Press Release - 100 Mile Rainbow Trail Is Continuous Again
CCMR and USFS Ride It End-to-End
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For six years, the previously continuous 100-mile multiuse Rainbow Trail (Trail #1336) that runs from Marshall Pass to the Great Sand Dunes National Park along the east side of Sangre De Cristo Mountains was cut in half. The trail is continuous again thanks to grants funded by off-highway vehicle registration stickers and a great joint effort by our public land managers, a local motorcycle club, and landowners for the benefit of all trail recreators.
The 2016 Hayden Pass fire caused a massive post-fire erosion event that completely obliterated a three-mile section of the Rainbow Trail and sent massive loads of sediment and large rocks down a drainage near Coaldale, Colorado. Several houses and properties were damaged and the drainage remained unstable and prone to flash floods. The flood-damaged drainage was too steep and dangerous to repair the trail, so a new location (reroute) had to be found. In the interim, the damaged section was closed for safety – thus cutting the Rainbow Trail in half.
Finding a viable reroute to reestablish the continuity of the trail was an extremely difficult and complicated undertaking. Thanks to tireless work by the USFS Salida Ranger District (SRD), the BLM Royal Gorge Field Office, and the Central Colorado Mountain Riders (CCMR) motorcycle club along with support from area homeowners, a sustainable reroute was designed. The reroute added four miles to the trail - thus lengthening the Rainbow Trail to 104 miles.
Following completion of USFS and BLM Environmental Assessments and public comment periods, CCMR submitted and was awarded a Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) grant to fund the trail excavation. CCMR also submitted and was awarded a CPW OHV grant to fund the Mile High Youth Corps (MHYC) support. CCMR, MHYC, and the SRD OHV crew flagged the trail and chainsaw-cleared the trail corridor. CCMR let a competitive subcontract to Trailcat Enterprises for the mechanical excavation work using two mini excavators on the approximately seven-mile reroute. The excavation and post-excavation cleanup were completed and the trail re-opened for motorcyclists, hikers, mountain bikers, and equestrians in late July.
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To celebrate the Rainbow Trail being continuous again after being split for six years, CCMR Vice President, Anthony Ware, led a group of CCMR and SRD OHV crew riders on an end-to-end one-day ride. Riding from the Silver Creek terminus to the Medano Pass end (104 miles) took the experienced motorcycle riders almost 12 hours. The CCMR has formally adopted fifty-four miles of multiuse trails including two Rainbow Trail sections and asks that recreators read their trail kiosk signs with tips for multiuse trail recreation and public land use rules. Respect gets respect. Stay the trail and practice good trail etiquette. (Left to Right - Cory, Anthony, Tyler)
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Volunteers Needed
The Rocky Mountain Enduro Circuit (RMEC) is asking for CCMR volunteers for the Bull Gulch Enduro at Texas Creek.
Some volunteer options are:
Entrance station for waiver signing; Help coordinate parking; Tech inspection - check for OHV and SA; Course set up as in marking ribbon and arrows; Check workers - 4 checks spread out over 26 miles; Sweep riders; Course and pit clean up afterward.
To volunteer - contact Brian Davis
at flybri70@hotmail.com.
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CCMR Supports Three Bike Fest Events
CCMR members worked all day Friday putting up signs and flagging on the 76-mile and 76-kilometer courses of the Team Evergreen sponsored Salida 76 "Gravel Grinder" race and ride. CCMR supported the actual race on Saturday. We did sweep and removed the trail signs, flagging, and timing mats after the last riders. The race had 435+ riders.
CCMR also supported the Salida Mountain Trails Banana Belt MTB race, also on Saturday. CCMR members provided moto lead-out escort for the race start. This race had 90+ riders. CCMR members also provided shuttle service for the Crest Crank MTB ride on Sunday.
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Volunteers - We need to log your hours
While riding, have you encountered work needed on trails e.g., you cleared logs/debris, or scouted and reported trail issues? It's that time of the year again when we tally up all the hours we spent in 2022 volunteering and giving back to our public lands. This is for the period 1 October 2021 through 30 September 2022. Please take some time to download the volunteer log sheet and return no later than 20 October. Please indicate if your volunteer hours were on BLM or USFS lands. If you only volunteered for CCMR workdays, we have already collected that data so no action is required.
Collecting and reporting hours is important because it helps us get grants. Click here for the Excel spreadsheet. If you are unable to open Excel, just put the data in a return email to CentralColoradoMountainRiders@gmail.com. Thanks!
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USFS Summer Jobs
The USFS Salida Ranger District is seeking to fill many recreation jobs for the 2023 summer season through an upcoming hiring event hosted on USAjobs.gov.
Click here for flyer for vacancy announcement numbers, position descriptions, and other pertinent information including housing opportunities and hiring dates.
The announcements will be available for 7 days only, September 29th-October 6th, 2022.
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