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Colorado Trail Patrol

16K views 34 replies 18 participants last post by  StayTheTrail 
#1 · (Edited)
Wanted to spread the word about the restarting of a very important volunteer program in Colorado! As the state coordinator, please let me quickly explain our goal.

The Colorado Trail Patrol is a volunteer group that assists in monitoring roads and trails on public lands with an objective to mitigate improper land use of public lands in an effort to protect our natural resources for future generations to enjoy.

The patrol's purpose is to be an extra set of eyes and ears for land management agencies and law enforcement (when necessary). The cornerstones of the patrol are OBSERVING and REPORTING.

OHV users are the ones who know the trails best. It is our responsibility to help maintain them. Identifying and locating problem areas will allow us to work with recreation managers to solve the problems before extensive damage is done.

All we ask is that our volunteers document and report the issues they see on the trail. When you get home, you quickly fill out a report and attach photos/GPS locations and descriptions of what you ran across. You can think of it as a trip report with a purpose.

If you are at all interested in this project, please contact me at Matt@staythetrail.org AND of course like us on Facebook!!
 

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#2 ·
Great program & good to see it up and going again. While my ride is still down for a while, I'm definately in for keeping our few remaining trails open.

However, the email address listed came back to me as a failed attempt. I'll check the site & see if there's something missing, but wanted to let you know...

*Thanks for the updated email!*
 
#4 ·
Appreciate the Sticky!

For clarification, I am the new coordinator for the Colorado Trail Patrol. Others may know me as Matt from ARB Tech/Marketing. I left Seattle to restart this great program in CO. We are looking forward to a big year and need YOUR help.

*Being a Jeep Forum member, I wanted to make this personal appeal to our community and not create a "CTP" login, etc.
 
#10 ·
Something for me to sign up for when I get back to CO.

... Identifying and locating problem areas will allow us to work with recreation managers to solve the problems before extensive damage is done.
As for identifying problem areas, Rampart Range Road is a good place to start. Although I'd say extensive damage is already done.
 
#12 ·
Something for me to sign up for when I get back to CO.

As for identifying problem areas, Rampart Range Road is a good place to start. Although I'd say extensive damage is already done.
Contact us once you are back and we will be sure to keep you in the loop about training times and locations.

Rampart Range Road is a tough egg to crack due to the heavy use. Luckily, there is an active management group there tackling the issues as best they can. We are going to do what we can to help the area, but as I said, the area has already garnered attention from a few sources and groups so CTP volunteers won't be alone down there.
 
#13 ·
An easy area to run if you live in the springs is the Mt Baldy/Eagle Rock/Bull Park network. I ended up moving down to Trinidad, and trail driving (even County Road driving) is met with more resistance than a fireball orange Lamborghini speeding through Switzerland. I think the back road out to the Sand Dunes is the closest thing to me now, and it's like an hour away.
 
#15 ·
So far we have scheduled a few training sessions. This info will be up on the Stay the Trail Calendar as well.

Fort Collins- August 19 (TOMORROW)- Front Range Community College Harmony Library; 6pm.
Thornton- August 23- Gander Mountain Meeting Room; 6pm
Boulder- August 25- Boulder Library, Reynolds Branch; 6pm
Denver- August 25-Bass Pro Shop; 6pm
Littleton/South Denver- August 30- Chatfield State Park Audubon/Volunteer House; 6pm.

Again, email matt@staythetrail.org with any questions you have
 
#17 ·
No worries! I know that there are alot of changes to the OHV community right now. All this new info can be overwhelming. I also know that I was not exceptionally clear in some of my answers. I will be able to clear up any questions about the OHV permits at the training.
 
#18 ·
Thanks everyone that has made it to a session so far!
If you want to protect the trails in CO, this is the easiest way for you to make a difference. Don't wait for someone else to do it. YOU are already on the trails, help us identify and rectify small issues before they get to the point of endangering the system.

BOULDER TRAINING IS TOMORROW (Aug 25).
 
#20 ·
We've been getting a great Jeep turnout, but as always, need more folks to help us. Just a few weekends ago, we helped pull an abandoned Subaru off a trail. You may have seen it on Jalopnik or Autoblog :)

Training will last a little over an hour, but after that it will only take you a few seconds to document any trail issues you see. Here is the most recent training times:

Boulder- September 20th, 7pm. - Meadows Library Branch (4800 Baseline Rd. Boulder, CO 80303)
Longmont - September 27th, 6:30pm - Longmont Library (409 4th Avenue Longmont, CO 80501)
Colorado Springs - September 29th, 7pm - Fire Station 8 (3737 Airport Rd Colorado Springs, CO 80910)
Littleton - October 2 (Sunday), 3:30- Koelbel Library (5955 South Holly Street, Littleton, CO)
LIttleton - October 3, 630pm- Southglenn Library (6972 South Vine Street, Littleton, CO)
 
#21 ·
Alright Denver folks. Time for ya'll to step up. Training lasts just over an hour. After that, you are going to be set. Easy and fun way for you to get involved and start helping to preserve our trails.


Thornton – October 24, 7pm. Gander Mountain. 9923 Grant St. Thornton CO 80229.
Highlands Ranch – October 25, 6:30pm. Highlands Library. 9292 Ridgeline Blvd. Highlands Ranch, CO 80123
Southglenn – Saturday – October 29, 10AM. Southglenn Library. 6972 South Vine Street, Littleton, CO
Commerce City –Nov 3. 6:30pm. Bass Pro Shop. 7970 Northfield Blvd. Denver, CO 80238
Centennial – Saturday – Nov 5. 9AM. Castlewood Library. 6739 South Uinta St. Centennial CO 80112
 
#23 ·
Sorry we have been away from forum for a few months. We do have a bunch of upcoming training sessions.

February 21 – 6:30pm. Longmont Public Library Meeting Room. 409 4th Ave. Longmont, CO.
March 10 – 10:30 am. Southglenn Library, Centennial. 6972 South Vine Street, Centennial, Colorado
March 29 - 6:30pm. Firestation #8. 3737 Airport Rd. Colorado Springs, CO.
March 31 – 6:30pm. Battlement Fab. 2513 Weslo Avenue, Grand Junction, CO 81505
 
#26 ·
Quick Update:

The Colorado Trail Patrol is looking forward to another season of assisting the USDA Forest Service, Colorado State Parks and Wildlife, and the Bureau of Land Management. Everyone within the OHV community can participate in this easy and fun system built to help assist local trail maintenance and land management.

The Colorado Trail Patrol asks volunteers to log the trails they travel and document any positive and negative issues they may come across. Reports get sorted and go directly to recreation managers, planners and trail crews depending on the situation. We then work with agency staff to determine and organize an OHV-friendly solution if an issue was reported. Districts and field offices are also informed about trail systems that are in good condition too, allowing agency staff to know that the implemented management policies are working well.

The creation of a statewide network of Patrollers will allow us to notify the agencies about small issues quickly and thus prevent damage from continuing. Quick identification of maintenance needs helps direct resources and allow for issues of immediate need to be addressed.

Once volunteers are trained, they are asked to keep doing what they love…enjoying the trails of Colorado. Their normal routines are only changed by taking a few minutes to submit a trip report into the database including photos, where they traveled, and any descriptions after they get home from the ride. Colorado Trail Patrol staff then ensures the information gets to the proper personnel within the Forest Service, Colorado State Parks and Wildlife, or the Bureau of Land Management .

Trainings are held all around the state for those interested in becoming CTP volunteers. To see the complete list of upcoming training sessions, please visit the Stay the Trail Calendar (http://staythetrail.org/calendar.php) or find the Colorado Trail Patrol on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ColoradoTrailPatrol).

Upcoming Volunteer Training Sessions:
April 19 - 6:30pm Montrose Library. 320 South 2nd Street, Montrose, CO.
April 21 - 4:30pm. Southglenn Library, Centennial. 6972 South Vine Street, Centennial, CO.
April 26 - 6:30pm. Firestation #8. 3737 Airport Rd. Colorado Springs, CO.
May 10 - 6:30pm. Castlewood Library. 6739 South Uinta Street Centennial, CO 80112
May 15 - 6:30pm. Loveland Library. 300 North Adams Ave. Loveland, CO.
May 22 - 6:30pm. Colorado Springs Firestation #8. 3737 Airport Rd. Colorado Springs, CO.
May 23 - 6:30pm. Thornton Gander Mountain. 9923 Grant St. Thornton, CO.
 
#27 ·
I wanted to update this thread since I have taken this training, and it is in my eyes worth it to help our trail system here in Colorado. It is no longer called Colorado Trail Patrol it has been changed to Stay the Trail Ambassadors.

The training schedule can be found HERE

All of the August dates as of now are online training. iPhones and Androids can not connect to the training, you must be at an actual computer with internet connection.

Upcoming Training for new members:
August 9 - 6:30pm Online
August 16 - 6:30pm Online
August 28 - 6:30pm Online

Colorado Trail Patrol to Stay the Trail Ambassadors Update Schedule:
August 6 - 6:30pm Online
August 11 - 10:00am Online
August 20 - 6:30pm Online
August 29 - 6:30pm Online
 
#28 ·
Sounds like an awesome program, and I wish I was closer to help out. Thanks to all of you for working to keep the legal trails clear, clean and open. :)
 
#29 ·
Stay The Trail Ambassadors

MAJOR PROGRAM UPDATE



Over the years, Stay The Trail has united the Colorado OHV community behind the ethics of responsible trail use. Now, those dedicated enthusiasts will have the opportunity to participate in sharing that ethic with other trail users and a calendar of trail events they can assist with.

Stay The Trail Ambassadors are encouraged to Ride, Educate, Monitor, and Maintain.

The program builds off of the existing support OHV enthusiasts have shown for the Colorado Trail Patrol. For new volunteers, we hold online training sessions every few weeks. Check our online calendar for the next upcoming time. The next one will be Sept 25th.

Our new website is: http://staythetrailambassadors.org/

Ride
Our volunteers are encouraged to keep doing what they love, enjoying Colorado's extensive OHV trails. Colorado's OHV community's intense enthusiasm is what drives this program. We want to be good examples to the other folks who we meet on the trail.

Educate
Being role models while they are out on the trails is the best way to reinforce responsible trail ethics with other enthusiasts. Volunteers are prepared and encouraged to speak with other enthusiast's they meet on the trail regarding responsible OHV use. Peer-to-peer reinforcement is crucial in cultivating a statewide culture of stewardship. Stay The Trail educational material will be provided for volunteers to carry with them. When you meet someone on the trail or trailhead, it is always a teachable moment.

One of our goals is to use the sense of camaraderie that occurs on the trail as a gateway to quickly introduce fellow trail enthusiasts to Stay The Trail and encourage them to follow the common OHV etiquette. Our Ambassadors are prepared and equipped to effectively turn these friendly trail encounters into opportunities to share the importance of responsible OHV trail use. Even just the friendly offer of sticker, or a OHV Opportunity Map can be effective in planting the seed of interest and responsibility in their mind.



That is why our Ambassadors are sent packets containing all our different educational brochures, Stay The Trail stickers, and Colorado Parks and Wildlife OHV Grant info.

Monitor
Trail conditions change on a weekly basis. Volunteers have access to an online reporting system where they can upload photos and GPS waypoints of maintenance and signage issues. Active monitoring quickly alerts land managers to issues in an effort to prevent an issue from becoming something larger that can jeopardize a trail's sustainability.

Maintain
Join other enthusiasts as we assist land management agencies perform needed maintenance projects. Our calendar will be a hub of information concerning all types of OHV trail projects that need more manpower. Stay The Trail staff will also be organizing unique trail clean-up events and responding to situations that need immediate assistance. At the moment, there are 5 Stewardship Runs planned for the remaining portion of September.
 
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