August Mountain Memo – CB Land Trust

August Mountain Memo E-Newsletter

Photo by Xavi Fane

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Long Lake Update

Have you been up to Long Lake and enjoyed the new Lilli Loop Trail? In partnership with the Crested Butte Mountain Bike Association and Adaptive Sports Center, a new 1-mile loop trail was completed at Long Lake last fall, which features a 42” width for hand cyclists. This summer, the Land Trust stewardship team installed new signage and is improving a new section of single track that will connect the upper and lower sections, providing a direct route to one of the lake access points. Additionally, we will continue to restore social trails that cause erosion and resource damage as well as implement long term management solutions for this beloved community resource.

For more information on the Long Lake recreation area and the full story of saving Long Lake, visit our website here.

See you on the trail!

Summer Field Trips

Don’t forget to sign up for this season’s final two field trips. We’d love to see you this summer! All field trips are free, so email jessica@cblandtrust.org to sign up today.

Thursday, August 31 @ 4 PM | Gunnison Wildlife Association

Join us on the recently conserved Schutt property with the Gunnison Wildlife Association to learn about the work they do to protect and enhance the health and sustainability of local wildlife habitats in the Gunnison Valley.

Thursday, September 14 @ 4 PM | Gunsight Bridge 5th Anniversary

You’re invited to celebrate the 5-year anniversary of the new Gunsight Bridge! Join us for a group bike or hike to the bridge where we’ll raise a toast to this beloved community resource and learn about the work that made this project possible. Can’t join us for a bike or hike? Let us know if you can meet us at the bridge at 4:30 PM for light refreshments! Please note parking is limited.

The biking group will meet at the 4-way and ride Woods Walk to Lower Loop (~3 mi beginner level).

The hiking group will meet at the Oh-Be-Joyful campground and hike on the new Coal Train Trail (~1 mi flat beginner).

Fence Focused

The Crested Butte Land Trust doesn’t just work to conserve land for today. Once conserved, in order to forever preserve our open spaces for generations to come, we also must be stewards for these spaces. With continued help from experts and the support from our community, the Land Trust is dedicated to taking the best possible care of our lands to protect wildlife habitats, maintain our ranching heritage, preserve unobstructed views, and provide recreational opportunities for our community.

One area where the Land Trust stewardship team has focused this summer is on fencing. With our valley’s industrial and agricultural history, there are areas with a significant amount of obsolete fence lines. The team has worked hard to remove these old fences to benefit the migration of wildlife that graze and inhabit these areas.

Additionally, the Land Trust also works with local agricultural partners to make improvements and repairs to certain fences that support grazing operations in the Slate River Valley. Ranching is a crucial part of the Gunnison Valley’s history and continues to play a vital role in our local economy.

Caring for land is a constant and ever-changing task that requires a deep understanding of the land. Stewardship is an investment in our community’s clean air and water, wildlife, and natural world, and our aim is the best care possible. From responsible fencing to wetland habitat restorations and from trails to ranchlands, the Crested Butte Land Trust is honored to care for your lands.