Hi all,
getting a bit of an early start with an Anniversary Run discussion. As a reminder, this run has historically taken place in March based on the founding of the group (I believe). Over the last year or so, we have had some difficulty with actually planning a run during the March time frame with the seasonal closure of China Wall trail. We have struggled to identify an alternate trail that suits the needs of a large group of different vehicles and capabilities, has better potential weather (and minimal snow) for March, can accommodate group camping near the trailhead, and is reasonably close to many of our members' front range location. As previously, the main question that comes up is whether it is better to maintain the March 'anniversary' time frame and try to find a functional trail or location, or to move the anniversary run to a later time?
My main motivation for this discussion is twofold:
1) to begin anniversary run planning if we decide to maintain the March date
2) potentially to coordinate a later date anniversary run with our 2 yearly adopt-a-trail runs
In regards to our adopt-a-trail runs - we have generally done 2 runs (required to maintain status as trail adopters). One in the late spring not long after the trails open, and one in the fall just before the trails close. USFS ranger Brandt Wobig (our adopt-a-trail contact) has suggested we think about delaying our first clean-up till after July 4th weekend. As the trails have very little usage (non-motorized only) during the winter, very little clean-up is needed. July 4th is the first weekend they really get used, and a clean-up would be beneficial immediately afterwards and help keep things in better shape through the high use season until we do the fall/end of season clean-up.
I tend to agree that our first clean-up could be delayed until July, and thus that might open up an opportunity for the anniversary run to take place in late May or early June. In addition to China Wall opening sometime in early June, this could also provide an opportunity for the anniversary run to take place on our adopted trails - and we could count it towards volunteer adopt-a-road hours if we wanted to do some clean-up as well (which many on this forum do anytime they are out on trails).
just food for thought and to see what we think...I am hoping to get the adopt-a-trail clean-ups planned and on the schedule earlier than we have recently so we can all plan accordingly.