by Jordan Williams, Colorado Regional Representative
Following in the footsteps of an action packed road trip in 2023, CDTC’s adventure through Southern Colorado in late July 2024 had big shoes to fill. Thankfully, all of our partners, volunteers, and community members helped make this trip just as fulfilling and inspiring.
Starting with a drive to the San Luis Valley (SLV) to visit with the SLV Great Outdoors Coalition, Claire Cutler – CDTC’s newly appointed Trail Policy Specialist – and I highlighted updates surrounding CDTC’s Gateway Community program. While Alamosa is not a designated Gateway Community (GC), South Fork is part of the western SLV and was the first GC designated in Colorado back in 2015. Additionally, the SLV continues to be a priority landscape for the CDT, as highlighted in the work of CDTC’s intern Audrey Moreng from last year.
Unfortunately, we couldn’t stay long since we needed to get to Archuleta Lake where we would help with packout the next day as part of CDTC’s trail maintenance project with Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado. While dodging raindrops, we woke up early the next morning so we could assist the San Juan Backcountry Horsemen with their horse pack string to get all the volunteer supplies back to the trailhead out of the Weminuche Wilderness (where motorized and mechanized travel is prohibited). Everyone made it back in one piece, and the volunteers were happy that their packs were lighter on the way down.
After a relaxing night at the Wolf Creek LOGE in South Fork, Claire and I headed up to Wolf Creek Pass where the CDT crosses Highway 160 for a site visit. With ongoing development pressures in the area and potential changes to the Rio Grande National Forest Winter Over-snow Travel Management Plan, this area will continue to be a hotspot for recreation and conservation concerns.
Back down the hill in Pagosa Springs, another designated Gateway Community, we hosted a volunteer meetup event at Motel SOCO. The good vibes and weather (for the most part) provided the perfect opportunity for Community Volunteers and local Trail Adopters to connect and get updates on all things CDT. (And win some SWAG along the way.)
On Sunday, we drove over Spring Creek Pass on Highway 149 along the Silverthread Scenic Byway where the CDT is co-located with the Colorado Trail (CT). At the top of the pass, we were able to offer some trail magic and give a few rides back down to the town of Lake City. This popular Gateway Community to the CT and CDT offers free Community Hiker Dinners on Sunday evenings in July and August out of the Lake City Hiker Center. This year alone they served over 750 hikers, with a ding of their bell every time a hiker enters the building.
As Claire and I drove back to Golden the next day, it was easy to feel both tired and exhilarated at the same time. Which is probably how a lot of visitors to CDT feel after five days out there on trail–both excited to be going home, and looking forward to their next time on the Continental Divide.
