Trails 101

Speaking of Trails 2000, the local trail fairies have been hard at work re-aligning the popular Mike’s Trail in Horse Gulch. Along with the rest of the Gulch, Mike’s sustained heavy damage in the freak flood that struck the area in the fall of 2014. Although some initial work was done to shore up the trail, erosion and rutting has be- come an increasing problem in some parts.

Over the last several weeks, volunteers have been working on a Mike’s reroute to bypass some of the harder hit areas to make the trail more sustainable in the long run. In addition to the regular crew of dedicated (and awesome) T2000 volunteers, more than 80 Animas High School students also got out there to swing pulaskis and learn about trail ecology for a few days.

The work day was part of Trails 2000’s TrailKids program, which is headed up by educator Elizabeth “Ziggy” Lanman. Recently hired, Lanman aims to develop a sense of community ownership in youth while teaching about the land, geography, vegetation and stewardship.

“It was such a pleasure to spend the day with engaged and interested young people,” Trails 2000 Executive Director Mary Monroe Brown said. “The work on Mike’s Trail was top notch: the re-route and the revegetation of the old alignment.”

The fresh new Mike’s is reportedly riding fine, but still needs the help of other “trail volunteers” (that’s you, bike riders) to get out there and buff it out.