MAINTENANCE GRANT APPLICATION CHECK LIST
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EXHIBIT A
MAINTENANCE
GRANT APPLICATION CHECK LIST
(Return this completed form with your application)
MANDATORY:
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✔ Signed letter of resolution from Governing Body that includes resources/support
committed to the project
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✔ Exhibit A – Application
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✔ Exhibit B – Budget (Unprotected Excel CPW form)
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✔ Environmental Forms
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✔ Maps/Photos/Graphics [Separate PDF document(s)] DO NOT combine with application
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✔ Letters of Support (maximum of 5). No letters from clubs, groups or individuals
specifically working on the project.
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✔ Project should be completed within 2.5 years from receiving grant.
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✔ Required MATCH funding is secured, including CASH match funds.
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✔ CPW Area Manager was contacted about the project by September 3rd and applicant has
discussed the project with them. Note: ALL projects will be reviewed by CPW for wildlife
impacts.
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✔ Project area is owned by public land agency or has easement that designates the area to
be open to public outdoor recreation for at least 25 years.
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✔ Formal Environmental Assessment (EA) or NEPA has been completed with final approval
for the project area (federal lands only, include link to EA)
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✔ Construction projects have been evaluated for required permits and if required, permits
have been acquired (404 permit, etc.).
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✔ Copy of Maintenance and Operation plan attached.
ADDITIONAL PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS:
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✔ Youth Corps or youth organization will be used on the project (name of organization).
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✔ Volunteers will be utilized on the project (name of organization).
Logo Department Name Agency Organization Organization Address Information
United States Forest Mancos/Dolores Ranger District 29211 Highway 184
Department of Service Dolores, CO 81323
Agriculture
File Code: 1580
Date: September 18, 2019
Fletcher Jacobs
State Trail Program Manager
13787 S Highway 85
Littleton, CO 80125
Dear Mr. Jacobs,
The San Juan National Forest wishes to add its voice of support for the Colorado Fourteeners
Initiative’s (CFI) San Juan Fourteener Trail Reconstruction Project, which includes the new
construction of two re-routes of the existing user-created trail on Mount Wilson. CFI’s planned
construction and restoration project will improve the long-term sustainability of this highly
sensitive and popular Fourteener.
Colorado’s fourteen thousand foot peaks are both a state and national recreation resource,
drawing thousands of visitors to the area to experience the scenery and natural environment of
the Rocky Mountains. As the interest in climbing the Fourteeners continues to increase across
the region, our trail systems and fragile alpine ecosystems require proper management. The
Mount Wilson Trail, situated in the Lizard Head Wilderness area, receives relatively high
visitation for such a remote location. Much of the current social route travels through and
directly adjacent to a fragile alpine watershed. As a result, the existing visitor created routes on
the mountain are experiencing resource degradation including trail braiding, erosion, and the loss
of the fragile and endangered alpine plant species.
It is important to manage our resources for future generations to enjoy. Funding for this project
will re-locate the route up and out of the drainage, and onto a sustainable, durable alignment in
order to protect the most sensitive areas of the mountain. In accordance with the requirements of
the State Trails Program, these lands will be managed by the United States Forest Service for at
least 25 years from now.
Thank you in advance for your consideration of this request. Should you have any questions
about this project, please contact Tom Rice, Recreation Program Manager, Dolores Ranger
District at 970.882.6843.
Sincerely,
DEREK PADILLA
District Ranger
Caring for the Land and Serving People Printed on Recycled Paper
Resolution from Governing Body The Board of Directors of the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative met on Saturday, August 3, 2019 at the US Forest Service’s Idaho Springs offices. During the course of the meeting the Board authorized the following motion: “The Board authorizes staff to apply for a State Trails grant of up to $250,000 to address a project/priority in CFI’s Strategic Plan, most likely a project combining Mount Wilson and the Lake City 14ers. The organization will be responsible for all matching fund and other requirements.” Moved by Stephanie Welsh. Seconded by Andrew Mahoney. Adopted unanimously.
EXHIBIT A
NON-MOTORIZED MAINTENANCE APPLICATION
Applicant or Organization Name: Colorado Fourteeners Initiative
Mailing Address: 1600 Jackson St, Suite 205, Golden CO 80401
Applicant Lead Contact Name: Lloyd F. Athearn Title: Executive Director
Is this the primary contact
Telephone: 303-278-7650 Email: lloyd@14ers.org
for this grant: ✔ YES NO
OFFICIAL USE ONLY – DUNS # (IF REQUIRED):
PROJECT MANAGER (this person will have day-to-day responsibility for the project)
Name: Ben Hanus, Field Programs Director
Telephone: 719-221-1446 Email: ben@14ers.org
PRIMARY PARTNER INFORMATION (IF APPLICABLE)
Name:
Mailing Address:
Partner Contact Name: Title:
Is this the primary contact
Telephone: Email:
for this grant: YES NO
ABOUT THE PROJECT
Project Title: San Juan Fourteeners Trail Reconstruction Project
Grant Request: $ 250,000 Required Match: $ 75,000
Total Project Cost: $ 808,918.80
Project Description: Please write a 2-3 paragraph description of your project and the expected accomplishments.
Be sure to include Who, What, When, and Where.) This is your scope of work. (This section is not the place to talk
about the project background, the benefits, the funding, or anything other than the actual work to be accomplished.
Please address this information in question #1 of the Selection Criteria.)
WHO? Who will complete the work and who will oversee the project? Provide a brief description of your community
or organization, highlighting its mission and purpose.
WHAT? Explain what you are going to do or accomplish. What is the goal or the reason for your project? Break
down the project into a list of specific activities to be completed. These should be quantifiable items that correspond
to the categories on your budget page. Include quantity or quality as part of your description of work to be performed.
How long? How many? How many feet? How many miles? What materials will be used? Is a specific standard or
guideline being used?
WHERE? Explain in detail the location of your project. Where is the project located? What county? What National
Forest/ BLM Field Office? Provide the names of the trail(s) or trail system and where the work will be performed?
What agency manages or is responsible for the land the project is on?
DEFINITIONS? Please define all acronyms and specialized terms that are used in your project description.EXHIBIT A Project Description: Colorado Fourteeners Initiative (CFI), a 25-year-old alpine stewardship organization preserving and protecting the natural integrity of Colorado's 54 14,000-foot peaks, will perform 1.05 miles of trail re-route/reconstruction, 1.07 miles of trail closure/restoration and 2.98 miles of delineation/heavy trail maintenance on four 14ers in the San Juan Mountains during the 2020, 2021 and 2022 field seasons. Specific work includes: 1) On Mount Wilson during the 2021-22 field seasons: 1.05 miles of trail re-route/reconstruction and 1.07 miles of trail closure/restoration, and 0.56 miles of trail delineation and heavy trail maintenance. 2) On three Bureau of Land Management (BLM) 14ers (Handies, Redcloud and Sunshine Peaks) during the 2020-2021 field seasons: CFI will perform 2.42 miles of heavy trail maintenance. This breaks down further to 1.4 miles of maintenance on the Grizzly Gulch route on Handies Peak, and 1.02 miles of maintenance on the Silver Creek route to Redcloud and Sunshine Peaks. Work involves use of native materials (rocks and logs) to build soil retention/tread protection structures on natural surface trails at very high altitudes in fragile alpine ecosystems. Because of the extreme altitude--up to 13,600'--work will be performed by experienced CFI alpine trail professionals augmented by youth corps crews and, occasionally, experienced groups of volunteers. All work will be overseen by CFI's experienced field management team, which includes some of the most experienced technical trail builders in the country. Work will follow Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management trail design guidelines for Wilderness areas. Trail delineation, restoration and maintenance work will address growing natural resource impacts due to improperly located, user-created routes and insufficient trail hardening to accommodate current and anticipated future use on the very popular 14ers. Work on Mount Wilson occurs on the Navajo Lakes Trail and the unplanned north slopes climbing route. This is located in the Lizard Head Wilderness, which is managed by the Dolores Ranger District, San Juan National Forest, US Forest Service. Work on the BLM 14ers occurs on the Grizzly Gulch trail to Handies Peak and the Silver Creek trail to Redcloud and Sunshine Peaks. These are located in the Alpine Triangle Recreation Area that is managed by the Gunnison Field Office.
EXHIBIT A
TIMELINE
Provide a timeline estimate using the following form. Remember that the project is to be
completed within two and a half years of the award date. Any proposed changes, including
extensions or modifications in the project timeline, must be requested in writing and approved in
advance by the State Trails Program.
PRELIMINARY TIMELINE ESTIMATE
Jul- Oct- Jan- Apr- Jul- Oct- Jan- Apr- Jul- Oct-
TASK Sep Dec Mar Jun Sep Dec Mar Jun Sep Dec
2020 2020 2021 2021 2021 2021 2022 2022 2022 2022
Project Initiation
BLM 14ers--2020 (1/2020 to 5/2020)
BLM 14ers--2021 X X
Mount Wilson--2021 X X
Mount Wilson--2022 X X
Mobilization
BLM 14ers X X X
Mount Wilson X X X X
Maintenance Phase
Administrative Close-Out X
Grand Opening X (BLM 14ers) X (Wilson)1. SCOPE (15 Points) EXHIBIT A The San Juan 14ers project involves trail maintenance and reconstruction work on four 14er peaks in the San Juan Mountains in southwestern Colorado. There are two major components. 1) Mt Wilson. A two-season-long major trail reconstruction effort will occur in 2021-22 on the Navajo Basin approach and north slopes route to Mt Wilson, which is located in the Lizard Head Wilderness managed by the US Forest Service. This component will involve 1.05 miles of trail re-route/reconstruction of the Navajo Lake Trail to bypass two sections where the current trail alignment is located in sensitive riparian areas. The lower bypass will move the trail away from the north side of Navajo Lake and a marshy area where a tributary to the Dolores River flows into the lake. The trail will be moved to a higher talus field nearby that will be more resilient to passing hikers. The trail will also be moved out of a riparian area and alpine tundra meadow in the upper basin from 11,900’ to 12,280’. The new trail alignment will be in a higher, south-facing talus field that possesses few alpine plants and will be much more durable to accommodate current and future hiking use. When the new bypasses are constructed, the 1.07 miles of current trail will be closed, stabilized and restored to natural conditions. CFI will utilize restoration techniques honed over two decades utilizing native forbs and grasses found nearby, as well as seeding with native plants adept at colonizing bare ground. Finally, 0.56 miles of heavy trail maintenance will be performed on the north slopes of Mt Wilson from 12,280’ to 13,040’. This work will construct a single, sustainably designed trail in an area where informal, user-trampled routes proliferate and are causing significant and growing resource impacts despite limited use (estimated 1,000-3,000 days annually). Tread width will be 12-18 inches, depending upon side slope, as per USFS wilderness specifications. Surface type will be natural. Crews will use native materials (i.e. rocks, logs, gravel, boulders and soil) and reconstruction techniques that help the trail blend with the environment. There will be no passing lanes, but passing locations will be designed at strategic control points. Maximum grade will be 20%-30%. The route will be designed primarily for day-use hikers. Work will improve an existing trail that accesses all three 14ers on the Wilson Massif (Wilson Peak, Mt. Wilson, El Diente Peak), and provides a crucial linkage from the south side of the Massif to the north side, including the loop trail involving the Silver Pick/Rock of Ages and Elk Creek/Woods Lake Trails. 2) BLM 14ers. The Bureau of Land Management manages three 14ers outside of Lake City that are contained in Recommended Wilderness and managed as Wilderness. CFI will perform 2.42 miles of heavy trail maintenance in 2020-21 that builds off of work performed in 2018-19. All work will occur in existing trail corridors. A) Handies Peak. Last season CFI installed 306 log checks on the lower slopes if the Grizzly Gulch route. Future efforts will move up the route to higher elevations (12,400’-13,600’) where the trail passes through loose soils and lush alpine meadows near a creek. Work involves building back wall, retaining walls, and mono walls to stabilize the tread surface and prevent further loss of alpine vegetation and soils, and resulting sedimentation of the nearby stream. On the switchbacks between 13,400’ and 13,600’, step structures will be installed to stabilize the corners and prevent cutting of switchbacks and the development of social trail braids. Total maintenance is 1.4 miles (7,149 linear feet). B) Redcloud/Sunshine Peaks. Efforts in 2020-21 will expand on the 124 log checks installed in 2018-19 by adding trail features on the steepest slopes of the upper Silver Creek Trail between 12,400’-13,300’. Soil is primary decomposed rock, which makes the tread loose and contributes to social routes as people seek a more solid tread surface. Work involves installing a combination of rock mono walls and retention structures to stabilize the existing tread. Maintenance will also occur on the ridge connecting Redcloud with Sunshine. Total maintenance is estimated at 1.02 miles. Handies sees 5,000-7,000 hiker use days annually (about half on the Grizzly Gulch route), while Redcloud/Sunshine receive 3,000-5,000. BLM trail designs are generally in alignment with the USFS standards listed above. Work on these trails will improve summit access to Handies, Redcloud and Sunshine while protecting rare plants and animals. The Silver Creek trail is a spur, but the Grizzly Gulch Trail also connects to the American Basin and Grouse Canyon Trails that provide access to the Alpine Look and Animas Forks. The Grizzly Gulch route features annually in the Hard Rock 100 ultra-marathon course, which sees use levels spike to 250 people per day.
2. NEED (15 points) EXHIBIT A While hiking use on the 14ers has been common for more than a century, use began to explode in the ‘90s along with Colorado’s burgeoning population of fit, outdoor-oriented residents and out-of-state tourists. At that time, only two 14ers had planned summit trails. Virtually all use on the 54 14ers statewide occurred on user-trampled routes, as climbers took the most obvious and direct path from trailhead to summit. These unplanned routes trampled through the fragile alpine ecosystems, were usually overly steep, led to loss of plant life and resulted in significant erosion of thin alpine soils. CFI was founded in 1994 to work with the USFS and BLM to develop a network of planned, sustainably designed summit trails to accommodate current and future hiking use. To date CFI has built 31 routes on 28 peaks. The San Juan 14ers project is the latest effort by CFI to build out this network of 14er summit trails, achieve the goal that every 14er has at least one sustainable route, and bring all routes up to long-term sustainable condition. The project will delineate and reconstruct one route through the Navajo Basin and north slopes to Mt Wilson, and will perform heavy maintenance on three other 14ers: Handies, Redcloud and Sunshine Peaks. The unplanned Wilson route was rated “C-“ in CFI’s 2019 “14er Report Card,” which distilled on-the-ground trail inventories factoring in more than 10 trail feature and natural resource factors into a simple letter grade. The Grizzly Gulch route on Handies and the Silver Creek trail on Redcloud/Sunshine were also both rated “C-“. CFI also has been tracking hiking use on the 14ers for six seasons using up to 22 infrared trail counters and similar data collected by our agency partners. CFI has counters on both Handies routes, the Redcloud/Sunshine route, and Wilson Peak (next to Mt Wilson). In 2018, 14er hiking use was estimated to be 353,000 days statewide. This was the second season in which hiking use grew 5-6%. These San Juan peaks are among the most remote in the state, so have lower use levels than the Front Range peaks. Use on Handies is estimated at 5000-7000 days annually, Redcloud/Sunshine at 3000-5000 days and Wilson at 1000-3000 days. Decade-old economic estimates suggest hiking on the BLM 14ers generates $2.2-$3.3 million annually, while Wilson generates $271,170-$813,510. From 2017 to 2018, use on Handies grew 12%, up from 5% between 2016 and 2017. The 14ers are a “bucket list” objective, so use will continue to grow on all peaks for the foreseeable future unless use limits are imposed. CFI’s counters are unable to monitor user type. Anecdotally we know use on these trails is primarily day hikers and trail runners. All trails are managed as Wilderness, so mountain bikes and motorized uses are prohibited. Equestrian use is negligible. Completion and maintenance of sustainable 14er summit routes is vital to protecting the rare and fragile alpine ecosystems through which these routes travel and protecting the recreational experience. CFI and USFS staff have seen that small levels of hiking use on Wilson have resulted in growing resource impacts due to the lack of a single, defined trail. Resource impacts are non-linear (i.e. a small amount of use on an unsustainable trail can result in outsized impacts relative to far more use on a defined, improved trail). Attacking these projects before conditions deteriorate further is crucial. CFI’s multi-year Sustainable Trails inventory process guides CFI’s on-going trail maintenance program. Data show that investments in these developed trails bring results. Three-year sustained investments in staff, youth crews and volunteers on Mount of the Holy Cross and Quandary Peak resulted in more than a letter grade increase in conditions — from “C” to “B” on Holy Cross and “C+” to “A-“ on Quandary. Quandary’s summit trail improved despite seasonal hiking use growing to almost 40,000 days in 2018, roughly double the level in 2016. Prior work on Redcloud has seen that trail improve from a “D-“ in 2012 to a “C-“ in 2018. State Trails funds are vital to completing the three-year effort on the BLM peaks and starting the Wilson phase of the project. In these remote areas there simply are not local funds equal to the cost of hiring and outfitting skilled project leaders and youth crews, and equipping them for four months. CFI has a long history of highly leveraging State Trails funding through attracting other statewide and national funders. These funders usually require matching funds—especially businesses and foundations. Without State Trails funding, CFI’s efforts to reconstruct and improve routes, as well a maintain existing, planned routes, will proceed more slowly and less forward progress will be made. With use increasing, it is vital that State Trails fund this project so that 14er summit trails in the San Juans are sufficiently robust to accommodate current and future hiking levels.
3. PLANNING/SUSTAINABILITY (Planning and Prioritization Process) (15 Points) EXHIBIT A CFI and the USFS began planning and prioritizing construction of the 14er trail network more than 25 years ago. Multiple community meetings throughout the state (including a 70-person planning conference in 1997) and consultation with agency and outside experts led to CFI’s 1999 Long Range Plan. This strategic plan outlined a multi-year strategy for implementing a network of sustainable 14er summit trails and restoring tundra damaged by unplanned social trails. The overriding goal was for every 14er to have at least one sustainably located, durably constructed summit trail (or approach trail on more technical peaks). This plan scored and ranked all peaks based on several resource impact, hiking use and capacity indicators. CFI has been implementing this list over the past two decades to build out the 14er trail network. CFI and the USFS reprioritize future 14er work annually based on monitoring data, including the significance of resource damage, rate of change, and capacity to complete projects To provide a more robust understanding of changing conditions on formally planned/built trails and unplanned, climber-trampled routes, CFI began the Sustainable Trails program in 2010 utilizing support from the State Trails program. This effort conducted foot-by-foot, GPS-based inventories of all constructed trail features and resource protections on the 14er routes. Over two phases and five years of data collection, CFI assessed the condition of all 56 principal 14er routes. The updated 2019 “14er Report Card” called for $5.6 million in maintenance to bring 35 agency-planned trails up to long-term sustainable conditions, while $12.8 million will be needed to properly delineate and reconstruct a further 21 routes that were not initially designed, but are being used by climbers today. The “14er Report Card” has been mailed to more than 6000 CFI donors, posted on CFI’s website, shared via CFI and 14ers.com social media channels, and covered by multiple newspaper and TV stories. The 2015 report card was presented to the State Trails Committee. CFI has also conducted online surveys of the 14er hiking community several times to help inform CFI’s trail reconstruction and maintenance work to ensure we are working on the most important projects to the 14er hiking public. A survey completed by 224 people in 2017 helped refine CFI’s balance between major route delineation/reconstruction projects (the most intensive and expensive kind) and routine-to-heavy trail maintenance work. Surveys also helped balance work on high-use, front-country peaks and low-use, backcountry peaks. A further survey in 2018 completed by 90 people had several questions about the Mt Wilson project to ensure that work was considered a high priority. The National Forest Foundation’s “Find Your Fourteener” campaign has also refined priorities for future work, as well as assisted in out-year planning by organizations that will assist in these projects. The five 14ers near Lake City (including Handies and Redcloud/Sunshine) were an added focus area to the campaign in 2019. The Mt Wilson project has long been considered one of the top backcountry projects in the state once funding is obtained and other, higher priority peaks have been completed. Over its 25-year history, CFI has become the leading high-altitude trail stewardship organization in the country. Federal agency plans for reconstructing new routes and performing trail maintenance have also evolved over the years as efforts such as the Sustainable Trails program show what trail design and construction techniques works best and are the most efficient to achieve long-term sustainability. Trail delineation work on Wilson falls under the 1983 San Juan Forest Plan, 1992 Amended Forest Plan (San Juan Forest) and Subsequent Amendments; Wilderness Management Direction which amends the Land and Resource Management Plans for the San Juan and Rio Grande National Forests—1998. Proposed work occurs in areas designated as “primitive wilderness” which the forest plan states should: “a) Minimize trail impacts to scenic resources and b) Eliminate duplicate trails.” Direction provided for trails system management is to maintain drainage structures to prevent unacceptable resource damage, construct/reconstruct trails when needed as part of the transportation system and provide opportunities for isolation, solitude, self-reliance and challenge while traveling cross country or on system trails. Planning for the Navajo Basin route began in 2004 with field exploration by a multidisciplinary USFS team, including plant and wildlife biologist and cultural resource professionals. Problem areas were identified, and alternatives were developed. Work on the BLM 14ers follows the Alpine Triangle Recreation Area Management Plan.
4. PLANNING/SUSTAINABILITY (Financial Sustainability) (15 points) EXHIBIT A The 14er trail network consists of natural surface trails that occur in some of the most erosive environments in the country. Terrain is steep, vegetation cover is thin and prone to trampling, and soils are highly erosive. The trails are subject to annual snowmelt and summer thunderstorms, which can quickly cause significant erosion. The boots of a growing number of 14er hikers also cause impacts to even the best-constructed trails. In short, maintaining this network of 14er trails will be an on-going effort and a long-term priority for CFI staff, trail stewardship organization partners and volunteers. The intensive maintenance program on Handies, Redcloud and Sunshine Peaks is anticipated to invest $336,530 over two seasons. The latest “14er Report Card” estimated total work on these routes might cost between $625,000 and $1.25 million. Clearly, additional work eventually will be required to reach long-term sustainable conditions. However, CFI has found that a concentrated three-year investment in heavy maintenance can really move the needle on a given route. At that point, while additional work remains, there are often greater short-term priorities elsewhere across the 54 14er peaks. Regarding Mt Wilson, the current estimate is that this trail delineation and reconstruction project can be completed in two full field seasons. A similar project on the Kilpacker Basin to the south in 2014-15 was completed over two field seasons. The “Report Card” estimated up to $500,000 for this project, and the proposal anticipates investing $472,388. While we hope the project can be completed in two seasons, there are many uncontrollable factors about working in high-altitude natural environments—unexpected complications with bedrock, soils, building materials, etc. It is always possible that a second phase of work will be required for which CFI would approach State Trails due to the lack of other significant funders in the area. Despite confidence in the Sustainable Trails work/time estimates, CFI is always subject to weather, snowpack and wildfire factors outside of our control that can significantly affect our ability to complete the project on time. For example, in June 2018 the entire San Juan National Forest (containing Mt Wilson) was closed to all access due to wildfires for nine days. In late May 2019, the area was buried under 768% of its normal snowpack. March avalanches in the San Juans ran to historic levels, delaying access to the Handies and Redcloud/Sunshine trailheads for many weeks and causing widespread additional damage along both the Silver Creek and Grizzly Gulch trails. Climate change is a growing concern and could preclude work if drought conditions or extreme snowfall/avalanches exist in 2020-22. While the federal agencies ultimately have responsibility and authority for improving and maintaining these 14er trails, in practice CFI is the entity that has taken the lead in fundraising and performing this work. Over the past decade CFI has grown its core staff from 4 FTE to 6.5 FTE and our seasonal staff from 8 to 21 positions. Financially, CFI has grown annual operating revenues from roughly $450,000 in 2009 to $1.5 million in 2019. This has come through aggressively pursuing individual, foundation, corporate and government grants and donations across the country. For example, the Chrest Foundation that is a major funder of work on the BLM peaks is a family foundation based near Dallas, Texas. Over the years CFI has also built up recurring annual donors for our Adopt-a-Peak trail maintenance program. Project-specific grants generally cover field expenses and seasonal employees, while individual donations cover the organization’s core staff and on-going operations. CFI has one endowment, the Kimberly Appelson Endowed Fund, that totals $58,750. This fund helps support hiring two outdoor leadership interns each summer. To celebrate CFI’s 25th anniversary year in 2019, we launched a “25 for 25” fundraising campaign in hopes of establishing an endowment to help fund the organization’s long-term operations. Donations of $25,000 by past and current CFI directors are being used to match up to $25,000 from general CFI donors to establish a $50,000 endowment. CFI has embarked on a planned giving promotional push that, over time, will grow the endowment. The organization obtained $145,000 from two past bequests that helped to establish a cash reserve fund. All future bequest gifts have been directed by the board to be contributed to the endowment.
5. PLANNING/SUSTAINABILITY (Wildlife and Natural Resources) (15 points) EXHIBIT A CFI shared the preliminary project plans with CPW wildlife staff as part of this application process. No specific concerns were noted by the agency regarding either of the two proposed project areas, all of which are on existing, long-time trails (even if poorly built and maintained). CPW staff raised broad-level concerns about potential interactions with hunters, inadvertently importing weed seeds into the project areas during work and addressing the proliferation of human waste on these trails due to growing hiking use and the inappropriate disposal of waste. During CFI’s condensed field season (June 1 through September 30) there is little overlap with rifle hunters of most game animals. Archery and muzzleloading hunting season overlaps with up to half of CFI’s field season, though these hunters should be much closer to their targets and would know if CFI employees are in the area. There is overlap in time and terrain with mountain goats/sheep hunting seasons, and on one or two occasions CFI staff have encountered such rifle hunters on the mountains. CFI staff stay on established trail corridors, which usually have regular hiking use and should be well known to hunters. Regarding weed transmission, CFI staff utilize only non-motorized hand tools that are used exclusively in alpine zones. As such there is not much likelihood that other weeds will be brought into these high alpine areas. As to human waste, CFI corporate partner Cleanwaste provides “wag bags” that are used by all staff and volunteers to pack out human waste when working above timberline. The Handies/Redcloud project trailhead has a vault toilet maintained by the BLM. The Wilson basecamp will be located in the Lizard Head Wilderness and will be outfitted with a series of “groover” buckets that are packed out of the wilderness at the end of the season. Thus, there will be no human waste impact from CFI’s project operations. Finally, CFI has long encouraged 14er hikers to adopt a “pack-out” philosophy due to the inability of human waste to biodegrade at these high altitudes where it is below freezing most of the year. This playlist shows the human and dog waste-related videos available on CFI’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist? list=PLNFmKwFsj1S4rAzSQ7tgbX4oYynTnq9ql. During the exchanges with CPW staff it was determined that CFI staff would be well placed through this project to help identify Rocky Mountain Sheep in the alpine zone through using a camera app that encodes data regarding the altitude, GPS coordinates, azimuth, etc. on photos. Photos can be sent back to CPW to assist in tracking animal movements. CFI will outfit the Handies/Redcloud and Wilson crew leaders with these apps, as well as other staff who might regularly be in the area. CFI staff will take photos of any sheep observations. Beyond working with CPW wildlife staff, CFI coordinates with wildlife experts in the Forest Service and BLM, who have also independently assessed these project areas and found no significant concerns. The north side of Redcloud is one of a few areas where the endangered Uncompahgre Fritillary Butterfly (UFB) can be found according to the US Fish and Wildlife Service. However, the identified colony sites are not near the existing trail, so there should be no impacts. The USFWS has recommended downgrading protected status to threatened due to expansions of the UFB. The USFS determined for the Mt Wilson project that, “There are no extraordinary circumstances that would cause this project to have an adverse effect to threatened, endangered or sensitive species.” The federal analysis indicated the project will not affect the Canada Lynx or the American Martin, a Region 2 Sensitive species. CFI high-alpine project areas are always home to marmots, pikas and ptarmigans. Base camp areas are frequented by deer, elk, bear and, sometimes, moose. CFI uses sturdy metal bear boxes to protect stored food from bear and ground animals, as well as utilizes solar-powered electric fences to keep animals out of base camps. Most of the natural resources of concern regarding this project are alpine plants, all of which are very fragile and some of which can be extremely rare in some of CFI’s project areas. The botanical analysis reported the presence of Eriophorum chamissonis (Chamisso’s cottongrass) in the wet areas of the upper bypass. Moving the trail away from these sensitive riparian areas will help this and other alpine plants from being trampled.
6. PUBLIC COMMENT (10 points) EXHIBIT A As was referenced earlier, when CFI and the USFS first began planning for the network of 14er trails back in the mid-1990s, there were extensive meetings with interested groups and communities throughout the state. That led to development of the 1999 Long Range Plan, which is still in the process of being implemented, project by project. To date 31 routes on 28 peaks have been constructed. The USFS maintains a constantly evolving priority matrix of routes remaining to be formally reconstructed, which takes into account resource impacts, hiking use, the forest on which it is located, and several other factors. The Wilson project is the next project in the queue, which means it is the highest priority 14er trail reconstruction project for the USFS. Actions by both CFI and the federal agencies have been taken more recently to ensure current projects remain of interest to and supported by hikers, local communities, and other stakeholders. The Wilson/Navajo Basin portion of the project had public involvement at the same time as the earlier Kilpacker Basin project. The USFS sent a letter describing the projects to local persons who had expressed interested in area trails. The letter was also mailed to the Dolores County commissioners and 30 Native American groups, with a subsequent in-person meeting being held. There was no negative feedback provided from any of those outreach efforts. CFI has taken additional steps to reach out to the nationwide 14er hiker community to share plans about these projects. In September 2017, CFI developed an online survey to receive guidance regarding the relative trail reconstruction and maintenance priorities around the state. Two-hundred twenty-four people completed the full survey. Most respondents felt CFI should strive for a balance between conducting major trail reconstruction projects on peaks that still have unplanned, user-created routes versus conducting intensive maintenance on existing, previously constructed routes. Respondents overall felt priority should be given to those routes in the worst condition, those that receive the highest amounts of use, and those that are in the most accessible ranges. This feedback tailored where CFI devoted regular maintenance attention in a prior State Trails maintenance grant. However, 76% of respondents felt that CFI should focus on a smaller number of high-priority peaks to improve conditions dramatically, rather than try to ensure every peak gets some annual use. Survey respondents in 2017 rated Redcloud/Sunshine first and Handies fourth among five potential project areas in the San Juans for trail reconstruction and maintenance. The Handies/Redcloud/Sunshine broader project area was rated third out of four potential project areas for intensive reconstruction, though CFI has already launched multi-year efforts on the first two groups of peaks. CFI also released a Google Earth project flyover video in September 2018 on YouTube and shared via our social media channels that highlighted where CFI would be working and provided project details. This video has been viewed 236 times. CFI also released a second online survey in September 2018 to elicit feedback on the potential Wilson project, as well as to ask other questions. This feedback, along with CFI’s experience of conducting three-year, intensive projects on Holy Cross and Quandary (which demonstrated significant progress), helped shape this proposal. The Lake City 14ers focus area (Handies, Redcloud/Sunshine and nearby Wetterhorn and Uncompahgre Peaks) was added to the NFF Find Your Fourteener campaign last year by consensus of the major project partners. This included NFF, CFI, Rocky Mountain Field Institute, participating youth corps, and statewide volunteer stewardship organizations. The Wilson project is on the priority list to be added in 2021 after major trail reconstruction work is completed on Columbia. Prioritization for the work on the BLM 14ers also was guided by the 2015 and 2019 “14er Report Card,” which evaluated all 14er trails based on the current condition of existing trail features, the current condition of several natural resource factors, and the staff time/cost to complete needed trail reconstruction and maintenance work. The 2015 and 2019 report cards have been mailed to roughly 5,000 CFI supporters and 14er enthusiasts. The 2015 report card was posted on CFI’s website, shared via social media channels and received significant news media attention. Public response to this data-driven project has been quite positive. Aside from a few people who report anecdotally that they feel a given project is not rated as they would have rated it, there has been on negative public feedback to the prioritized ranking of route conditions and costs of needed work.
7. ABILITY (Matching Funds and Partnerships) (10 points) EXHIBIT A Since its inception 25 years ago, CFI has been a “partnership for preservation,” Very little that CFI does is not done in partnership with some other organization—oftentimes with lots of them. Both main project areas are currently in or will be accepted into the National Forest Foundation’s “Find Your Fourteener” collaborative campaign either directly or indirectly. This effort has united several outdoor stewardship organizations in more focused partnerships to ultimately accelerate the pace and scale of conservation efforts on the 14ers. Specific to this project, CFI, NFF and two youth corps (Rocky Mountain Youth Corps and Southwest Conservation Corps) have experimented with ways to work more effectively on projects, including post-season debrief sessions and joint, pre-season training days between the CFI leadership team and youth corps project leaders. These are designed to better meld the cultures and desired outcomes of the two organizations. CFI has worked directly with all Find Your Fourteener partners in some capacity for more than a decade. The private match and partner in-kind anticipated to be provided by youth corps organizations working on the project is anticipated at $81,360. Since this occurs once annual contracts have been signed, it is not specifically “committed” as this grant is being requested, but will occur year by year throughout the grant. Due to the extremely high altitudes at which these projects will be working and the lengthy hike into the Mt. Wilson project area, volunteer numbers are expected to be limited. Still, CFI hopes to recruit fit, experienced individual volunteers for multi-day projects in both areas. This will provide additional in-kind value estimated at $105,788.80. Again, this in-kind value is not “committed” this far in advance, but due to CFI’s many years of volunteer trail stewardship—including more than 2,150 volunteer days engaged in 2018—it is highly likely to be realized on an annual basis. In terms of cash matching funds, CFI already has in hand $50,000 in private donations that will be applied to the project, as well as $10,000 in binding donor pledges. Included is $50,000 of a $70,000 installment payment from the Gates Family Foundation for capital construction projects occurring in the 2018-20 grant period. The funds will be used on the BLM 14ers portion of the project. A multi-year pledge from the Gateway Fund II at the Denver Foundation will provide $5,000 in unrestricted funds in both 2020 and 2021 that CFI will apply to this project. Talks are under way with the Chrest Foundation and the National Forest Foundation regarding continuing funding for projects in 2020 and beyond. Chrest Foundation provided CFI with a grant of $60,000 in December 2018 that was the lead funding for the BLM 14ers project this summer. They have requested that CFI submit a grant request this fall to provide a similar level of funding in 2021, though their final funding determination will be made after this grant deadline. The National Forest Foundation provided $60,000 last year to work on Wetterhorn and Uncompahgre Peaks, which are nearby the BLM peaks, and shared a joint crew in 2019. NFF has contributed more than $2 million to CFI over the years, and CFI is number four on NFF’s all-time grant recipients list. While NFF grant funding is awarded annually around April in response to grant requests, it is highly likely that funding for the Mt Wilson phase of the project will occur in 2021 and 2022. As their support letter notes, a funding commitment from State Trails will “help the NFF continue to prioritize fundraising efforts for these projects.” The Telluride Foundation provided funding to CFI’s prior El Diente/Kilpacker Basin project. Based on an August 2018 meeting with Telluride Foundation staff, they are inclined to provide future funding for this project to show local support for the project. As with other foundation funders, all final grant determinations are made on a year-by-year, case-by-case basis in response to individually submitted grant applications. State Trails committing funding to the project will increase the odds of a Telluride Foundation grant being approved. As is noted on support letters from the US Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management, both federal land agencies are fully in support of the project moving forward and will separately be providing financial support to their employees to assist CFI in all planning and implementation phases of this project. CFI’s Board of Directors voted to approve the submission of this grant request, and the organization is fully financially committed to implementing all aspects of this proposal.
8. ABILITY (Contingency/Ability) (5 points) EXHIBIT A As the budget notes, CFI has already begun fundraising efforts for this two-pronged project, which will provide more than the 30% overall match and 10% cash match requirements. 1) BLM 14ers. Included in budgeted revenues are the $50,000 donation received in 2019 from the Gates Family Foundation and the $10,000 booked pledge also received in 2019 from the Gateway Fund II at the Denver Foundation. CFI last week had talks with the Chrest Foundation regarding a donation that will fund work on the BLM 14ers in 2020, as well as other CFI projects. Last year the Chrest Foundation donated $60,000 to the BLM 14ers effort that occurred this summer. While the foundation reserves the right to change funding priorities until a final determination on a grant request has been made, they suggested that CFI submit a similarly sized request this year to be used on the project in 2020. The BLM has verbally told CFI that they believe it is very likely that they will be able to get a two-week Western Colorado Conservation Corps youth crew funded to work on this project. Ideally this internal funding will occur in both 2020 and 2021. The in-kind value provided by Southwest Conservation Corps and volunteers working on the project will not be fully known until contracted work and volunteer projects are completed. However, CFI’s experience working with youth corps and volunteers makes this in-kind contribution very certain. CFI likely will continue to prioritize work on the BLM 14ers even if State Trails funding is not approved. However, since CFI is only able to spend what it raises, the amount of work and the number of years the organization focuses on these peaks would be likely lessened to fit the funds raised. CFI has no ongoing tax base support, so must work where and when we are able to find funds to work on particular projects. For example, the number of weeks of youth corps working in 2019 on these peaks was cut in half when one funder provided a smaller donation than anticipated. 2) Mt Wilson. Since this phase of the project is not anticipated to occur until the 2021 summer field season, there are no firm commitments yet. This is not unusual, since most of CFI’s long-term funders give only annual grants. The National Forest Foundation has long had this project on the “wish list” for future backcountry projects. Completing other backcountry projects, such as CFI’s Mt Columbia project, is needed to free up staff resources to embark in new project areas. The Find Your Fourteener partners are excited about commencing the Mt Wilson project, though firm funding commitments are not generally made until April of the year the project deploys. This makes it impossible to show the likely financial commitment that we anticipate coming from NFF. As their support letter suggests, funding from the State Trails program will be important to NFF’s continued prioritization of fundraising for these projects. Absent a State Trails funding commitment, this phase of the project might need to be delayed or shelved entirely. There are no funding sources in the area that can fund a project of this magnitude unless CFI stumbles onto a fabulously wealthy individually who loves this area and wants to fund the project directly. (Tom Cruise, if you are listening…) CFI staff met with representatives of the Telluride Foundation, a funder of the adjacent El Diente/Kilpacker Basin project, in the summer of 2018. They remain interested in this project, and the potential funding listed is in the range of their past support. However, this would be insufficient to launch of project of this cost and complexity. NFF will need other major funders to justify launching a major fundraising effort for the Mt. Wilson project. In short, CFI is looking for State Trails to be some of the first dollars into this phase of the project. It is hoped that the State Trails Committee will understand that, once funds are committed, CFI and its partners will have a very realistic chance of leveraging this grant to fund the remaining match portions and the more than $85,500 in crew food, travel and planning costs required to pull off this project that are deemed ineligible by State Trails criteria. In terms of CFI’s ability to pull off a project like this, one only needs to look at the organization’s long list of past State Trails-funded projects, including: Mount Columbia (Phase I and II), Southwest Fourteeners Project, White River Fourteeners Project, and multiple submissions of the Regional Fourteeners Maintenance grants. Over the past decade CFI has always completed complex projects like this on time and with generally substantially more value added than was anticipated in our proposals.
Exhibit B - Multi-Project Budget Summary
Project Name: San Juan 14ers Trail Reconstruction Project
CPW Trails Grant
Total Project Match Total Funding ($)
Request
Link to 1st Project here $200,000.00 $272,388.40 $472,388.40
Link to 2nd Project here $50,000.00 $286,530.40 $336,530.40
Link to 3rd Project here $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
Link to 4th Project here $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
Total $250,000.00 $558,918.80 $808,918.80390 UNION BLVD, STE 400
LAKEWOOD, CO 80228
TEL 720-219-0682 FAX 406-542-2810
WWW.NATIONALFORESTS.ORG
September 26, 2019
Colorado State Trails Program
Colorado Parks & Wildlife
13787 US Highway 86 N.
Littleton, CO 80125
RE: Support for San Juan 14ers Trail Reconstruction Project
Dear State Trails Committee,
I’m pleased to share support from the National Forest Foundation (NFF) for the San Juan 14ers Trail
Reconstruction Project proposed by Colorado Fourteeners Initiative (CFI). If funded by the State Trails
Program, this ambitious proposal, focusing on trail stewardship of three priority San Juan 14ers, would
bolster ongoing collaboration and catalyze funding for Colorado’s high peaks.
The NFF and CFI have partnered closely in recent years through the Find Your Fourteener campaign, a
collaborative partnership between nine Colorado stewardship organizations, the Forest Service and the
NFF to improve sustainable access to Colorado’s iconic 14,000-foot peaks. With support from the
campaign and other philanthropic sources, CFI launched a multi-year project in the San Juans in 2019.
The scope of work for the project was developed following intensive coordination among partners.
Spearheaded by a dedicated 2-person trail crew, the project required CFI and partners to forge new
relationships, work collaboratively across two federal agencies (USFS and BLM), and establish a new,
remote base camp. Following a successful 2019 season, the opportunities are endless to expand the work!
The San Juan 14ers Trail Reconstruction Project would help to leverage the collaboration and funding
CFI invested in the San Juans in 2019 and expand the work to address critical trail stewardship needs on
14ers managed by the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management. Support for the Project would
allow CFI and partners to continue strengthening community support and involvement in local trail
stewardship work. Finally, multi-year support from the State Trails Program for CFI’s proposal would
also help the NFF continue to prioritize fundraising efforts for these projects.
CFI’s reputation for executing complex, multi-year projects is excellent. CFI has for years implemented
successful projects with funding from the NFF, and CFI’s reliability and outstanding work motivated our
decision to partner more closely with them through the Find Your Fourteener campaign. We hope to
continue partnering with CFI for years to come. Please give special consideration to CFI’s proposal for the
San Juan 14ers Trail Reconstruction Project.
Sincerely,
Emily Olsen
Colorado Program Manager
1September 24, 2019 Colorado State Trails Program RE: San Juan 14ers Trail Reconstruction Project To Whom It May Concern: For over 30 years, the Telluride Mountain Club’s (TMtC) mission has been to advocate for safe, accessible, enjoyable and respectful opportunities for human-powered recreational activities in the Telluride region, through education, awareness and collaboration. TMtC represents a community of enthusiastic outdoor-minded individuals in the area surrounding Telluride. We have a network of over 1,500 people and reach a large number of locals, second homeowners, and visitors each year through events, education and awareness campaigns, and stewardship programs. TMtC has spent the last few years prioritizing trails planning, stewardship, maintenance and projects. In 2017 TMtC proposed seven new trail connectors and reroutes in our region to the Norwood Ranger District. This summer, TMtC released our Trails Sustainability Plan, a guiding document for the next ten years for maintaining and developing non-motorized trails in the Telluride region. We believe in and see the benefits of trail reconstruction and reroute projects which is why we support Colorado Fourteeners Initiative to implement field session to reconstruct, reroute and restore parts of the Navajo Basin Trail and north ridge route on Mount Wilson. The Navajo Lakes approach and north ridge route on Mount Wilson is currently in poor shape. The conditions are deteriorating rapidly despite relatively low use (1,000 to 3,000 hiker days annually). The trail through Navajo Basin runs too close to Navajo Lake and the headwaters of the Dolores River. The result is that hikers and climbers trample fragile riparian resources. The ridge route to Mount Wilson lacks a proper approach trail which has created a series of social trails, resulting in trampled alpine vegetation, loss of plant cover and erosion of thin alpine soils. It won’t take long for conditions to really deteriorate if the San Juan 14ers Trail Reconstruction Project doesn’t happen and establish a sustainable trail. Thank you for your consideration of this project, Josh Borof Josh Borof Telluride Mountain Club President Telluride Mountain Club telluridemountainclub.org PO Box 1201 Telluride, CO 81435
September 30, 2019 Colorado State Trails Program 13787 US Hwy 85N Littleton CO 80125 Dear State Trails Committee Members, I am writing today in support of the San Juan 14ers Trail Reconstruction Project grant proposal being submitted by Colorado Fourteeners Initiative. Since 2003 my family has owned the Jagged Edge store in Telluride. Not only does Jagged Edge sell technical mountain gear, the store has become a hub for outdoor enthusiasts due to our very knowledgeable sales team. Regardless of the outdoor activity, we strive to have someone who is an expert in how to do it and what one needs to do it safely. We also produce a small line of Colorado-made technical mountain apparel that is sold through our shop and online. At Jagged Edge we have a passion for the outdoors and also make our living off of it. Therefore, we make it a priority to do everything we can to take care of our natural environment. From everyday routines to larger projects, our environment, and more importantly our impact, is always high on the list. We have multiple programs in place that aim to reduce our impact and preserve the environment that makes our business possible, from installed solar panels on the building to the lessened environmental impact of our Colorado-based apparel manufacturing. Mountain-related tourism is a major part of the local economy in Telluride, whether through snow sports in the winter or hiking, climbing, paddle sports and mountain biking in the summer months. The three 14ers in the Telluride area—Wilson Peak, Mount Wilson and El Diente Peak—are the striking visual backdrop to Telluride and inspire many people to explore these mountains. As use increases, the need to protect these places from harm becomes even more vital. CFI’s San Juan 14ers proposal will help more clearly define a sustainable approach trail on Mount Wilson and perform important trail maintenance on the 14ers near Lake City. The reconstructed access to Wilson will add to the trail delineation work previously performed by CFI on El Diente Peak and other groups on Wilson Peak. People love to climb these mountains. It is our responsibility to ensure this use does not adversely affect the plants and wildlife found on these peaks. I believe this proposal will make a meaningful impact on these local 14er trails. Thank you in advance for your consideration of this request. Erik Dalton, Owner Jagged Edge Mountain Gear 223 E. Colorado Ave/PO Box 2256, Telluride CO 81435
September 24, 2019 Colorado State Parks State Trails Program 13787 S. Hwy 85 Littleton, CO 80215 Dear State Trails Committee Members: I am writing on behalf of Osprey Packs Inc. to express my strong support of the grant proposal submitted by the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative (CFI) for the San Juan 14ers Trail Reconstruction project. As the Conduit for Corporate Outreach at Osprey, I work directly with environmental conservation and stewardship groups like CFI. Over the past two decades, Osprey Packs has provided in-kind product and cash donations to support CFI’s mission to protect and preserve Colorado’s 14,000-foot peaks because we fundamentally believe in these efforts. In addition, our staff volunteered on El Diente Peak as part of the Southwest Fourteeners Trail Reconstruction project in 2015. As an active participant in that trail stewardship project and numerous others, I learned the importance of a sustainably-aligned and well- maintained trail – especially a trail that travels through the fragile alpine tundra ecosystem in our big backyard of Colorado. Colorado Fourteeners Initiative’s report on hiking use released this summer estimates that 353,000 hiker use days occurred on the Fourteeners statewide – with more than 45,000 use days occurring on the San Juan Range peaks. Being an international company based in the small rural community of Cortez, Osprey is in a prime location for accessing and utilizing the San Juan 14ers. As avid outdoor enthusiasts, our employees frequently recreate on the nearby peaks and are advocates of the work CFI is doing to create a balance between recreation and conservation. CFI’s work is critical to ensuring that access to these beautiful natural resources are maintained and responsible use is encouraged. As the federal land management agencies continue to face budget cuts and struggle to keep up with the backlog on needed trail maintenance, our public lands will rely on the efforts of stewardship organizations like CFI more than ever before. The alternative is a greatly degraded wilderness experience and potential restrictions on use. The result would have a substantial impact on the state’s tourism and outdoor recreation based economy, and local businesses in trailhead communities like Cortez would most certainly feel the impact. On behalf of Osprey Packs Inc. I hope you will look favorably on this grant application and I thank you for your time in doing so. Sincerely, Sam Mix Conduit of Corporate Outreach Osprey Packs Inc. 800 N. Park Street Cortez, CO, 81321 970-529-7565 The BIRD is the WORD!
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