[Cdt-l] CDT Monument vandalized

[Charlie Thorpe]

Hello Teresa -

Thanks for the info…it's good to know what goes into projects like this.

I am assuming that this was all done at the Crazy Cook location.  When was it done?

- Charlie

> Sam is correct about the picnic table.  I'm not sure if he also mentioned they could see where it was dragged across the US Boarder fence.  The table weighed almost one ton (benches and table) and was made of concrete.  But since then nothing else had happened to the site, until now.
> 
> For complete background, the entire site was a collaborative effort between the USFS, BLM, the State of New Mexico and the former CDTA. Once the new route was established, funds provided by all entities and volunteer labor coordinated and provided by CDTA helped establish this monument which sits almost exactly 80 feet from the border, and just outside the Roosevelt Easement.  The work was done with consultation from the local Hachita community, and one of the local land owners helped by actually installing the monument as part of the collaborative effort. The entire site was designed with input from Border patrol because they had specification as to what could or could not be there for security purposes. For example, any structures had to be narrow so as not to shield anyone from line of sight. So in designing the shade structure, we initially hoped to have brick footers around the base where one might place a pack or sit upon, but this was nixed due to potential to be used to shield someone from sight or they could hide behind in an altercation. 
> 
> The monument itself was designed to consider the monument at the Northern terminus, but also  to reflect something worthy of a National Scenic Trail and unique for this terminus.  We surveyed local residents, CDTA members and volunteers, agencies (including border patrol) as to the design and tried to incorporate desires with in the constraints we had to work with. We also knew that something like the obolisk being knocked over might happen, which is why we designed it the way we did.  We designed it to be easy to right if needed, and if we had to replace it, it could be done.  We at one point considered having a second one made just in case, but we didn't have the funds to do it. In installation, the base is sunk in alot of concrete so heavy equipment would be required to unearth it, and we also figured the weight alone would deter most people from attempting to haul it off, at least on the US side.  The whole obolisk weighs 3-4 tons, but that's both the base and actual obolisk together.
> 
> Good News is the BLM should have it back up soon and hopefully it will stay up for some time! 
> 
> Teresa Martinez
> Continental Divide Trail Coalition
> 
> 
> On Mon, Apr 8, 2013 at 1:08 PM, Scott Williams <baidarker at gmail.com> wrote:
> What Sam told us when we got a lift to the border was that within a week or so of the monument being installed and the shelter built, the picnic table that was put under it was stolen.  So it's not as remote as we might want.
> 
> Shroomer
> 
> 
> On Mon, Apr 8, 2013 at 10:26 AM, Jonathan Ley <jonathan at phlumf.com> wrote:
> I hadn't seen that, thanks...
> 
> Maybe a more practical version of my idea is to just cut it out of a big piece of plywood, and paint it with silver paint. It wouldn't last as long, but could be reprinted or replaced more cheaply. Not sure if it'd get all shot-up being right on the border? I'm not sure about people's behaviors with discharging weapons across the border... Though, it's pretty remote there, and the border patrol is not likely to notice. 
> 
> Another problem could be wind... I could see something like this acting like a sail in a windstorm. 
> 
> Well... Just thinking out loud :-)
> 
> Jonathan 
> 
> On Apr 8, 2013, at 8:28 AM, Marcia Powers <GottaWalk at pacbell.net> wrote:
> 
>> Jonathan, that is a great idea! Have you seen the very beautiful AZT trailhead signs? They are gun-proof ~half inch steel with a rusted patina. The lettering is cut through it and the maps were permanently (welded?) on. http://trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?trailname=12537
>> 
>> GottaWalk
>> 
>> On Apr 7, 2013, at 9:22 PM, Jonathan Ley <jonathan at phlumf.com> wrote:
>> 
>>> Man, what a bummer... but good they're going to fix it.
>>> 
>>> I had this idea once of a giant brushed metal version of the CDT trail logo, about 10ft in diameter, and up off the ground about 10ft or so - like the CDT's biggest trail sign. It could be angled so that when the spring/fall sun is setting, it'd reflect on the trail. You'd be able to see that sucker for a mile down there - like a glowing beacon as the sun set. But, of course, that kind of thing would be a big target for metal junkies and whatever else. Maybe someday though...
>>> 
>>> -Jonathan
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> Cdt-l mailing list
>>>> Cdt-l at backcountry.net
>>>> http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/cdt-l
>>> 
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Cdt-l mailing list
>>> Cdt-l at backcountry.net
>>> http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listin
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Cdt-l mailing list
> Cdt-l at backcountry.net
> http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/cdt-l
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Cdt-l mailing list
> Cdt-l at backcountry.net
> http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/cdt-l
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> 
> About Risk – Jeep Gaskin
>  
> “49, 3 kids, all of whom climb. in fact we're going sunday. I'm going to die and so are you. so are my kids. in the perfect world I'll die before they do, but there aren't any guarantees. so I prepare them for life the best way I know how, doing the things that prepared me to massage my mother’s feet and tell her not to be scared, that it was her time to go. and that made it possible to kiss my dad one last time and tell him I loved him, and walk away. if you have depth to your soul and insights into life's lessons and you didn't get them from risk  then congratulations but I can't relate. climbing can be deltoids or it can be zen; it can be runout or short safe falls; it can be skies filled with lightning or crisp air ahead of mare's tails. It is never standing in a grocery line.”
> _______________________________________________
> Cdt-l mailing list
> Cdt-l at backcountry.net
> http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/cdt-l

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mailman.backcountry.net/pipermail/cdt-l/attachments/20130408/be3ffba6/attachment.html