The harder they come, the harder they fall! The 2022 CBMBA Annual Overnight Work Weekend was a tough one in so many regards, but it did not stop the dedication and will of this trail care community. 405.3a, Hammer Trail, is a more remote trail that starts on the lower reaches of 405/Doubletop, and ties into the glorious, yet difficult 405.2a (Dark Side) and 412 (The Wall) trails at the top of the Walrod drainage. 72 humans, over two days, took on huge trail re-route and maintenance projects on 0.6 miles of trail, in blazing sun, yet glorious surroundings. After the CBCC gets done with the finishing touches, over a mile of the trail will see major improvement and maintenance, with 2 major fall-line sections decommissioned and set up to revegetate. Our CBCC crews were out there all weekend with us, doing the BIG work. Thanks boys!
The 2-mile hike/bike in started with ascending the Wall, then climbing up to the Hammer Trail where the start of the work begun. Fall-line, braided, and highly eroded trail(s) were decommissioned and replaced with a sustainable, self-draining, flowy, downhill oriented trail that will further withstand the elements and impacts. The new alignment will provide major giggles and high speed ‘yee-haws’ while shedding water and providing an alignment that will help better reinforce the loose sedimentary Cement Creek terra.
The sheer efforts the good volunteers took on was again, simply amazing. Human back-hoes, you are! Rim Tours fed us all weekend, and brought out some local characters to help out. Let alone, they have supported the Annual Overnight for 27 years. Ahhhh the joy, smiles, and fun this crew adds to our backyard gathering. Thank you! Our bud, Dr. Elfenbeimn and his family spend the weekend slaying dirt, we’re glad to have the partners we do in Pinnacle Orthopedics. Thank you to Butte Financial for all the support, and to Ska Brewing, Velocio Apparel, Squirt Lube, PACT Outdoors, Duane Johnson – Summit Building, American Antique Lumber, and so many more trinkets, trivia, and gadgets for the raffle.
Our biggest thanks to our most noble partner… we can do none of this, we are none more honor-bound to our fine friends at the USFS – Gunnison Ranger District. We so appreciate your vision and work on the entire forest, but more so the work you have done in the Cement Creek drainage. To Joe and his USFS crew that were out there this weekend – THANK YOU. This trail was the last in the line of so many improvements and upgrades in Cement Creek, going back to the 405.2a Annual Overnight work in 2005. We are so grateful for the opportunities we have had to work alongside you in that drainage, and witness more so, the magical place it is to ride.
To all of you (Ska Mexi Logger held high…), THANK YOU – for all you do for trails and for our backyard health.
David Ochs
Crested Butte Mountain Bike Association
