TLC for DMP

Help has arrived for the eroded climbing areas in Dalla Mountain Park.

Located on the west side of town, Dalla Mountain Park (and the adjacent Animas City Mountain) are popular climbing areas. Really popular, it turns out.

“Dalla Mountain Park has the highest concentration of climbing in any park in any city in the state of Colorado,” Amy Schwarzbach, the city’s natural resource manager, said in a statement.

All that use, however, has taken a toll. According to the City of Durango, climbers have created social trails to popular climbing areas that have caused erosion. One area particularly impacted is a climbing spot called Euro Boulder.

“The erosion from Euro Boulder and the socially created access to it has a broader impact not only on wildlife, but other trails and Junction Creek down below,” Schwarzbach said. 

Recently, the City of Durango (which owns Dalla Mountain Park) and the Bureau of Land Management (which owns Animas City Mountain) received $48,000 from a GOCO grant to help with trail restoration. The full grant funding includes matches from the city and BLM, as well as $1,437 from the Durango Climbers Coalition. Ultimately, the Southwest Conservation Corps was hired to get the work done.

The SWCC worked seven weeks at Euro Boulder. With the help of Durango Climbers Coalition volunteers, crews restored severe erosion around the base, improved drainage and fortified areas to prevent future soil loss.

“The SWCC crews that worked on this project not only helped provide awesome recreation, but also helped fulfill the city’s obligation to our conservation easement,” Schwarzbach said. “They’re taking care of fish and wildlife habitat, and the vegetation in the area.”