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Big Horn Jeep Club Holy Cross Trail Maintenance: July 22-23 and August 12-13, 2000

By: Joshua "Superdawg" Lowenstein, 4x4 Tech Editor

The Big Horn Jeep Club has maintained a close working relation ship with the US Forest Service since 1980. What started as an adopt-a-trail contract with the Forest Service on Holy Cross Trail has grown over the years.

The biggest work trip was in 1989. The culmination of four years of planning, the project was completed in one major

Holy Cross Trail Fence Repair

work weekend. Former BHJC member Daryl Chapman chaired the project. The services of National Guard helicopters were retained to fly in rock and culvert pipe. The USFS and Army Corps of Engineers were on site to design and create a stable road base out of 150 feet of peat bog. In it's day, the mud was bottomless and several rigs were completely submerged. The result was a trail that is still working very well to date.

This year, after meeting with various Colorado 4x4 clubs and Forest Service representatives, project plans were discussed and approved. The work was scheduled to be completed over two weekends, July 22-23 and August 12-13.

During the first major work trip, 36 hardworking volunteers rebuilt fence and loaded and hauled rock to protect riparian areas.

Rocks and boulders were transported via three "rock trailers" loaded by hand and pulled rigs with V8's and 35"+ tires. The rock was mostly used for fill in areas where the trail had eroded or where "go-a-rounds" needed blocking off or stabilizing. These stout trail rigs were able to pull the trailers filled with rock over the toughest sections of trail with little effort.

USFS Rangers assisted with rebuilding the "Old Bog" fence. Using some of the old trees and thinning the nearby forest for new lumber, a new fence was nearly completed. All of the old spikes used in the original fence were cut or pounded out of the scrap and will be trucked out for recycling.

Holy Cross Trail - Before

Other volunteers used winch equipped Jeeps and trucks to drag boulders into place to block areas that were being used as go-a-rounds. These repaired areas are designed to funnel vehicles over the more challenging lines and routes for a couple of reasons. 1) filtering of under equipped rigs and drivers, thus reducing traffic and 2) enhance the 4x4 experience, for those who have rigs that are set up for one of Colorado's best trails. The result is to make Holy Cross less of an easy road and "restore it" to a challenging primitive trail. The before and after photos tell the story of how these areas were improved.

Holy Cross Trail - After

During the weekend of August 12-13th, over 30 volunteers and 4 FS rangers completed the "Old Bog" fence and TS2 and TS3 were completed as much as possible for this year. Over 200 cubic yards of rock were moved to these areas and fences were constructed to assure the blockage of old (and new) go-a-rounds.

The "obstacle" at TS1 is working as intended a filter for the less built/experienced rigs/drivers, the boulders have so far stayed put. Daryl Surface our paid trail host has reported that since our work trips the trail has seen over 30 rigs a day (weekends) and one roll over at the French Creek crossing.

Fourteen winch points of super-duty two inch hydraulic cylinder rod, 18 inches long, and 40,000 pound rated anchors pinned and welded were installed. They are glued into solid granite with 30,000 PSI all temperature epoxy specifically designed for holding metal anchors in rock.

Old Holy Cross Trail Sign

The big turn out for these work trips and the amount of work accomplished will ensure the long term health of this high profile and somewhat overused trail. Keeping the Holy Cross Trail OPEN is our club obligation through the Adopt-a-Trail program.

Our long term goal is to keep the trail maintained to a degree that over use is absorbed by having more and improved turnouts. Signage will be provided at the trail heads as well as critical points along the trail. Winch anchor points are installed at key areas to avoid harm to trees.

New Holy Cross Trail Sign

As this was our clubs first attempt at gaining grant support, our hopes for speedy delivery of funds was just youthful exuberance. We have not seen any money yet. We hope to have the signs designed and constructed over the winter and ready to install in the spring of 2001.

A suggestion to other clubs trying to get state or federal funds for trail projects, don't expect any dates for anything to be etched in stone. We are disappointed that the funds were not available for this years project, but as it turns out we were not completely ready either. Having all (I mean all) of your ducks in a row is way harder that it sounds.

Holy Cross Work Trip Dinner

The July 22-23 weekend featured a spaghetti dinner with home made sauce was provided to all volunteers by Lee Sowards and family. The August weekend featured hamburgers, brats, green salad and cookies donated and prepared by Chuck and Charlie Pennington from Discount Muffler in Denver. A raffle was conducted both weekends featuring Premier Power Welder hats, Avalanche T-shirts, $25-$50-$100-$150 gift certificates from High Country 4x4, Englewood Driveshaft, Mile High Jeep Rebuilders and Premier Power Welder rewarded everyone with something.

Sponsors:
Colorado State Trails Grant. Webb Crane, 4x4Wire.com, High Country 4x4, Mile High Jeep Rebuilders, Englewood Drive Shaft, Premier Power/Pull-Pal, Discount Muffler, Avalanche of Denver, Predator 4x4 Colorado Springs, Rock Hoppers Club, Ansell Edmont, Rockcrawler.com, 2 Mile High Club (Leadville), and many private donations.
Thanks!!

If your club needs information about doing trail repair projects such as this, please contact us.

The Big Horn Jeep Club was founded in 1975 and currently has 16 voting members, 4 associates and two honorary members. BHJC is also a member of United and Colorado Associations of 4x4 Clubs. The BHJC meets at Fey Meyers Honda, Denver, CO. on the first Tuesday of every month. Contact Robert Gibson (303) 750-8189 for additional information about the club.

Contacts:	Related Links:
John Recob, (303) 221-1313 Josh Lowenstein (303) 393-8097	Can we count on YOU to volunteer? Colorado 4x4 Clubs need help! Colorado Association of 4 Wheel Drive Clubs 4x4Wire's Environmental Policy Links from the 4x4Wire Link Index Blue Ribbon Coalition Tread Lightly!