September Mountain Memo – CB Land Trust

September Mountain Memo E-Newsletter

Photo by John Holder

Did you know the Crested Butte Land Trust has a monthly E-newsletter?

Click here to opt in!

Just curious to read our latest articles and updates? Click here to read our latest Mountain Memo.

Summer of Stewardship Success

Cooler temperatures and signs of fall are knocking at the door. Summer can feel so short in the high country and, for many of us, can be a particularly busy season. It is with help from dedicated donors, volunteers, and partner organizations that we are able to accomplish so much each field season. Despite the hints of summer’s end, the Land Trust will still be out there caring for beloved lands and waterways. Here’s what you made possible so far this year:

115.73 acres of newly conserved land
5436 acres of conserved land monitored
180 pounds of noxious weeds pulled
2000+ recreationists engaged by the Conservation Ranger
724 acres surveyed for noxious weeds, with appx. 100 of those acres treated
1/4 mile of new trail built at Long Lake
1/4 mile of barbed/wire & t-posts removed
40 community volunteers involved in Land Trust stewardship projects
1 mile of fencing maintained and repaired in support of grazing lessees on CBLT lands
1/4 mile of fence upgraded to wildlife-friendly design standards.

Trail Work Tuesday with Gunnison Trails

We’re sponsoring our friends at Gunnison Trails for their Trail Work Tuesday on September 19 from 3-7 PM. This fall Gunnison Trails will be working on the next phase of the South Rim trail at Signal Peak, ~ 2.4 miles of trail that will connect South Rim/Sunny D to the top of Signal Mesa. Check out their website here for more information and directions. We hope to see you there!

Happy Birthday, Gunsight Bridge

This fall we are celebrating the 5 year anniversary of the new Gunsight Bridge! The bridge is a popular hub for bikers, hikers, floaters, and, in the winter, cross country skiers. Originally designed in the late 1800’s, the bridge and surrounding area was home to the Anthracite Mine, which produced over a million tons of coal and was an end point for the Denver Rio Grande Railroad. The mine closed in 1929 and in 2003 the Land Trust purchased the 120-acre Anthracite Mine property from Pitkin Iron Corporation. In 2011 the Land Trust partnered with Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety to restore neighboring wetlands and, while assessing the Upper Slate River, found that the old bridge was contributing to in-stream erosion and affecting natural channels of the surrounding wetlands. After years of research, construction began in September of 2018 and was completed in November of the same year.

This massive undertaking was made possible through funding from and partnerships with the Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s Recreational Trails Program, the Colorado Water Conservation Board, the Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District, the Town of Crested Butte, 1% for Open Space, the Community Foundation of the Gunnison Valley, Crested Butte Mountain Resort, the Laura Jane Musser Fund, Pig Difference, New Belgium, Crested Butte Mountain Bike Association, Crested Butte Nordic, the Bureau of Land Management, the Crested Butte Music Festival, Western Spirit Cycling, Grassy Creek Foundation, and gifts from supporters like you. Thank you for your doing your part in caring for our valley’s recreational amenities!