2023
FROM THE FIELD
CDTC Field Projects
The mission of the Continental Divide Trail Coalition is to complete, promote, and protect the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (CDT). We see the CDT as a world-class landscape that inspires pride, passion, respect, creativity, community, and perseverance, connecting landscapes, ecosystems, and communities. Find out more about the work happening on the ground this year! Fork of the Gila - w/ Back 1 Middle Country Horsemen of New Mexico Gila National Forest, NM | May 2023 Alongside Gila Backcountry Horsemen,volunteers helped maintain 5.5 miles of corridor, cairns, and treadwork as this popular Gila Alternate route winds along the banks of the Gila with tower cliff faces overhead. Read “Behind the Trails” in this issue to learn more!
Lake 2 2 Ghost Gila National Forest, NM | May 2023 Alongside the Reserve Ranger District and New Mexico Volunteers for the Outdoors, CDTC continues to support a multi-year project to complete a 9.1-mile reroute of the CDT through the northern Gila National Forest between 5 Springs and Ghost Lake.
Lonesome w/ Headwaters Trail 5 High Alliance Arapaho National Forest, CO | July 2023
Located on the CDT on the Front Range of Colorado, this partnership with the Headwaters Trails Alliance, worked to replace one 10-foot bridge to provide a safer water crossing for all trail users in this area.
Lonesome 2 6 High Arapaho National Forest, CO | July 2023 This location was the only location on the 6.5-mile mechanized section of the High Lonesome that does not have a bridge crossing. CDTC volunteers worked in collaboration with Headwaters Trails Alliance to construct a new bridge crossing in this location.
Adopter Training Adopter Training 3 Butte 7 Georgetown Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, Arapaho National Forest, CO | July MT | June 2023
CDTC launched the Adopter Program in Montana this year with the Butte Ranger District. Upon completion of the training, volunteers are able to adopt and maintain their own section of the CDT.
Environmental Learning 4 Denver for Kids (ELK) Arapaho National Forest, CO | June 2023 CDTC along with Denver ELK took a group of “Colorado’s underrepresented youth” to camp to build their confidence through trail work and provide an opportunity to learn about the vast opportunities in land management.
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2023 CDTC conducted this training near Georgetown at the Herman Gulch Trailhead. The focus was on trail maintenance such as tread specifications, installing drains, and other basic techniques that will allow volunteers to adopt their own section of the CDT.
Pass Project w/ Wild Montana 8 Priest Helena-Lewis & Clark National Forest, MT July 2023 This rehabilitation project transformed the trail from a double track to a singletrack tread. This work included scarring the trail and hauling debris over to keep hikers on the straight and narrow.