West Elk Wilderness, Gunnison National Forest, CO
DatesJul 26th - Aug 1st 2009 Service ProjectTrail Maintenance Free DaysDayhiking, photography, swimming, nature viewing, wildflowers! AccommodationsBackpack camping Trip RatingStrenuous : 1 mile backpack. High altitude, digging, lifting, sawing, hauling LeadersMark Viglianco Equipment |
The West Elk Mountains comprise a large remote wilderness west of Gunnison. The volcanic ridges and long valleys of this area offer countless opportunities for extended expeditions. As an added benefit, West Elk receives relatively few visitors outside of hunting season, probably because the area lacks fourteeners or numerous alpine lakes which typically attract recreational users. Secluded trips are readily attainable in West Elk, Colorado's fifth largest wilderness. Aspen blanket the steep-sided valleys, and hikers visiting in late September are rewarded with golden fall colors, clear blue skies, brisk temperatures, and the unmistakable sound of bull elk bugling. Elk and deer herds numbering in the thousands also attract crowds of hunters in late fall. An extensive network of trails along ridgelines and valley floors creates a multitude of loop trips, allowing for multi-day or week-long excursions. In the 1964 Wilderness Act, Congress designated West Elk as one of the state's original five wilderness areas. Colorado's 1980 Wilderness Act expanded it by more than 120,000 acres to its current size of 176,172 acres, with elevation spans from 7,500' to over 13,000'. About two hundred miles of trails, following creeks and ridge tops, offer opportunities for extended loop hikes through the West Elk, the fifth largest Wilderness in Colorado. Our service project starts with a short one mile backpack to set up base camp. Work consists of construction of approximately one mile of new trail and meadow restoration on the Rainbow Lake Trail. You'll be helping to restore and revegetate a beautiful sub-alpine meadow which has suffered damage from extensive braiding and gullies, due to poor trail design. We'll set up a base tent camp in the wilderness by the worksite at elevation 12,000' and walk into the wilderness about a mile daily to conduct the project. This is a highly scenic location! Free day activities are hiking, fishing, photography and peak climbing in the West Elk Wilderness. This project is at high elevation, 12,000 feet. Participants must be in good cardiovascular health and are encouraged to acclimate a day or two above 7,000' prior to establishing camp for the project.
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