2025 Field Season Preview

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It's beginning to look a lot like climbing season, folks! With that in mind, I wanted to give everyone a sneak peek of CFI's upcoming field season, so you'll know what to expect when you're out on the trails this summer.

Mt. Shavano: This year marks the fourth season of work on two separate and major trail re-route projects on this fourteener. One of the projects will focus initially on full-bench construction below tree line and then move to trail restoration work higher up on the mountain for the second half of the season. The other project will focus on building new trail in the alpine, at an elevation of around 14,000 feet, with some full-bench construction and the completion of a variety of stone structures.

Mt. Bierstadt: One of Colorado's most popular fourteeners has not received significant work or improvements to its trail since CFI crews worked there in 2014-2015. Since then, the condition of the boardwalk that traverses a wetland area has deteriorated significantly. CFI plans to repair and replace 300 linear feet of boardwalk along with the installation of an additional 45 linear feet of elevated causeway to keep hiking traffic on dry portions of the trail, especially during peak snow melt season (when the majority of damage has typically occurred).

Mt. Blue Sky: Since the historic rain events and mudslides that occurred just above Chicago Lakes in 2013, CFI has been working to re-establish a stable trail through the debris to keep hikers off the adjacent fragile terrain. The steep and loose nature of the soil and rock that buried the trail in the slide makes this a very difficult area in which to work. To quarry additional material to build the necessary staircases and walls, CFI’s crew will use grip hoists to safely bring rocks to the worksite. CFI plans to install 34 cribbed stone steps as well as 250 square feet of tundra support wall along with proper delineation of the newly established corridor and restoration of nearby tundra.

Mt. Democrat: The 2023 acquisition of 300 acres of private mining claims (which CFI helped accomplish) has allowed a major trail reconstruction effort to occur this summer on Democrat. This reconstruction will help protect rare plants, including eight imperiled species found in the Kite Lake Basin. Data collected by CFI's Sustainable Trails Program has documented the need for trail structures to be installed adjacent to sensitive plant species so hikers don't wander onto the tundra in crucial locations. CFI’s crew, along with Rocky Mountain Youth Corps members, will install 110 check steps, 1,200 square feet of wall, and 140 linear feet of drainage over two years.

Nomad Crew: During the 2025 and 2026 seasons, volunteers will work with CFI crews on 12 peaks—Quandary, Massive, San Luis, Sneffels, Elbert, Wetterhorn, Democrat, Columbia (2026), Bierstadt, Blue Sky, Capitol, and Princeton (2026)—to complete smaller trail maintenance projects. Among other things, crews will restore riparian zones, build timber check steps, install drainage structures, re-route trail around butterfly habitat, repair boardwalks, and prevent erosion and braiding with rock check steps.

If you see our crews out on the trails, please feel free to say hello! Happy hiking!

Lindsey King
Deputy Director, CFI
lindsey@14ers.org
720-273-5120