[cdt-l] TrailFest Update/CDTA commentary
Bruce Ward
bruce at cdtrail.org
Wed Jul 19 19:23:17 CDT 2006
$0.02? -sorry can someone enlighten me?
Bruce Ward
Executive Director
Continental Divide Trail Alliance
PO Box 628
Pine, CO 80470
Tel. 303 838 3760
Cell: 303 917 1476
Fax: 303 838 3960
Shipping Address:
CDTA
13700 Highway 285
Pine CO 80470
-----Original Message-----
From: cdt-l-bounces at backcountry.net
[mailto:cdt-l-bounces at backcountry.net] On Behalf Of Bruce Ward
Sent: Tuesday, July 18, 2006 12:10 PM
To: cdt-l at backcountry.net
Subject: Re: [cdt-l] TrailFest Update/CDTA commentary
Thanks Mike, greatly appreciated and well said.
Bruce Ward
Executive Director
Continental Divide Trail Alliance
PO Box 628
Pine, CO 80470
Tel. 303 838 3760
Cell: 303 917 1476
Fax: 303 838 3960
Shipping Address:
CDTA
13700 Highway 285
Pine CO 80470
-----Original Message-----
From: cdt-l-bounces at backcountry.net
[mailto:cdt-l-bounces at backcountry.net] On Behalf Of Mike DiLorenzo
Sent: Monday, July 17, 2006 3:23 PM
To: cdt-l at backcountry.net
Subject: [cdt-l] TrailFest Update/CDTA commentary
So this past weekend I was a part of TrailFest.
I did some work creating some new tread up on Cottonwood Pass, 20+ miles
west of Buena Vista, CO, on a new stretch of trail that when completed,
just
might rival the Vasquez Peak area for perhaps the most spectacular high
alpine traverse in northern CO. The CDTA, USFS, and Youth Corps are
rerouting the CDT high above where it currently lies on the west side of
the
Divide (south of Texas Creek and north of Tin Cup pass). The trail will
eventually stay high (11-12,000+ feet) and away from the motorcycles on
the
existing CDT in this area. In addition there is other re-route work
planned
in the Sawatch to take the trail off roads and motorized trails.
TrailFest was a fun time, complete with several nice trips on the Divide
(including mountain biking on the Monarch Crest Trail and also between
St.
Elmo and Hancock, AND even a climb from Twin Lakes south over Hope Pass
and
down the other side - just to give folks a small taste of the brutality
that
the CDT has to offer). Good food and music rounded out the event (as
did a
soak at the Cottonwood Hot Springs on the way back up to the pass on
Saturday evening).
But I got the feeling that the CDTA, and many of their members and
supporters are out of touch with thru hiking. They compared TrailFest
to
Trail Days, but there were no thru hikers present, most everyone was
from
the Front Range of Colorado. The CDTA doesn't seem to be too concerned
with
thru hiking. But this isn't their goal. They seem to differ from the
ATC
and PCTA in that they don't focus on thru hiking the trail. Their view
of
the trail being complete involves a well graded 18" wide single track
running continuously from Mexico to Canada, never mind that many people
have
already walked the CDT. But this is fine. It might help to maintain
the
aura of mystery that the CDT currently holds and that many of us
cherish.
But what the CDTA is in touch with is fund raising and trail work. The
CDTA
is flush. There is no doubt about that, and the way they took care of
their
volunteer crew shows that. And for anyone who's every done trail work,
you
know how great it is to be well fed after a hard day of moving rocks,
shoveling dirt, and cutting trail. They even had beer. Amazing.
But more importantly what the CDTA does have is a HUGE committed group
of
volunteers. The people I worked with had nearly all done other projects
with
the CDTA. They keep coming back! Maybe it's the food and beer but
these
folks, while they may be out of touch with thru hiking, care about the
CDT
and are volunteering, time and time again, to make sure the CDTA reaches
their goal of an 18" wide, well graded trail, that runs the length of
the
divide from Canada to Mexico. And that's noble. I heard some mention
that
the CDTA wants to complete the CDT by 2008. Perhaps they don't want to
see
New Zealand finish the Te Araroa trail before the CDT is done? A
little
American pride maybe? I dunno. But it's a noble goal, and with the
resources at their disposal, they might just get it done. I just hope
they
don't insist on marking it all with 2x6 inch blazes...
$0.02 on the CDTA and TrailFest.
d-low
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