The Mount Sanitas Trail is one of the most popular in Boulder and sees hundreds of active users daily. This project was an attempt to make a small change to the system prior to 3–5 consecutive planned years of trail work on the mountain, as a way to connect with users in a positive manner. This specific project took eight weeks to complete with a crew of four. The project site contained a failing staircase with a two-foot width. The confusion caused by the old staircase led users to wear in steep and unsightly social trails. These actions intensely impacted the area, ultimately degrading natural resources due to high and improper visitor use. Project accomplishments include the building of 26 steps at a four-foot width, overall addressing 60 feet of trail. Approximately 225 linear feet of buck-and-rail fencing was installed to keep people on the trail and designate a rest area with a view of the city. Restoration consisted of shutting down a 1,000-square-foot area using erosion netting and wattles. A challenging aspect of this project was the amount of bedrock encountered. This necessitated using a Hilti to drill out rock before each step could be placed. Uniquely, a few years earlier, a helicopter flew pre-quarried stone to a nearby area, from which the crew was able to use for the build. Rocks were carried downhill to the project site using rock baskets. Heat was also a concern as the summer reached consistently high temperatures daily, with minimal shade on site. Additionally, the discovery of a nesting Rock Wren required a slight adaptation to the alignment. The small crew collaborated with Mile High Youth Corps and the Junior Rangers to mobilize materials to and from the site.
completed project
designated rest area and view point, overlooks the city
completed project: upper staircase
before
restored social trails
before restoration: highly impacted areas on the left
completed restoration on impacted area above the staircase
before: impacted area above the staircase
in progress
in progress
in progress