Our Trails Are Awesome Thanks To The JeffCo Trail Crew
One of the best parts of working for an outdoor gear brand is the constant opportunities to get outside and play. We prefer to hold our meetings on mountaintops, chairlifts, and waist deep in streams. Our weekdays are filled with trail runs and mountain bike rides. It is by no mistake that Mountainsmith is headquartered in beautiful Golden; where we have many opportunities to enjoy Colorado’s beautiful landscape. This landscape provides a perfect testing ground for our products, and we have Jefferson County Open Space to thank for that.
Starting in 2013, Mountainsmith is proud to provide backpacks to the trail workers at Jeff Co Open Space. These guys spend almost everyday on the trail, and this once again provides us with some great insights about the durability of our products. Spend one day on the extensive trail systems of Jefferson County and you will agree that these guys are some of the best trail builders in the country.
Trail Day
When our friend Scott Waters from Jeff Co Open Space asked if we would be interested in spending a day working on the trails ourselves, we were thrilled with the opportunity. If not just for an excuse to get out of the office, we felt the need to give back to the trail system that we enjoy on almost a daily basis.
Our mission was to build check dams and water bars on south side of North Table Mountain Park. These efforts will prevent water from running down the trail, which can lead to a deep rut from water erosion. The check dams and water bars push the water off the side of the trail allowing the trail to remain intact. All in all, five of us spent about 4 hours beautifying a fifteen foot section of trail that typically takes a fraction of a second for us to cover on a mountain bike. We quickly gained perspective on the magnitude of the work that entails trail building and maintenance.
Satisfaction
Since that trail day, I can honestly say I feel very differently about the trails around our home state. I now understand the amount of work it took to build the trails and that they won’t be there forever without regular maintenance. I feel a sense of pride every time I ride past that section of trail. When I am waiting for other riders to catch up to me, I take time to rearrange rocks to make it more passable for the next rider.
It is too easy to forget the amount of work that has gone into our trail systems. My four hours of effort is nothing compared to the thousands of hours each year it takes to maintain Jefferson County’s trail network. My one day of work will undoubtedly serve as a reminder to respect our trail system and thank our trail workers.
National Trails Day – June 7th
This weekend, you can experience for yourself the satisfaction that is felt from spending a day of putting sweat equity into your local trail system. Check this page for trail maintenance events in your area, organized by the American Hiking Society. Even if you can only offer an hour of your time, it will make a difference for your local community and for yourself.
