood Springs, CO 81601

7/15 – Response from Kay:

Bill,

Attached is your notes with a few comments/corrections on it that I did. Please call me with any questions. I did talk to our local FMO and he thought that we should also talk to folks at NIFC. But the bottom line is that the GSFO is in charge of the trail and maintenance activities. And we will continue to coordinate all of that work. We would welcome any assistance there.

We also need to ensure that as interpretive panels and/or other memorial infrastructure (both at the BLM and the Park) is kept

In good shape and that we have a plan to maintain and replace as needed.

I have not been able to talk to Dee Lehman about the trail yet but will do so this next Friday after a scheduled staff meeting.

I think you have a lot of good ideas captured in your documents from

signage on the highway to removing the tree at the park that’s in front of the interp. sign, to assisting in the trail.

Thanks for your interest and help.

Kay Hopkins

Outdoor Recreation Planner

Bureau of Land Management

Glenwood Springs Field Office

50629 Highways 6 & 24

Glenwood Springs, CO 81601

(970) 947-2812

7/15/09- Received following from Nancy Shanks, CDOT

Hi Bill,

I’ve yet to hear back….trying again.

Thanks for your patience,

Nancy

7/15/09 - NOTE: All corrections / additions / deletions made by Kay Hopkins were included in the original Word Doc which is attached to this email. The report was concluded on this date as DRAFT II. At this time there has been no response from CDOT regarding signage. Also, Kay Hopkins will advise on the status of the Storm King Memorial Committee after she has had a opportunity to meet with Dee Lehman, Law Enforcement Officer, BLM.

Respectfully prepared by Bill Ruskin, CJ’58, July 15, 2009

Smokejumpers Return to Glade Station

2009-11-10T20:05:00.000-08:00

Former Active Smokejumpers Help Restore Historic Guard Station

By Gwen Ernst-Ulrich, Rocky Mountain Region

For the second year in a row, former active smokejumpers recently joined other volunteers and San Juan Public Lands Center* (Colorado) workers to help restore the historic Glade Guard Station on the San Juan National Forest Dolores Ranger District.

Thirteen National Smokejumper Association (NSA) volunteers along with five local volunteers and San Juan Public Lands archaeologists Julie Coleman and Elaine Sherman had a very productive week June 5 to 11. The group re-shingled and painted the garage and shed; established a new trail; installed new shutters and a porch railing; and repainted the entire main structure.

At week's end the forest treated volunteers to a barbeque attended by Dolores District personnel, including District Ranger Steve Beverlin.

The Glade Guard Station is a classic American site. Its remote setting in Dolores County and its historic structures are pages right out of a western history book.

The station was established in 1905 when a small log cabin was constructed as an administrative facility for the Glade District of the Montezuma National Forest, now part of the Dolores District of the San Juan National Forest.

In 1916 the existing structures came into being when a wood-frame building replaced the log cabin as the administrative facility/residence for the guard station and a barn was built.

In the 1930s, a camp associated with the Lone Dome Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was set up adjacent to the station. During this time minor modifications were made to the residence, and a garage, meat house (later used as a tool shed), and outhouse were constructed. The CCC also built rockwork culverts and drains. The guard station continued to serve various functions until the 1970s.

The Glade Guard Station remains remarkably unchanged, a virtual time capsule harkening back to the early days when the lone district ranger was “guarding” the national forests.

The retired smokejumpers were pleased to be a part of the guard station’s history. One of NSA’s missions is to help maintain and restore the nation’s forest and grassland resources through the NSA Trail Maintenance and Restoration program.

Bill Ruskin, who worked seasonally for the Forest Service in the 1960s, said the Smokejumper TRAMPS, or Trail Restoration and Maintenance Project Specialists, began taking on projects similar to the Glade Guard Station a decade ago, donating energy and expertise across the nation in such places as Alaska, Minnesota, and Montana.

The 13-member NSA crew involved in the San Juan project, veterans of three decades of smokejumping, approached the experience with the same efficiency and expediency as one sees on a wildland fire incident, making them a very effective team.

“What a unique opportunity for smokejumpers from the ‘50s, ‘60s, and ‘70s to come together as a unit to accomplish important restoration work on the historic Glade Guard Station on the San Juan National Forest,” Ruskin said.

http://www.fs.fed.us/fstoday/090703/03.0About_Us/smokejumpers.html Page 1 of 2Former Active Smokejumpers Help Restore Historic Guard Station 7/9/09 11:43 AM

Richard Hilderbrand, whose smokejumper training took place in Missoula, Montana in 1966, acted as the project squad boss, matching work to be done with the skills and physical capabilities of the volunteers.

“These energetic fellows are all past smokejumpers who went on from their smokejumping years to work successfully in a variety of other careers, but those early experiences led them to want to make a contribution to the Forest Service through projects such as this,” Hilderbrand said.

Hilderbrand spoke of the hard work blended with pleasant camaraderie throughout the week. “We had fun while accomplishing something important,” he said.

After restoration is complete, the forest plans to offer the residence as a recreation rental cabin.

A grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the San Juan Public Lands Center funded this year's work.

“This ‘can-do’ group got more work done than originally planned!” said Coleman. “We hope to carry on the hard work started by the National Smokejumper Association so future generations can experience the Glade Guard Station.”

For more information on the partnership efforts involved in this project, contact Coleman at (970) 385-1250. Click here>>> for more information on the National Smokejumper Association.

*The San Juan Public Lands Center is a Service First Organization consisting of the San Juan National Forest and a Bureau of Land Management unit.

SMOKEJUMPERS WORK ON HISTORIC GLADE GUARD STATION

2008-09-10T22:48:00.000-07:00

7/7/2008 6:00:00 AM

Volunteers from the National Smokejumper Association work on the historic Glade Guard Station north of Dolores on June 24.

Melinda Green
Journal Staff Writer
DELORES JOURNAL

History is being made and remade at a historic guard station on the Glade in the San Juan National Forest.

A group of 16 volunteers, with funding from grants, spent June 21-28 renovating the 92-year-old Glade Guard Station north of Dolores, the oldest structure in the San Juan National Forest.

"Historic preservation really isn't about buildings. It's really about people," said Silverton Restoration Consulting's David Singer, who is serving as paid project manager. "We're celebrating this building's history, but really these guys are contributing another chapter to the history."

"These guys" are a dynamic team of retired smokejumpers with an average age of 69. They all belong to the National Smokejumper Association, and all volunteer their time in the summers maintaining trails, restoring historic structures and repairing corrals and fences on national forests across the country.

"I am blown away at the progress they've made. I had concerns, based on my own performance history," Singer said jokingly.

The volunteers were as busy as a professional construction crew, installing new roofing, running power tools off a generator, stripping wood and painting.

Essential restoration work was the focus of the week, while keeping the building as much in original condition as possible, according to Julie Coleman, heritage team lead for the San Juan Public Lands Center in Durango. The stone foundation was repointed and repaired. The old shingle roof was removed, rafters shored up and new plywood installed, followed by water and ice barrier, a sealer breather layer, then new cedar shingles. A door and windows were removed so they can be restored, and the exterior was sanded, repaired and painted white. A new, telescoping flag pole, donated by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, was installed on the same site as the original.

"They're great," Coleman said about the volunteers. "They are really hard workers. They were up yodeling before sunrise. They began to work and then took a break for breakfast. They'll work straight through to 5 or 6 at night. They're making a lot of progress. We're real excited."

Some surprising discoveries have been found. On the back side of a wooden door frame from the 1936 or 1937 porch addition were words penciled on the board "The Gaines Lumber Company, Dolores, Co", a company now long out of business.

The project cost of $32,000 is being funded by the San Juan National Forest, Bacon Family Foundation and Ballantine Family Fund. That provided supplies and materials for the project, paid Singer to direct the volunteer crew, and provided for meals prepared by Elevated Fine Foods of Silverton, Coleman said.

"These guys all have the common brotherhood of being smokejumpers. Most of them were smokejumpers in the 1960s, but one was in the 1950s. They did that to put themselves through college, then went on to a wide range of careers. This is their summer vacation. A lot of them had never met before, but they're coming together around the campfire and telling a lot of stories," she said. "They have the satisfaction of contributing and doing a project, but they also enjoy meeting each other."

The Smokejumpers were summer fire crew members who parachuted into remote forest sites where lightning started fires, explained one of the volunteers, Jim Dollard, 74, of Evergreen. After they put out a fire, they had to walk eight to 16 miles out to a road.

The Glade Guard Station house was built in 1916, and remodeled in 1936 and 1937 by Civilian Conservation Corps teams, who also built a one-car garage and woodshed at that time. A barn was built between 1905 and 1915. The buildings were used by forest rangers, who stayed there in the summer and fall, or just stopped in for a few nights. However, the site hadn't been actively used since the 1980s, and the residence was deteriorating from water damage and rodents.

The residence is listed on the Colorado State Register of Historic Properties, and an application is in progress to have it added to the National Register of Historic Places, Coleman said.

Restoration work scheduled for next year includes replacing the restored windows and door, removing asbestos tile, refinishing the oak wood floor underneath, repairing plaster work in the ceiling and walls, painting inside, installing a new propane heater, kitchen stove and refrigerator, and having a pit toilet built, she said.

By the summer of 2010, the goal is to have the Glade Guard Station ready to rent out to the public. Reservations would be handled through the private, nonprofit Jersey Jim Foundation, which also rents out the Jersey Jim Fire Lookout Tower northeast of Mancos.

Lloyd McNeil, trails supervisor for the Dolores Public Lands Office, foresees that it could be popular during the summer and fall for hunters, and people who might bring their horses up for rides on the Glade, a unique seven-mile long open meadow. The barn and a corral, which will be rebuilt, could accommodate horses, he envisions.

"The rentals would save the building by keeping it in use, and people get to enjoy it," Coleman said. "The funds would go towards preservation. Having the cabin occupied and in use will also help discourage the vandalism that often plagues abandoned structures. There are two site monitors who also keep an eye on the place."

Reach Melinda Green at melindag@cortezjournal.com.

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Directions to Glade Ranger/Guard Station, San Juan National Forest

2008-02-20T22:07:00.000-08:00

From State Highway 491 at Cohone, CO turn east on County Road R. follow for 3 miles to intersection with CR-16.

Go south on CR-16 for 1.25 miles to
intersection with County Road S.

Turn east on CR S for 1.5 miles (crossing the Dolores River) to Forest Development Road (FDR) 504.

Take FDR 504 northeast for 7 miles to intersection with FDR 514.

Take FDR 514 east for 2 miles to FDR 512.

Take this road north for 1.25 miles toward Black
Snag Spring. The road will swing west past a fenced stock pond.

Continue to the west for 0.1 mile to the Glade Guard Station.

Historic Glade Guard Station on San Juan NF Slated for Rehab in June 2008

2008-01-15T09:20:00.000-08:00

In cooperation with the staff of the San Juan National Forest and the San Juan Mountain Association, the NSA Trail Maintenance Program has a coordinated a major historic site renovation project on the San Juan National Forest for June 22-28, 2008. Over twenty smokejumpers have indicated an interest in participating in the project with official signup beginning in mid January.

The Glade Guard Station Rehabilitation Project,
Dolores District, San Juan National Forest,
Dolores County, Colorado

The Glade Guard Station site (5DL1792)

The Glade Guard Station site (5DL1792) is located in Dolores County, Colorado at T41N, R16W, in the NW corner of Section 33 (USGS quad The Glade, Co) at an elevation of approximately 8,400 feet. The site is in an otherwise undeveloped area of the forest, and access to the site is via Forest Development Road 514. The site is located on the side of a hill overlooking the large open park known as The Glade. It is flanked by an stand of mixed aspen, pine, and oak brush.

The Glade Guard Station was established in 1905 when a small log cabin was constructed as an administrative facility for the Glade District of the Montezuma National Forest (now part of the Mancos-Dolores District of the San Juan National Forest). In 1916 a wood frame residence and a barn was added, and in the 1930’s (primarily 1935-36) a fly camp associated with the Lone Dome CCC camp was set up adjacent to the guard station. During this time modifications were made to the residence and a garage, meat house (later used as a tool shed), and outhouse were constructed. Rockwork culverts and drains were also built at the guard station during that time. Use of the site by the Forest Service changed over time as districts were consolidated and administrative boundaries and needs changed. Later use was primarily as a materials and equipment storage center and short term seasonal housing facility. Use continued into the 1970’s at which time the site was closed down due to diminished need and deteriorating conditions.

The site currently consists of five structures: a Ranger’s Residence (ca.1916), garage (ca. 1935), barn (ca. 1905-1915), woodshed (ca. 1936), and a toilet / outhouse (ca.1936). The original log ranger station structure deteriorated and was removed in the 1950’s, and a log bunkhouse was reportedly burned down in the 1970’s. The site was nominated to the Colorado State Register of Historic Properties was officially listed on 8 August 2001. It is also considered to be eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, and efforts are underway to nominate it for listing there.

Introduction to the Project

The Glade Guard Station project consists of the rehabilitation under the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guides of an historic Forest Service administrative site. Once it the work is completed, the site will be furnished for reuse as a recreational rental property to be maintained and operated under a recreation special use permit by a non-profit group (the Jersey Jim Foundation).

Some elements of the site are in poor condition, while others are in moderate to fair condition. A condition assessment was done on the site’s structures in 1998 by Harrison Goodall of Conservation Services (Goodall 1998). Additionally, a deferred maintenance report was done in the summer of 2004 by the engineering staff of the SJNF. These two documents provide a basis for the work that is being proposed. The most urgent need is for restoration work on the sandstone foundation, the replacement of the roof, and scraping and painting of the residence structure.

Residence - Primary Concerns

Foundation & steps: the residence sits on a stonework foundation of native sandstone that was constructed by the CCC. The mortar has flaked in places and several wide cracks have developed. The foundation needs to be repaired and re-pointed.

Roof: Re-roof including replacing wood shingles, sheeting, and weatherproofing material.

Chimney: Re-point.

Exterior: Scrape, prime, and paint.

Windows: Repairs needed to some windows, replace broken glass, and re-glaze.

Residence – Secondary Concerns

Interior: Repair plaster.

Windows: Repair and re-screen window screens.

Doors: Replace side door and screen door. Re-hang interior doors.

Miscellaneous Information:

Airports: Both Durango and Cortez have local airports that receive shuttle flights from Denver, Salt Lake, Albuquerque, etc.

Water: There is no water source at the site, however the forest service can provide a 300 gallon tank of water to the location.

Electricity: The district has 2 portable generators that can be used at the site.

Camping: Volunteers may camp at the site in the area once occupied by the CCC camp. Or at the Bradfield Camp Ground (approximately 14 miles from the site).

Local Outfitters: There are several local outfitters that work in the area – one of our recreation officers is putting together a list that should be available shortly.

GUARD STATION OR RANGER STATION?

Hi Bill, Sorry I wasn't in to get your call yesterday - had to run off
after our conference call and get snow tires put on my POV. (and Boy! did I
need them this morning!).

Anyway, to your question..... Is the Glade a Guard Station or a Ranger
Station? the answer is both.

The first administrative structure at the site was a small log cabin that
was constructed in 1906 as a Guard Station when the area was part of the
Glade District of the San Juan and Montezuma Forest Reserve (the reserve
was created in 1905 by a proclamation from President T. Roosevelt).

In 1908 the Forest Reserve was divided and became the San Juan N.F.
headquartered in Durango, and the Montezuma N.F. headquartered in Mancos.
The Guard Station location was upgraded in 1916 with the addition of the
frame-construction residence building. The log structure was still present
at this time and was used as the office. The location was at that point the
seasonal administrative center for the Glade Ranger District and was
occupied only from the late spring to the early fall. In the winter the
staff moved back down to Mancos. The location continued to be know as the
"Glade Guard Station" (as it appears that way on the old maps) even though
technically it was serving as a District Ranger Station.

Because the use of the location began as a Guard Station and transitioned
into a Ranger Station, both terms are used for the site - but locally it is
still most commonly referred to at the Glade Guard Station. The State
Historic Preservation Office certificate including the site in the State
Register of Historic Properties uses "Glade Ranger Station" , but the site
form lists it as "Glade Ranger Station - Guard Station - Cabin". So I guess
you can use either term. Personally I prefer Guard Station to reflect its
original status and the continuing local verbal tradition.

Good Question - thanks for asking!

Elaine

Elaine Sherman
Archaeologist
Dolores Public Lands Office
San Juan Public Lands
29211 St. Hwy.184, Dolores, CO 81323
(970) 882-6833 esherman@fs.fed.us

CURRENT CONDITIONS REVIEW OF RANGER STATION
PROJECT: GLADE GUARD STATION DATE: September 11th, 2007
Forest Service Road 514
Dove Creek vicinity
Dolores County, Colorado

Dolores Public Lands Center
P.O. Box 210
Dolores, Colorado 81323
Attn: Elaine Sherman
(970) 882-7296

REVIEW OF GOODALL ASSESSMENT
The assessment report prepared by Harrison Goodall in 1998 is a thorough examination of the buildings on the site. The assessment of the Ranger Station structure was broken down into 16 individual building components or systems. Much of Goodall's recommendations for these buildings components remain accurate today. However, several of the conditions noted in the report have deteriorated further; notably including the interior plaster, roofing and interior window muntins. Additionally, the exterior walls including the windows and doors have been stained following the mechanical removal of 90% of the lead based paint and the building has been recently sealed and cleaned from the rodent infestation. Beside these treatments, the building appears to stand today as Goodall observed it.

Many of Goodall‘s recommendations for treatment and prioritization of the work needed for preservation of the building also remains valid today. Given the 9-year span between his assessment and this comparative analysis, the building has held up well. However, the Ranger Station is now at a juncture, where some of the highest level 1-year priority tasks outlined in the 1998 report are critical to be completed to stem the exacerbated deterioration of a number of the issues threatening the structure. For purposes of compatibility and consistency with the assessment work of Goodall, the following update and recommendations will be made in an outlined form adopted from Goodall’s CR Manger format.

BUILDING COMPONENT 2007
OBSERVATION OF CONDITION 2007
RECOMMENDATION FOR TREATMENT
4INTERIOR FINISH Needs re-painting after plaster repairs Re-paint after plaster is repaired and settlement is abated with foundation repairs.
4FLOOR SURFACE Suspect asbestos in vinyl tile remains from 1998 investigation. Overlay for encapsulation. Provide crawl space entry through flooring at northwest corner.
4INTERIOR CONDITION Cleaned of rodent evidence from 1998 assessment. Maintain a sealed building envelope. Install propane tank and range. Test fixtures. Seal off entry to water heater closet and restroom for future mitigation.
4INTERIOR WALL AND CEILING PLASTER Hole in ceiling identified in 1998 enlarged. Many wall cracks from settlement. Repair holes loose areas and cracks.
4CHIMNEY Brick in good condition. Mortar missing in top 4-6 courses.
Re-point upper courses matching the existing material.
BUILDING COMPONENT 2007
OBSERVATION OF CONDITION 2007
RECOMMENDATION FOR TREATMENT
4ROOF SURFACE Roof is leaking with some missing and lifting cedar shingles. Flashings are loose and finials missing at ridge. Replace cedar shingle roof. Install ice and water shield moisture barrier and cedar breather material. Repair flashings and replace where missing or severely deteriorated. Flash roof penetration at chimney and flue.
4VEGETATION Some vegetation against foundation. Remove vegetation.
4DOORS Historic front door in good condition, repainted brown. Side entry door in poor condition with failed locking mechanism. Re-paint historic front door. Replace side entry door (32” x 6’-7”) with appropriate solid panel exterior wood door and new locking mechanism. Repair jamb, header and sill as needed and provide weather stripping.
4EXTERIOR FINISH Good condition. Recently scraped and stained. Some lead paint remains. Prepare surface for new oil based primer. Provide one coat of primer and based upon coverage, provide one or two coats of latex based topcoat to match historic cream/white color.
4FOUNDATION SANDSTONE STEM WALLS Limited cracking and settlement of the foundation walls remains as observed in 1998 with no significant evidentiary change. Remove loose mortar and foam in-fill at settlement cracks. Replace with type ‘N’ mortar as follows: 6 Parts masonry sand, 2 parts lime, _ part gray Portland, _ part white Portland.
4PORCH SANDSTONE FLOOR Steps remain settled from 1998 observations Re-set steps at front and side entries using 6-2-2 part mix design.
4PORCH RAILS Bottom rail deteriorated and missing balusters as in 1998. Replace bottom rail and replace balusters. Replace in-kind the missing rails that flank the main step at entry. Use shadow marks and lead anchor points/fasteners for reference.
4SURFACE DRAINAGE Runoff gullies around N,E and W elevations and erosion at south remain from 1998 assessment. Provide swale at south elevation to direct surface and roof runoff away from building footprint.
4EXTERIOR WALL
SHIP LAP WOOD SIDING Siding is in fair condition. Some replacement may have been made. Significant checking and gaps at corner boards where loose nails have popped. Deteriorated wood drip cap at top of foundation wall needs repair and or replacement. Repair siding where deteriorated or loose. Repair wood drip cap at base of wall. Replace severely deteriorated components only where necessary. Set nail head which have popped. Tighten corner boards where loose. Caulk all gaps prior to paint with a 50-year oil based exterior product. The contractor doing this work should refer to PRESERVATION BRIEF #10, Exterior Paint Problems on Historic Woodwork.
4WOODEN WINDOWS

One window remains smashed in at the south addition as was noted in 1998. Many of the interior muntins have been severely abraded and need repair. The glazing on all windows should be replaced with a n appropriate linseed oil putty. Broken panes should be replaced. Plywood panels have been installed over all window openings with screws and painted to match the exterior. All windows should be appropriately repaired. The contractor doing this work should refer to PRESERVATION BRIEF #9, The Repair of Historic Wooden Windows. If the plywood protective panels are to remain, removable hardware should be installed to preclude the damage the screws have caused.
4WINDOW / DOOR SCREENS Several of the window screens are missing and several are damaged. Replacement window screens should be made for those missing. Damage should be repaired to the balance of the screens where possible. All screen material should be replaced. The hard ware for the screen installation should match that of the protective panels for simplification of the system

ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS OBSERVED
Two additional items, not remarked upon in Goodall’s report are included below that were observed in the 2007 visit to the site for this evaluation. These components include the crawl space vent openings through the foundation at each elevation, and the timber beam sub-structure supporting the mid-spans of the floor joists in the crawl space. The follow are recommendations for treatment of these components.

BUILDING COMPONENT 2007
OBSERVATION OF CONDITION 2007
RECOMMENDATION FOR TREATMENT
4CRAWL SPACE ACCESS VENTS Crawl space vent covers and framing were in varying states of repair. Several had been inappropriately sealed with spray foam. Several of the screens need replacement. All vents and framing are unpainted and in contact with the soils at grade. Remove all foam sealant. Repair, caulk, paint and replace screens on all vents. Lower the grade below all vents to a minimum 4-inches under the sill of the vent opening. Pre-treat all exposed wood in these locations with boiled linseed oil prior to paint with an alykd oil primer and topcoat.
4SUB-STRUCTURE

Two large timer beams are supporting the mid-spans of the floor joists. The north beam is resting on what appear to be original masonry bearing pads. The south beam is very close to grade. The bearing on this south beam is suspect, with loose shims sitting on top. Properly shim these timber beams tight up against the floor joists. Secure shims in place and reinforce the masonry bearing pads as necessary with concrete or other materials. The crawl space should be cleaned out of loose debris brought in by animals as this materials holds moisture.

SUMMER 2008 PRIORITY TASK OUTLINE
The prioritization of several tasks is included below. The work is not inclusive of all the scope of work as the Volunteer work crew will be limited to a one week period. However, the size of the crew is anticipated to be approximately 12. Therefore, several scopes of work can be accomplished simultaneously by crews of 3 to 4 persons. The following components of the building and associated tasks should be considered for this summer field work:

1. ROOF REPAIRS:
q Demolition of existing shingle sheathing
q Limited repair of sub-sheathing
q Installation of roll out moisture barrier
q Installation of cedar breather
q Installation of flashings around penetrations
q Repointing of upper courses of chimney
q Installation of 5.5 squares of standard width cedar shingle
q Installation of ridge cap and flashings

2. SITE DRAINAGE
q Remove all vegetation around building establishing a 3-foot dry zone
q Lower the grade around perimeter of building to a minimum of 4-inches below the sill height of the crawl space vents
q Contour grade away from building for positive drainage.
q Provide a swale along the south elevation to direct runoff around building

HILDERBRAND REPORT: Glade Guard Station Project June, 2008
On September 22, I visited the project to get a first hand perspective of the station and the work. This is follow up to the project description sent out by Elaine Sherman, The archaeologist working the project to this time. In summary:
a. The Guard station is in a beautiful location on a slight slope of a northern exposure hillside. I would guess about a 7 to 8 percent slope. Location: N 37deg 46.703’ and W 108deg 37.955’. Elevation is 8310’ or so.
b. Distance from paved road 22 miles. Distance to Cortez 22 miles. Total distance from Durango to Glade project is about 94 miles. Road is good forest road and RVs will make the trip with no trouble. Only one major climb up out of the Dolores River Canyon and some rough spots, but not an off-road type of situation. Warrens Subaru will not even break a sweat!
c. The fire crews from the forest will do some clearing and thinning to create a defensible fire zone around the structure. This should be done prior to our project.
d. The structure is about 600 sq ft. with cedar siding on the outside, cedar shake roof, and lathe/plastered interior walls. There are three rooms (main living, bedroom, and kitchen) plus a bathroom and a small addition on the south side of the building.
e. The siding has been painted previously, but is now stained. The paint was sand blasted off a number of years ago and a lot of damage to the siding resulted. There are still pieces of paint that were not removed by the sand blasting and the siding has weathered and has a lot of cracks on east, south, and western exposures. North looks reasonably good.
f. The sheathing for the roof is rough lumber 1x6 to 1x10s. There is no paper under the shake roof and the roof is nailed to the sheathing. The roof is probably a 10 foot rise in 12 feet (a 10 in 12? Pitch).
g. The floor is oak but is covered by tile and linoleum. The tile is likely asbestos containing and will have to be removed by a certified contractor.
h. The restoration is to historical landmark standards, so the restoration must be as close to original as possible.
i. There is a restoration specialist that may be available to consult on aspects of the restoration.
j. The building has shifted on the foundation; however, following discussion with the restoration specialist the current plan is to NOT try to move the building any.
k. The ground surrounding the building needs to be graded to improve drainage away from the building.
l. Foundation has many cracks and openings which need to be repaired.
m. Chimney needs to be tuck pointed
n. A commercial dumpster will be available for refuse.
o. Latrines will be provided and an outfitter is currently being investigated to provide support.
p. Power will be by small generators only. Water will be provided by water buffalo or similar.

I have some photos to send later.
Rich Hilderbrand

Colorado 2007 NSA Trail Project Plans Announced

2007-02-07T20:04:00.000-08:00

Colorado Springs, CO. Join us for a great three day project on The Colorado Trail in the beautiful Clear Creek Valley in the Pike- San Isabel National Forest June 27-30, 2007. Note that the dates changed from those listed in the 2006 Trails Maintenance Report. We will be cutting trees for a new route that will move the Colorado Trail off of private land and onto national forest land. This three day project will clear a corridor in which later crews will build a new trail section. Time permitting we may also build some of the new trail.
The camp site will be along Clear Creek in a beautiful valley adjacent to the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness Area. The fishing should be outstanding since this section of the creek will be on private land. The site is a flat meadow surrounded by trees and a complete camp outfit including full kitchen, all tools, and showers will be provided and set up by the Colorado Trail Foundation (CTF). Stan Linnertz, MSO'61 has volunteered to cook for the crew (no one makes better hot cakes) and Rich Hilderbrand, MSO'66 will assume responsibility as squad leader. More details on logistics will be included in future blog postings.
Access to the site is off of Highway 24 about 15 miles north of Buena Vista. Then exit west toward Clear Creek Reservoir on a well marked County Road 390. Follow this road 2.8 miles to a gate on the left which there will be a sign identifying it as access to the Colorado Trail Crew Camp. Then just follow the marking to the campsite.
The smokejumper crew will meet in Buena Vista at Jan’s Restaurant, a block South of the traffic light on the West side of Highway 24. Meeting time is 9:30 AM on Wednesday, June 27. From there we will convoy to camp. Friday is steak night with departure on Saturday. If interested in joining the Colorado project, your responsiblity is: 1) sign up for the project with NSA trail office in Missoula using the form in the 2006 NSA Trail Maintenance Report, and 2) sign and return volunteer release form with the CTA. Information on how to submit this release form in hard copy or electronically will be posted later on this blog. Looking forward to another great season.
NOTE: CHANGE FROM ORIGINAL PROJECT DATES

FRENCHMAN CREEK BRIDGES IN PLACE ON COLORADO TRAIL

2006-06-28T20:08:00.000-07:00

Two Bridges Over Frenchman Creek Open NSA
2006 Trail Maintenance Season

One project down 15 to go! The 2006 NSA trail maintenance season is off to a successful start. The Frenchman Creek project on The Colorado Trail in the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness Area on June 22-23 officially began a season with a record number of NSA projects and participating smokejumper volunteers.
The construction of two bridges; cross-cut saw / chainsaw training and certification; a Subaru sedan operating like a mountain goat; a crappie (pronounced “craw pe”) filet fish fry and good stories despite a fire ban. It all came together for another great project in the Colorado high country.
Smoke jumper volunteers included squad leader Rich Hilderbrand, Jimmie Dollard, Warren Pierce, Herm Ball, Ray Carter, Doug Wamsley, and Bill Ruskin. George Miller, CTF, Rick Creekmore, REI, and Jeff Leisey, USFS and Kepler the trail dog also participated.
In September 2006, an NSA trail crew led by Hal Howell climbed to 12, 000’ on the side of Mount Harvard on the wrong trail looking for the Frenchman Creek bridge site only to pass by within a couple of hundred yards. On the way down the crew found the crossing site but ran out of daylight, vowing to return this year and finish the job which was done with typical smokejumper zeal and expertise. A second bridge was constructed and was used as a “hands on” training for saw certification training conducted by the Leadville Ranger District.
In camp for Thursday dinner Jimmie Dollard demonstrated his culinary skills by frying up five pounds of crappies caught at Lake Oolagah, a Corps of Engineers project about 30 miles from Tulsa. Jimmie says the limit is 47 fish per day per person and you can catch that many if you know how and when. The fish were golden brown and served with potato salad, baked beans, tomatoes and washed down with cold beer. Doug Wamsley provided his traditional magnum of Yellow Tail Merlot for all to enjoy and broke out his plastic two-piece wine glass from his special carrying case. Doug claims Yellow Tail is the best selling wine in Colorado. We think Doug just likes the kangaroo on the bottle. It’s a tough life at a smokejumper trail camp.
The road to the project site is four miles of loose rocks with scattered high centering boulders, steep inclines and narrow tread in some places. Just the macho challenge for Herm Ball’s Ram 2500, a Toyota Land Cruiser, a Land Rover and a Nissan 4X4. We all were looking forward to testing our 4X4 driving skills with these assorted high-powered machines. There was also a Subaru 4-door sedan in the convoy. We knew that eventually the sedan would have to be dragged out of the way, and temporarily abandoned by it’s driver, Warren Pierce. To our great consternation, the Subaru performed equally as well as the SUVs raising the question, who needs an SUV anyway if you can climb a rugged Colorado mountain road in a Subaru Mountain Goat sedan? To make matters worse, Pierce rubbed it in our faces for two days and bragged that if you buy a Subaru you get a bright red fire shovel and a years supply of banana flavored marsh mellow filled “Moon Pies” which he forced on us for two days. Even Kepler wouldn’t eat a Moon Pie.

Frenchman Creek Saw Certification and Bridge Project Update

2006-05-25T21:38:00.000-07:00

Rich Hilderbrand, squad leader for the project provided the following update:

Bill and Warren reconnoitered the trail projects for June and September. We then met and finalized plans over breakfast. The information on the June 22 and 23 trail project is below. There will be some future information, such as the meeting place in Buena Vista. As of now, looks like about 8 volunteers will be there.

As you all know, the paperwork has to come first, then the fun.
Everyone coming to the project needs to file the Colorado Trail Foundation Waiver. You can download the form from the CTF website "coloradotrail.org". The form should be mailed to the Colorado Trail Foundation, Golden office, 710 10th St. #210, Golden CO 80401.

In addition, NSA members need to email Jon Mcbride (n2601@aol.com) advising him that they are participating in the June 22-23 project in Colorado. Please send your name, address, email, and the SJ base where you trained with the year trained and years jumped.

Now the info you need
The project is on Frenchmans Creek just north of Buena Vista, CO about 6 miles. The highway is 24/291 North. We will meet at 9 am in Buena Vista at a restaurant. I will provide the name of the restaurant later. The camp site will be down close to the highway at the boundry of the wilderness area. The road is rough and requires high ground clearance vehicles. We will have some four wheel drives with good clearance and can shuttle people and equipment as necessary.

June 22 will be Forest Service certiification for using the cross cut saw. I am not sure if chain saw is included or if we are in the wilderness area. We are hoping to be able to build one bridge on Thurs and then build the bridge at the higher elevation on Fri (June 23). The main objective is the bridge up at the higher elevation.

Food:
Thurs June 22.
Breakfast at Buena Vista
Lunch – pack your own
Dinner provided – however, cost will be shared. Probably roast chicken, potato salad, etc with cookies for dessert

Fri, June 23
Breakfast provided – again cost share pastries, fruit, oatmeal etc.
Lunch provided – cost share sandwiches, fruit, cookies, chips etc.
Dinner – on your own and you should be headed home.

You provide your camp gear and your own drinks for the two days including water as you see necessary. The climate is dry and we will be at high elevation (timberline), so plan for plenty of water during the heat of the day.
Due to weather conditions here, no open fires, so all cooking will be on gas stoves (I will provide one two burner coleman stove).

We need one large coffee pot for breakfast coffee if someone can volunteer that.

Work equipment will be provided. If you have a cross cut saw that could be used, let me know and we will see if it is needed for training.

You can reach me at my mobile phone for any questions 719-359-6725.

Rich

(Note: I am needing to change my email from work to my personal email. Please start to use rhilder7399@aol.com. The other is not a big deal, but would help me to switch over, thanks, Rich)

SEPTEMBER 2006 SOUTH ELBERT NSA TRAIL PROJECT

2006-05-21T20:44:00.000-07:00

NSA Colorado South Elbert Trail Project, September 6 -10, 2006

A wooded dispersed camp below 10,000' near the Continental Divide Trail overlooking Twin Lakes with incredible views of the Collegiate Range; abundant tent and camper sites and numerous challenging tasks including bridges, turnpike construction and stone walls. What more could we ask for? How about camping in an Aspen grove as the autumnal coloration begins, great food prepared by the now veteran NSA camp cook Princess Sue, full camp and kitchen equipment support by the Colorado Trail Foundation (CTF) and financial support tools and equipment supplied by the Continental Divide Trail Alliance and the USFS. Best of all, drinking beer and swapping stories with your bros around the campfire. If this sounds good to you, then there is plenty of time to sign up for the NSA Colorado South Elbert trail maintenance project.
Here is more detail about the project. Warren Pierce, CJ'64 volunteered as squad leader and already has many of the details of the project under control. The project site is located on the San Isabel National Forest about 20 miles north of Buena Vista on US 24, turning west at Balltown on Colorado 82 for three miles to Twin Lakes. We're going to assemble for lunch at the Twin Lakes Nordic Lodge, a National Historic Stagecoach Stop built in 1879. Over the years the structure has been the Twin Lakes Hotel, The Black Wolfe Inn, and The Sportsman Lodge. From there we'll convoy a few miles to the dispersed campsite, private but suitable for campers and accessible by high-centered passenger vehicles with beautiful tent sites in an Aspen grove.
We'll have full support from the CDTA which will provide $6.00 per day for each jumper for food. Justin Milne, Trails Coordinator from the Leadville Ranger District will be our in-camp technical advisor and supply all tools (bring your own hand pruning saw if you have one). Justin assured us on our recon trip to the site that there is plenty of challenging work. Although trail crews are in this area during the summer, numerous demanding projects are being held for the smokejumper crew. Details on the specific work projects will be posted as we receive information from the CTDA and the USFS.
It occurred to us that there maybe some of you who would like to plan a Labor Day visit to Colorado with your family or significant other and still volunteer on the project. We would like to suggest that you could do both by checking the partner or family into The Nordic Lodge B & B and then, while they drive over Independence Pass to Aspen 30 miles away to spend your money, you could go out on the trail for a few days.
Warren will be in contact with the crew by email regarding specifics and we will post general information on this blogspot as it is received. If any of you are considering or interested in signing up, there is still time but you need to get a sign up sheet to Jon McBride and let Warren know you'’re coming. A great project-don’t miss it!

SAW CERTIFICATION SET FOR JUNE 22

2006-04-08T21:18:00.001-07:00

Good news for any NSA volunteer that would like to get crosscut saw certified and volunteer for an NSA trail maintenance project at the same time. The Leadville District of the Pike-San Isabel NF has agreed to conduct a saw certification session at the NSA /CTF bridge building work site at Frenchman Creek on the Colorado trail on June 22. Normally saw certification is a two-day event and would have required another drive to the Leadville area. The certification will be for crosscut saws only since the project site is within the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness Area.
At this time the plan is to meet at a location on US Highway 24 between Leadville and Buena Vista early on the morning of June 22 and then proceed to the project site. The project is scheduled for two days with departure on the afternoon of June 23. Details of the exact location of the meeting place, time and other details including meals, camping, tools and the need for four wheel drive vehicles will be the subject of another posting on this blog.
If you are interested in joining the fun at about 11,000’ please send your sign up sheet to Jon McBride and email Richard Hilderbrand, squad leader at rhilderbrand@usantidoping.org and let him know you are coming.
Check this blog at the end of the month for more information.

SOUTH ELBERT SITE SELECTED FOR SEPTEMBER NSA PROJECT

2006-03-23T15:06:00.000-08:00

Colorado September NSA Trail Project Details Posted

Colorado Springs, CO - Recent communication among Warren Pierce, CJ64, Jeff Leisy, Trails Coordinator, Leadville Ranger District, Pike San Isabel NF, and Brenda Dolan Hobgood, Volunteer Projects Manager with the Continental Divide Trails Alliance (CDTA) confirmed the NSA September 2006 Colorado Trail Project. The Colorado Trail Foundation’s (CTF) through George Miller, CTF Field Project Manager will provide logistic support for the NSA trail crew.
LOCATION: The South Elbert Project site is in the Mt Massive Wilderness NW of Twin Lakes Reservoir, 22 miles south of Leadville on US24 to Balltown then west about 5 miles on State Highway 82 towards Independence Pass. The base camp will be dispersed, 4-wheel drive accessible and located somewhere NW of Lake View Campground at the western end of Twin Lakes Reservoir. We will scout the area after the snow melts and find a great private campsite.
PROJECT: There is heavy trail work planned in this area during most weekends this summer. These weekend crews will be digging about six miles of trail on old jeep roads and informal trails in an area where the Colorado Trail and the Continental Divide Trail will join for several miles. The NSA smokejumper crew has been assigned the more ‘technical aspects of the project’. NSA volunteers will use treated timbers to build a bridge/s; construct retaining walls; reinforce the trail where needed and construct a turnpike which is described as a build-up of a section of a trail over a wet area. This requires bringing dirt to the build-up site and also cutting timber to create the turnpike.
CROSSCUT / CHAINSAW CERTIFICATION: We are continuing the effort to arrange certification. At this time there are two options: One is two get at least four smokejumpers together for a private eight- hour crosscut training session. The other option is to join a district saw course in June, which would certify for both the chainsaw and crosscut. There would be no charge for either course and it is hands on training in the woods cutting down trees. Apparently only one person needs to be certified on the crosscut, so a non-certified person can pull from the other end. (As far as we know at this posting, the non-certified end of the saw has not been designated by any government agency). It is important that some of us get certified, so please contact one of us if you are interested in either of these options. Lack of saw certification may affect our ability to participate in projects on federal land. Contact warrenlpierce@msn.com or bruskin1@earthlkink.net and we will try to get some dates lined up.
Stay in touch with NSA trail activities in Montana, Idaho, Alaska and Colorado by checking this blog and nsatrail.blogspot.com periodically. NOTE: You can comment on anything posted on the blog by just clicking “comments” below the posting. Everyone can then read your comments. Also be sure to get your sign up sheets into Jon McBride for either or both of the Colorado projects. We will also have to complete paper work with the CTF and probably the CDTA, but we can deal with that later.

PLANNING UNDERWAY FOR 2006 NSA COLORADO PROJECTS

2006-03-12T11:37:00.000-08:00

Here's the latest on plans/activities for NSA trail work in Colorado:
JUNE PROJECT: Squad Leader: Richard Hilderbrand. Recon Date: June 03. Project dates: June 22/23. Location: Pike/ San Isabel National Forest in the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness Area between Buena Vista and Leadville, CO. Task: Construct two bridges over Frenchman Creek with native materials.
SEPTEMBER PROJECT: Cooperative project with Continental Divide Trails Alliance / Colorado Trail Foundation / NSA Trail Maintenance Crew. Squad Leader TBA. Recon Date: TBA. Project dates: September 6-10. Task: Details of project will be finalized and posted shortly.
CROSSCUT SAW SHORT COURSE CERTIFICATION: The USFS, Pike San Isabel NF, Leadville District is willing to set up a one-day short course certification class specifically for smokejumpers. Minimum of six jumpers needed to make it happen. Please advise Warren Pierce at warrenlpierce@msn.com if you are interested in getting certififed and he will get a date set up.
TRAILFEST 2006, Buena Vista, CO July 16. Very little information at this time but Missoula NSA Trail Maintenance Hqs. concurs that it would be a positive move to participate in this Trailfest. If anyone is available and willing to take on the responsibity for this task please contract Warren Pierce at email address above.
Please check this site periodically for current project status.

UPDATE ON 2006 COLORADO TRAIL PROJECTS

2006-02-07T20:00:00.000-08:00

At a breakfast meeting today with George Miller, we discussed 2006 trail projects and we are going back to build two bridges over Frenchman Creek in the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness Area northwest of Buena Vista Colorado on June 22-23. (This is area where we climbed up to 12,000' on Mt Harvard with all of our tools last September, looking for the bridge site. When we ran out of trees, our astute squadleader, Hal Howell, suggested we turn around). We now know where the bridges are to be built. Rich Hilderbrand is the squad leader for the June project.
Good news on the September project, September 6-10 (Note: the dates on the sign up sheet for 2006 NSA projects are last years dates). George Miller doesn't have a major project for us this year but he is willing to provide logistic support with CTF's excellent base camp. So it looks like we will have a project with USFS Leadville District, the Continental Divide Trail Alliance, the Colorado Trail Foundation and the NSA.
More details on both projects will be posted as they become available. Stay tuned and check the blog occasionally. Don't forget to send your sign up sheets to Jon Mcbride.

GOBI REUNION JUNE 16-18, 2006

2006-02-02T19:01:00.000-08:00

To all who jumped at the Gobi,
I am sure you have heard that there is a Gobi Reunion on June 16-18, 2006. If you haven't heard about it I have the information and would be glad to forward a copy to you. The last reunion was a blast with a great turn out (60% of those still alive who jumped at the Gobi were there). I have talked with Jim Allen and he and Emily will definitely be there. For those of you that haven't heard Orville Looper passed away last fall so he won't be there.
I am interested in driving if we can get a car pool of 2-4 people from the Denver Area (or who can meet in route). I can drive (or ride) but unless someone wants to car pool I will probably fly. As you know it is not easy to get to the Gobi by air. Last time we flew into Portland, spent the night and rented a car and drove down the next day. Driving will probably take two days. I am very flexible regarding schedule. i.e., we could leave here early Thursday and arrive afternoon Friday, June 16 and could leave CJ Sunday morning June 18 and arrive here Monday night; or we could leave earlier and arrive earlier Friday and leave later Sunday or early Monday and arrive Tuesday. If you are interested please send me your thoughts. If your wife is interested in going, that is ok we can accommodate that, this does not have to be a man thing. If you know of any Gobi jumpers living in the Denver area please forward this information to them

Jim Dollard CJ'52
jfasdollard@msn.com
29110 Buchanan Dr.
Evergreen, CO 80439
303-670-1480

BRENDA'S FIRST ENCOUNTER WITH SMOKEJUMPERS

2006-02-02T14:05:00.000-08:00

Warren Pierce, CJ’64 called Brenda Dolan Hobgood, Volunteer Program Coordinator for the Continental Divide Trail Alliance (CDTA) to arrange an introductory meeting. Brenda’s idea for the location of the meeting was at Starbucks in southwest Denver about 30 miles from the CDTA headquarters in Pine, Colorado. We couldn’t find the Starbucks so we convinced Brenda by cell phone to meet us at Gunther Toody’s in the vicinity since we didn't have breakfast and preferred ham and eggs to a latte. That should have been Brenda’s first clue as to what she was getting into.
The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (CDT) is the ‘King of Trails’ extends 3100 miles across the Continental Divide from the Canadian to the Mexican borders with 760 miles in Colorado. The CDT is about 70% complete border to border with about 1000 remaining miles unfinished. The goal is to complete the CDT by the year 2008, the Trail’s 30th anniversary. For more information visit www.cdtrail.org.
We asked Brenda what the CDTA could offer in the way opportunities for some highly trained, enthusiastic volunteers who were willing to work for food. Brenda was well prepared and produced a typed list of three potential projects ranging from new trail construction to wilderness area bridge building project. Most of the projects are accessible from campgrounds or a dispersed area near the project site. The CDT can support volunteers with camp equipment and per diem of up to $6.00 / volunteer /day.
We then bragged to Brenda that there are no better trail volunteers than smokejumpers and that we don’t need training or supervision – just food and some ice to keep the beer cold. We noticed Brenda glancing at her watch and looking towards the exit. We told her about the NSA, and how the trails program is organized and the gave her copies of the 2004 and 2005 NSA Trail Maintenance Special Reports and spent at least 15 minutes telling her how good we are and warned her about spending an evening around a campfire at a smokejumper trail camp. Brenda, obviously getting uncomfortable with the two blowhards across the table, but being a good sport, pointed out that our waitress (named Peaches) was wearing a button on her uniform that said ‘under these clothes I’m stark naked’. We don’t know how we missed that one.
We concluded the meeting with Brenda agreeing she would discuss our meeting with her associates and get back to us with a specific proposal including the possibility of attending a ‘short course’ for crosscut saw certification from the Forest Service. We explained to Brenda that we are all skilled forest workers and experts with all forest tools and don’t need a three day session using a cross cut saw even though the CDTA insists on certification. We think Brenda left the meeting somewhat in a state of shock wondering what it must be like to be around 8 or 12 of those guys when she could hardly deal with two of them.

POSSIBLE TRAIL PROJECT IN COLORADO FOR 2006

2005-11-20T20:35:00.000-08:00

Recently, while having an informal discussion with some trail enthusiasts here in Colorado Springs, I was asked if the NSA trail maintenance volunteers would be interested in building a bridge similar to this one next summer. Apparently there is trail somewhere in central Colorado that requires decending into a steep canyon and then a long climb back up to get to the other side. Obviously a challenging project but a reasonable request for the NSA trail crew. The good news is that there are plenty of rocks in the area. We can discuss this possible project further at our “beer call” on 5 December at the Rockyard Brewery in Castle Rock (see previous posting). Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!

2006 Dates Set For Colorado Trail Projects

2005-11-11T11:46:00.000-08:00

At a recent breakfast meeting in Colorado Springs, the NSA Colorado Chapter planning committee agreed on the following dates for projects for 2006: June 22 and 23 for the early summer project and September 6-10 for the late summer project. Details of the projects TBA. The majority of the jumpers polled responded that they like the late summer dates and that we should keep it at five days. Details of both projects will be posted on the nsacoprojects.blogspot.com as soon as the information is available. The two projects combined offer a total of seven project days which is the same as the projects in Montana and Idaho. We also discussed making contacts with the US Forest Service at both the district and region level and with the Continental Divide Trail Association to explore the feasibility of projects with those organizations. We also discussed exploring possible sources of grants and how to pursue funding sources for the Colorado projects. We also agreed to continue the tradition of the first Monday in December 'beer call' which will be at the Rockyard American Grill and Brewing Comapny in Castle Rock, Colorado 1600-1900 on 05 December 2005. This third annual 'beer call' is canceled if unsafe driving conditons prevail due to inclement weather.

NSA Trail Crew Completes Projects on Colorado Trail and Ascends Fourteener.

2005-10-07T17:39:00.000-07:00

Easily wrapping up assigned tasks on different sections of the Colorado Trail, Colorado, twelve smokejumpers and associates enjoyed a late summer gathering at a campsite on sapphire Lake near Leadville, Colorado. The most challenging aspect of the project was hauling Pulaski’s, hammers, spikes, a crosscut saw, shovels, and other bridge building tools to 12,000 ‘on the slopes Mt Harvard (14,420’). When we ran out of trees and still didn’t find the site where the bridge was to be built, our squad leader Hal Howell decided it might be a good time to have lunch and talk things over. One discussion point unanimously agreed on was that we should get credit for climbing a Colorado fourteener. The logic was that anyone can hike up to 12,000 feet, but packing all of those tools that high equates to another 2400’ or so. Following are comments from the NSA volunteers:

“ The project was not as productive as 2004. It did appear that we had make-up work. We could have built another great bridge but we ran out of time after finally locating the site. Despite some problems, the CTF offers great support; we were in beautiful country, we had two good trail dogs with us, Kepler and Paxton; and when smokejumpers get together, we always have a good time. Overall, I can’t complain but in the future we need th have better planning. Also, don’t change the time frame. I like the four day project length and early September is perfect for me.”

“The food was really good, we had a beautiful campsite on the lake, the work was easy and getting together with jumpers around a campfire with a cold beer is always worth the effort. Having said that, I would have preferred a better organized project and a greater challenge similar to the 2005 project at Cochetopa Creek.”

“ The support from the CTF is outstanding –great food and the camp logistics are excellent, but we could have planned the project a lot better. The NSA and the CTF have a very worthwhile relationship, but we need to get our act together. The CTF must understand that we are capable of accomplishing a lot of work. We don’t need training or supervision, just a challenging and well planned project with logistic support. We’ll take care of getting the job done.”

“From an organizational perspective, the project didn’t meet even the CTF standards. The project was not suitable for the type of crew assigned to it.”

“I have two goals for participation in the NSA trail projects: One is to have a good time and the other is to get there, complete the project and get home safely. I achieved both objectives on this trip. However, the work assigned to the jumpers on the Leadville project caused me to scratch my head. Also, things are changing for me and I submit the following observation: I believe the time frame for the Colorado project needs to be evaluated. I drove four days and 1000 miles each way for a four-day project. This doesn’t make sense for me especially with the price of gasoline. Depending on the cost of gasoline next summer, I may have to even think about the drive to Montana next year for a project, since it is 2000 miles each way. Why not consider a week long project in the summer in Colorado for those jumpers who also may be concerned about the cost of gasoline possibly limiting their participation in a Montana project?”

“ The overall project assignment this year was a letdown after the exciting and demanding Cochetopa Creek project last year. What happened? The camp support and meals were excellent but the work assignment this year was not for smokejumpers.”

“ The project should be longer like the Montana projects and there has to be challenging work or it’s just not worth the effort and expense to participate (excluding the chance to be with fellow jumpers)."

“ I’m sure everyone agrees that the support of the CTF offers volunteers is excellent. However, we need projects in Colorado that match the expertise and utilize the skills that smokejumpers have to offer. I would be favor of a longer project period similar to the projects in Montana. It wouldn’t matter to me if the project was in the summer or in early September.”

“ We were there but our time and talents were not effectively used to our potential as the result of disorganization on the part of the CTF. There was a lot of uncertainty and poor planning on this project. This was my first exposure to a Colorado project and I was impressed with the logistic support of the CTF. I will go back again, but I want to be assured of a greater challenge next time. The project should be completely planned out by the end April so all of us can make our plans and decisions about participation. With the price of gasoline, we will all have to plan very carefully. The September four-day time frame is fine with me. If Colorado schedules the project during June or July along with other NSA projects, I’ll go to Montana or Idaho for those projects.”

Menu Posted for NSA/CTF Hagerman Pass Project

2005-09-05T17:58:00.000-07:00

Bill,

Here is the final menu.

Wed
Dinner: Mediterranean Chicken, Rice, Green bean casserole, Brownies

Thurs
Breakfast: Bacon, Pancakes and melon and juice
Lunch: lunch meat,Tuna, bread, mayo, PBJ, candy, cookies, fruit, carrots, celery
Dinner: Lasagna, garlic bread, green salad, Ice cream

Friday
Breakfast: bagel-ham-cheese Casserole, melon, and Juice
Lunch: same
Dinner: Pot roast, green salad, corn on the cob, peach cobbler with whipped cream

Saturday
Breakfast: French toast, sausage, juice
lunch: same
Dinner: BBQ steaks, baked potatoes, Waldorf salad, cheese cake

Sunday
Breakfast:Homemade cinnamon rolls, left over potatoes fried, left over egg scrambled

I am making a little less this year, so hopefully we will not throw away so much food. I am really looking forward to seeing everyone again. And I have an assistant too, should be great. You probably know I went to Montana this summer and cooked on Hal's crew in the Bob. It was a great time. It was easy too, only 8 jumpers. What a beautiful place! My Colorado Trail crew this summer was 45 people!! See you all Weds.

Suep

Hagerman Pass Project UpDate

2005-08-28T15:55:00.000-07:00

Here is the latest on the project:
MEETING PLACE: Hal would like all jumpers who can make it, to meet at the Tennessee Pass Cafe on the main drag in Leadville at 12:00 on 7 September before convoying to camp at 13:00. If you can't make it by noon, go directly to camp (for location see previous blog posting).
EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBER: Cell phones probably won't work, so here is a number in the event of an emergency: USFS District Ranger Office, Leadvillle, CO 719-486-0749, Jim Zornes, District Ranger
OTHER INFO: Herm Ball can't make the project this year-we'll miss you Herm! Ray Carter has been signed up but some how omitted on the roster-sorry, Ray! Jimmie Dollard has volunteered to pick up Hal Howell and grandson at DIA and bring them to camp. Ray Carter says he can also pick up at DIA and has offered room and beer to anyone who is arriving early and needs a place to stay. Here is an email from James Cherry regarding NSA trail crew caps and tees

"I have no problem accessing the blog site. It helped with you wrote to not use the www. before entering the blog address.

Could you make mention to the crew that I will have a supply of the shirts and caps available for sale? Here is the information...

We have worked with GEM Design, the same company that has done work for us in the past, and, with the help of Tom Kovalicky, we were able to come up with the old stencil pattern many of us put on the back of our shirts... the USFS shield with wings. The T-shirts will also have a left chest and sleeve imprint.

In addition, children/youth sizes have been ordered so we can pick up some for those grandchildren. Check with family to see what sizes you should by buying. (Children/youth shirts have been ordered in sizes S, M, L, XL)

If you are concerned about being able to get what you want, you may email me at jjcherry@netins.net and place an advance order and your shirts will be set aside for you. I will be able to receive your order until noon on September 5. Then I start driving to Colorado.

Prices are as follows:
a.. Adult T's $15 Colors: Athletic Heather or Steel Blue
b.. Bucket hats $13 3 colors plus a camo to choose from
c.. Children/Youth T's $12 Colors: Ash or Royal
d.. Baseball Cap $7 Black or Tan colors to choose from
e.. Combination purchase of an adult T and a Bucket hat $25
f.. Multiple purchase of children's T's 1 @ $12, 2 @ $20, each additional purchase @ $10
There is a small profit from the sale of these shirts/hats and that is used to help fund the trails program. The cause is indeed worthy."

BLOGGERS NOTE: Jim is also bringing a jar of his world famous honey for everyone. Thanks, JIM!

Jim Cherry
2335 300th St.
Ventura, IA 50482
641-927-4428
641-927-4429 Fax
jjcherry@netins.net

That's it for now. If you have any questions, give me a call or send an email to bruskin@qualitygolf.net

END OF THIS POST

NSA Trail Project #12 Details Announced

2005-08-19T22:10:00.000-07:00

Tacoma, Washington: Hal Howell, squadleader in cooperation with George Miller, chief field honcho for the CTF announced plans today for NSA's 2005 Trail Project #12 and the fourth NSA trail project in Colorado

Colorado and Continental Divide Trails- Hagerman Pass Project-September 7-11, 2005

Location: The project will be located on the San Isabel National Forest about 8 miles west of Leadville, Colorado. Base camp will be at the USFS May Queen Campground located at the west end of Turquoise Lake at an elevation of approximately 10,000'’. The work this year is on both the Colorado Trail and the Continental Divide Trail, which overlap in this area.
Project Tasks: There are four(4) tasks to be accomplished by the crew:
1. Hagerman Pass segment of the Colorado Trail and Continental Divide Trail. There is about 1.5 miles of trail in this area that is in extremely bad condition and the task here will be to rebuild the trail. This will require at least two-days work and if completed, the crew will move on to another segment of the trail that needs work.
2. Wurts Ditch. The USFS did a reroute of about one mile of trail in this area and the old trail needs to be closed by covering it with brush and rock. Chain saws will be required for this assignment. When this task is completed, the crew can do some upgrading on the new trail.
3. Trail Sign Work. There is work to be done on some of the signs in the area including adding signs and Continental Divide Trail logos to some existing signposts in the area. Some of the sign work will be done in the Lost Canyon Camping area. This will be a good task for 2-3 crewmembers not up to hiking every day, although the hiking overall will be minimal, except for task #4.
4. Frenchman Creek: This scouting task will require the better part of the day for 2-3 jumpers involving a 4-wheel drive and a three-mile hike into the Mount Massive Wilderness to determine what it'’s going to take in terms of manpower and equipment to construct a new bridge over Frenchman Creek. This could be on the scale of the Cochetopa Creek project last year. Time allowing, the crew will also scout north from Frenchman Creek to Morrison Creek and determine what will be necessary to clean up the drainage problems at that site. It may turn out that the Frenchman Creek bridge will be the project for the NSA June 2006 two-day project, or combined with Morrison Creek, the NSA /CTF September project for 2006.

NOTES:
1. The NSA Colorado Crew this year consists of 14 smokejumpers, one associate member, Hal's grandson, and four volunteers from the CTF (also associate members) for a total of 20 volunteers.
2. The Colorado Trail Foundation (CTF) will provide full logistic support including all meals (including plates and utensils) beginning with dinner at 17:00 on 07 September and ending with breakfast at 07:00 on 11 September. In addition, the CTF will provide a fully equipped tool truck, a cook tent, a dining tent and a morning coffee-warming tent. The crew will erect shower shelter and 2.5 gallon sun showers will be available. If any of you want to arrive early on 7 September to help set up camp, you are welcome.
3. The CTF will support the NSA with four volunteers, including Princess Sue Palmer, the cook. Three volunteers, George Miller, John Lipe, and Stan Ward will work with the crews as assigned by squad leader Hal Howell.
4.Hiking will be minimal this year as we will work out of a base camp and drive to several of the projects sites. The working and hiking will be down hill with a trek back to the vehicle at the days end. On Task One the end of the trail is not far from camp, and this will avoid a hike uphill.
5. Personal Equipment: See the Suggested Minimal Personal Equipment For NSA Trail Maintenance List provided by the Missoula Trail Headquarters. You may also want to seriously consider a warm fleece for evenings and early morning. We may find Â“ice in the bucketÂ” in the mornings at 10’000 feet’ in September. And don'’t forget to BYOB or whatever you prefer to drink and mug for coffee.
6. Weather: Colorado is experiencing the August '‘monsoon'’, which is more normal than the past few years. George Miller reports that volunteers on the Colorado Trail now, have been getting hit with regular showers in the PM. This wet period is usually followed by a dryer September, but who knows. Your best bet is to check www.weather.com and keep an eye on the 10-day forecast for Leadville, Colorado.
7. Historic Sites: While you are in the area you may want to allow some time to visit the mining museum in Leadville, Camp Hale-the original training camp for the famous 10th Mountain Division, and the mining and ski town of Breckenridge
8. Cost: There is no cost to you other than getting to camp for this adventure in high Colorado. The NSA Trials Advisory Committee, has agreed once again to reimburse the CTF for the food. But after the project and before the holidays we should have a 'beer call'’ and discuss some options on how the NSA Colorado Chapter might secure some grants to cover the cost of future projects in Colorado. Maybe we can discuss this at camp one night.

FINAL IMPORTANT NOTE: Please advise Bill Ruskin at bruskin@qualitygolf.net if you are planning on bringing a truck mounted camper or RV. We need to reserve camping spaces in addition to the area we have reserved for tents. Please do this ASAP. Check nsacoprojects.blogspot.com for updates which will include emergency contact phone numbers. We will advise if cell phones work in this area.

September Colorado Project Update

2005-08-04T15:46:00.000-07:00

Here is the latest from George Milller (field /operations coordinator for the CTF) on the Colorado Trail September project. There are 15 jumpers signed up as 04 Aug.

"Bill, I have been working on a plan for this project but I still don't have final decisions. I ruled out the Frenchman's Creek bridge due to difficult access. It requires a hard 3 mile drive in and then a hard 1 1/2 mile walk to the worksite. It is in the Wilderness so no chainsaws.

I am going to spend next week scouting and should have a decision by next weekend.

Otherwise the support will be the same as last year plus plates and utensils and anything else we think of.

We can work out menu's anytime. We don't need much lead time on that.

I will get back to you as soon as I get things scoped out." George 04 Aug 05

NSA /CTF September Project Update

2005-08-01T20:20:00.000-07:00

Just returned from the NSA Grand Jean project and it was a "grand time" working with smokejumpers from nine states in the magnificent Sawtooths. Beautiful weather, great food, hard work and in the sack by 9:30 (and it was still light!) Did we have fun or what? On return I sent an email to George Miller of the CTF requesting some specifics on the remaining NSA trail project for 2005. Apparently George is out wandering around on the Colorado Trail and I received the following response from Stan Ward a CTF volunteer who was with us last year and responded for George:
Bill,
Unfortunately, no one but George knows the wheres and whats of the forthcoming NSA crew. All I know is that it will be a series of small projects near Leadville, presumably at pretty high elevations - say, about 11,000 feet.
I am leaving August 9 and will no return until the end of the month. So, sorry to say, I'm not of much help.
But, I can assure you that we will have paper plates and utensils with us this year! Also, Sue was in Montana with Hal and I suspect they worked out some menu ideas.
I guess we all will have to wait on George's return.
Stan
"Tis a privilege to live in Colorado"
From what George Told me earlier in the summer the NSA crew will be working out of a base camp in a beautiful camping area. We will break up into crews and work on numerous water mitigation projects including more bridges but none the size we built over Cochitopa Creek last September. Hiking will be minimal and we won't have a 'hole" to descend into and climb out of each day..
If you are signed up for the Colorado Project, check this blog weekly for updates. I'll post information as I get it from the CTF and George Miller. If you are not signed up, it's not too late to join us for a great project in the Colorado high country.

NSA Crew Completes 3rd Project on Colorado Trail

2005-06-29T11:59:00.000-07:00

On The Colorado Trail June 23-24, 2005: Over coming extreme environmental conditions-beautiful blue sky, early summer Rocky Mountain weather with temps in the 70's, crystal clear mountain water rushing down to Coors Brewery in Golden and eagles soaring high, five smokejumpers, one CTF official, one aspiring teenager and one trail dog completed another successful project on the Colorado Trail.
Starting at a basecamp elevation of 10,028' Richard Hilderbrand MSO'66 (squadleader) Warren Pierce CJ'64, Herm Ball MSO'50, Gasper Blea NIFC'78 (head sawyer), Blogger Bill CJ'58, George Milller, CTF, Cody Blea and Kepler, not deterred by massive snow drifts and swift flowing, icy mountain streams, cleared countless downfalls on a section of a connecting trail with the Colorado Trail. Urged onward and upward, by our squad leader, the crew cleared so many fallen trees that Hilderbrand, having only so many fingers and toes lost track after 20. Pierce piped in with his continuing encouraging words of "the trail junction is just around the corner," and the crew reached the high point of the supposedly two-day project at 11,658' joining with Colorado Trail (now named Kepler Junction).

The plan was to return to base camp and start up the other end of the trail on the second day. But no one was anxious to climb back up again with the chain saws so we continued working down the Colorado Trail to base camp arriving there about 6:00PM after clearing 10.5 miles of trail. Not bad for a days work. We figured that at this elevation , our trail work easily equated to 21 miles of cleared trail in the flatlands of the Bob.

That night we had a great dinner, and around a campfire the usual bullshit laced with an occasional true story. Our second day was a lot easier with blueberry hot cakes and coffee to start off another beautiful Colorado day and with all the work completed, we broke camp early and the crew departed . George Miller, field coordinator for the CTF, was again amazed at the volume off work accomplished in a short time by the highly trained and high spirited NSA Colorado crew. We are already discussing a two-day, (Thursday- Friday) project somewhere on the Colorado Trail for late June 2006.

Stay tuned for the next update on the NSA Colorado Trail Project, September 7-11, 2005.
There is still time to sign up and all are welcome.

Latest from Miller / CTF

2005-06-20T11:01:00.000-07:00

Rich, I will be at the campground on Wed evening as I have some other scouting to do in the area on Wed. Bill, Do I need to bring anything other than tools for the project. I am going to put my big camper on so we will have access to some cooking ability. George

Latest from Hilderbrand on Jefferson Creek Project

2005-06-20T10:58:00.000-07:00

All,
I have created some confusion by stating the meeting time is 0800 on
Thurs. That is not correct and we should meet no later than 9:30 at the
Jefferson Creek Campground.

I will NOT come up Wed evening now and will be there on Thurs morning.
We may need 3 spots on Thurs evening only.

Again, 9:30 Thurs morning at the Jefferson Creek Campground at the
campsite. I will have an NSA CO sign to put out at the campsite. Sorry
for the screw up in the time!

Mobile 719-359-6725

Rich

2005-06-19T21:34:00.000-07:00

RE: NSA /CTF Jefferson Creeek Trail Project
Included in this posting is an email exchange between Rich Hilderbrand, squaleader and myself. It should answer most of your questions. With two of the longest days of the year we should have plenty of time to complete this project and have a good time doing it. The menu is listed in this posting and it includes paper plates, plastic utensils, You may want to bring your own coffee mug. See you at Jefferson Creek Campground on June 23 by 0930.

2005-06-19T21:32:00.000-07:00

Hi Rich,
Are you planning on sending out a final email to the crew? I think
Gasper would appreciate receiving some last final information to
include conformation of time and location of assembly area. I plan to
send out an email regarding grub on Thursday evening and breakfast on
Friday and if you want to send me an email with your final
instructions, I'll forward it along with mine. What do you think of
Roasted Chicken, Potato Salad, Baked Beans and Apple Pie for Thursday
evening, Hot Cakes, Bacon and coffee for Friday breakfast, and
sandwich fixings/fruit/ cookies for sack lunch on Friday? This will
be easy for me and it will be better than everyone trying to take
care of their own food. Let me know if this is okay with you and
I'll get the email out advising the crew. As you know we picked up
another crew member. This will be a good project.
Best regards,
Bill Ruskin

2005-06-19T21:27:00.000-07:00

Hi to all,
Plans for next week at Jefferson Creek project.

Meeting place:
The directions to Jefferson Creek are available on previous email. If
you need those, just reply and I will send again. There are three
campgrounds just below Jefferson Lake. The last one on the drive in is
Jefferson Creek Campground (the other campgrounds have different names
that I don't remember.) From George I understand we will have spots in
the Jefferson Creek Campground - so lets plan on meeting there. George,
we have added 2 people, so If you can get one more campsite, that may be
helpful.

Time:
I will be driving up Wed evening and spending wed night at the
campground. I have a brown Dodge regular cab 4x4 pickup and will be
tenting. The final meeting spot if you drive up Thurs Morning should be
at the Jefferson Creek campsites by 8 am. ****

Food:
See below for what will be provided - that is lunches, dinner for
evening on thurs, and breakfast Friday. Other than those meals bring
your own food and BRING YOUR OWN DRINKS AND SNACKS.

Looking forward to seeing everyone and this should be a fun time. Call
me at 719-359-6725 on my mobile phone if you have any questions. Thanks
and see you soon. Rich

**** NOTE: SHOULD BE 0930 HOURS

Jefferson Creek Colorado Trail Project Update

2005-05-31T08:55:00.000-07:00

Here is the latest update on the NSA June Project on the Colorado Trail. Rich Hilderbrand, squad leader, scouted the area by horseback on May 28. Following is his report. If any of you can get away for a couple of days, please join us and help clear a couple of miles of the Colorado Trail. We'll have a good time and a BBQ with some cold beer on Thursday, 6/23 evening. Directions to the campsite and other pertinent project info will be posted on this blog. There is a popular T-shirt sold by The Mountain Chalet, a climbing and outdoor gear shop in Colorado Springs, that says 'Don't Trust Anyone Under 14,000'. In this case, we'll trust any of you jumpers under 10,000' who wish to join us. Come on up and clear some trail!

FROM RICH HILDERBRAND:
Gentlemen, I will forward this, to make sure you all see it.

To provide an update on the Jefferson Creek project June 23 and 24. May 28 I did some reconnaisance on the trail. The trail was being used by bicyclist primarily. Jefferson Creek Campground is at 10,000 feet which is the lowest point in the trail (that we will be working.)

Southwest out of Jefferson Creek Campground. On horseback we went South toward Georgia Pass, but could only got about 1/2 mile before the snow drifts stopped us (about 10, 500 feet by GPS). The snow was melting but drifts remained but should be gone by June 23. There is some clearing of deadfall and small trees growing alongside the trail. A few snags can come down, but we did not find big trees across the trail. This seems easy, but I did not cover about 3 miles of forest, so I would expect some down timber across the trail. This direction is a climb out of the canyon and will be some work on foot (nothing for a young guy, but...)

Northeast out of Jefferson Creek toward Kenosha Pass. Between Jefferson Creek Campground and Highway 285 at Kenosha Pass is about 6 miles. I did not ride the whole distance, but two bicyclist told me there were only 2 big trees down in that 6 miles section. The snow is gone off this section of the trail and there should be no problems. Again, some cutting back of small trees and limbs from the trail, but not major heavy work.

Equipment: We do need a good set of limb clippers (pruning shears) if someone has a set. Other than that, if we can have two chainsaws and the hand tools, we will be fine. Overall, this project does not look too bad. should be able to cover 4 miles in each direction and be done by noon or early afternoon on Fri. You will be home for dinner. Rich

Richard L. Hilderbrand, Ph.D.
Director, Scientific Programs
US Anti-Doping Agency
2550 Tenderfoot Hill Street, Suite 200
Colorado Springs, CO 80906-7346
rhilderbrand@usantidoping.org

Colorado Projects Update

2005-05-17T19:22:00.000-07:00

Warren Pierce CJ'64, Richard Hilderbrand MSO'66 and myself met with George Miller of the CTF this morning for breakfast. We harrassed the waitress for awhile then discussed the 2005 NSA Colorado projects.
DOWNFALL REMOVAL PROJECT- June 23-24, 2005, on the Colorado Trail west of Denver near Kenosha Pass on the Pike National Forest, at about 9000-11000 feet elevation. Richard Hilderbrand is the squad leader. The project consists of the removal of dry downfall that has been laying on the trail for some time. No previous volunteer crew has been able to cut out the bigger downfall along this stretch of the trail from the Jefferson Creek Campground, although some of the smaller stuff has been removed over the years. We will be cutting up to 20" downfall 3-4 miles in both directions along the trail from the campground.
Jumpers will assemble at the Jefferson Creek Campground and be ready to begin work NLT 0930 on 23 June. All volunteers will provide their own food, long sleeve work shirts, good work boots and leather gloves. Hard hats will be provided. Chain saws will be used and there will be more information about the chain saws on this blog later. There will be a safety meeting and equipment check at the campground before commencing work. Hilderbrand will assign crews to tasks at that time. One problem we have is the required campground fee and Miller is going to meet with USFS to discuss waiver of the campground fees. If the USFS can't waive the fees we plan to request a small grant (estimated $200) from the NSA Trail Advisory Board to cover this cost. Another issue is the deep snow currently in the area but by the end of June we should be okay.
At the present we have six jumpers and two CTF volunteers confirmed. We are still seeking volunteers for this project and if any of you from out of state want to join us, let us know and we will help work out the details of your travel schedule. Stay tuned to this blog for updates on this project.
FRENCHMANS CREEK PROJECT- September 07-11, 2005 on the Colorado Trail about 12 miles north of Buena Vista on the west side of Highway 24. Hal Howell MSO'55 is squadleader for this project. The project work site is in the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness Area, and we will have our base camp outside the wilderness area. The general nature of the work is drainage remediation consisting of numerous foot bridges (no gabions required this year) and culverts. There are numerous bridges that are in need of replacement in this area, and depending on time and the size of the crew we end up with we will expand the scope of work as needed. At this time ther are 13 jumpers confirmed for this project and if you are intersted in signing up, you are welcome. Just send your sign up sheet to Jon McBride in Missoula. The CTF can support a smokejumper crew as large as 25-30 with a complete tool inventory, a full field kitchen, warming tent, eating shelter and shower tent. That's it for this report. Check this blog periodically for updates and publish your comments or questions on the blog.

2005-05-13T09:05:00.000-07:00

Current NSA Colorado project status

2005-05-13T00:03:00.000-07:00

There is no new information since the first (and last) "bulletin" was emailed to all on the list. Several of us are meeting with George Miller, operations manager for the CTF on May 17 to discuss both the June and September projects. We will post an update on this blog following the meeting and addtional information as it becomes available. It will be your responsibilty to check the blog periodically for current project status. Please post your comments or questions on the blog. This forum will keep everyone updated with a minimun of work. More later.

Colorado Projects Blog

2005-05-12T12:28:00.000-07:00

As coordinator of the NSA Colorado trail projects, I've decided to create this blog instead of sending out a lot of emails. It will serve as a one-stop resource for all NSA-related projects in Colorado. Yesterday I couldn't spell blogger, today I are one. But this blog will have several advantages over the email battle. 1. You only have check into the blog to get an update on the Colorado Projects and won't be bothered with another email from me to deal with. 2. If you change your email address, you won't miss any information and I won't have to worry about tracking you when my email to you is returned. 3. This blog is for every jumper interested in working on trail/conservation projects in Colorado. Everyone can comment and exchange information and ideas without the hassel of numerous email addresses.