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CFI’s Sustainable Trails inventory in 2012 gave the Shavano summit trail an “F” grade and noted significant problems regarding overly steep grades, proximity to a creek that floods annually in early season, extensive erosion, and a proliferation of trail braids on the ill-defined approach to the summit. The trail deteriorated in the years since due to erosion from spring snowmelt and summer thunderstorms, the boots of roughly 7,000 to 10,000 annual hikers, and substantial blowdown of beetle-killed timber. Shavano had the worst-rated 14er summit route in the state. Work improving this designated trail could not occur previously despite its high priority because it crossed three private mining claims, including one parcel that contained the mountain’s summit. The U.S. Forest Service spent many years unsuccessfully trying to obtain these parcels through land exchanges before CFI stepped up in 2016 to raise $50,000 from private sources to purchase the parcels. In 2022, CFI kicked off the first season of new trail construction. When complete, crews will have reconstructed two bypass sections of trail totaling three miles (one on the upper mountain, one on the lower mountain), performed 1.5 miles of heavy reconstruction in three sections of the existing route (near the Colorado Trail, between the two re-routes, and on the ridge traverse from the summit to Tabeguache Peak), and will have closed/stabilized/restored 2.5 miles of the current route that will be bypassed. CFI predicts this project will be its longest, most expensive, and most technically challenging trail construction project to date. To sign up to volunteer or to make a tax-deductible donation to CFI, visit 14ers.org. |