Posts tagged trail
80% of OSMP trails to be open by Jan.1
Oct 17th
The department anticipates having more than 50 percent of its trail system open on Saturday when dozens of volunteers will help the department complete rebuilding projects on the Doudy Draw trail complex south of Boulder. The volunteer assistance – which will build on the work of OSMP trail crews – will enable the department to open more miles of trails.
“We’ve made significant strides in reopening Boulder’s prized trails, but we know we have much more work ahead of us,” said Mike Patton, director of the city’s Open Space and Mountain Parks Department. “Our approach has been to reopen trails that serve the broadest segment of the community and to leverage the immense generosity of volunteers to help us rebuild our community’s trail system.”
When the recent flooding subsided, OSMP conducted a preliminary assessment that found it caused significant or severe damage to 77 miles of trails. Floodwater also caused some damage to dozens of miles of other trails. The department then diverted its staff – including trail crews, seasonal employees and full-time employees – to provide immediate trail access to neighborhoods and areas across Boulder.
Since the September flood, OSMP has opened 70 miles of trails, along with 20 trailheads. It has also opened climbing areas on the First and Third Flatirons, and it is working with volunteers from the Flatirons Climbing Council and Rocky Mountain Rescue Group to assess local climbing access areas and explore additional openings.
As first responders and local climbers help OSMP survey climbing areas, hundreds of other volunteers continue to help the department rebuild and restore important drainages and ecosystems. In recent weeks, OSMP has held 15 volunteer projects, which have helped the department make progress in opening more trails. Volunteers have also assisted OSMP by providing guided hikes, which give area residents insights about how the flood has impacted the city’s open space system. More than 600 people have participated in the guided hikes.
“We’re fortunate to have so many volunteers helping us to rebuild,” Patton said. “We’ve been inspired by their hard work and willingness to help the community.”
In the coming weeks, OSMP anticipates opening the following trails and areas:
- Spring Brook-Doudy Draw trail complex; Foothills Trail; Hogback Loop; Old Kiln Trail; Wonderland paragliding/hang gliding access area; Greenbriar/Thomas Lane with the South Boulder Creek West Trailhead; Flagstaff Trail and nearby climbing areas, including Flagstaff Summit, Crown Rock and Contact Corner.
By the end of 2013, OSMP expects to open:
- Sanitas Valley Trail; Amphitheatre/Gregory Loop and its nearby climbing opportunities; Skunk Canyon Trail; and the Upper and Lower Big Bluestem trails.
While OSMP is making progress opening many trails and trailheads, some trails will remain closed to the public after Jan. 1. These trails have become eroded and buried in debris, and will require significant repairs. In addition, their closure will help reduce the creation of new social trails, which causes adverse environmental impacts. Areas that will likely remain closed past the beginning of the year include:
- Four Mile Creek Trailhead: Flood water expanded the creek from 3 feet to 30 more than feet, necessitating a new bridge. Flooding also spread extensive debris in the area.
- Chapman Drive/Tenderfoot: Flooding severely damaged the road and OSMP needs to provide a walkable trail in the area.
- Access road to Green Mountain Lodge: The recent flood created a flowing creek in the roadway, which prevents access to Ranger Trail and Gregory Canyon. Re-opening this trail now would damage environmental resources.
- Multiple Mesa Trail junctions: The Bear, Skunk and Bluebell drainage crossings of the Mesa Trail have been damaged.
- East Boulder Trail at Boulder Creek (White Rocks): Large gullies and extensive debris have severely damaged the trail.
“We understand the desire to get back on the trails,” Patton said. “We’re doing everything we can to provide our community with exceptional recreational opportunities as we continue our commitment to ensure long-term resource protection.”
Boulder OSMPs to host open house on open space recovery progress
Oct 16th
The meeting will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Millennium Harvest House ballroom, 1345 28th St. OSMP staff will kick off the meeting with a presentation of its response to the flood, along with its efforts to open area trails, trailheads and climbing locations. OSMP staff members will be available to address specific questions after the department’s presentation.
The topics covered during the open house will include:
· Trail and trailhead repair, and trail opening progress
· Flood impacts on natural resources and agricultural programs
· Volunteer projects and accomplishments
· Plans for the weeks and months ahead
Since the flooding, OSMP staff and hundreds of volunteers have reopened 47 percent of its trail system, along with 57 percent of its trailheads. The department has also held 15 volunteer projects and has begun working with the Flatirons Climbing Council and Rocky Mountain Rescue Group to assess climbing areas – work that will help the department develop a comprehensive plan for opening more climbing areas across the system.
Individuals interested in volunteering for OSMP’s recovery projects should visit boulderfloodinfo.net and click on “Volunteer Opportunities” for information about how to help.
For the most current listing of trails that OSMP has opened, go to http://bit.ly/15msF85
–CITY–
Simpson notches career-high kills to whip Washington State for a 3-1 Pac-12 record
Oct 7th
BOULDER — Junior outside hitter Taylor Simpson recorded a career-high 23 kills as the University of Colorado volleyball team defeated Washington State 3-1 to win its third straight Pac-12 Conference match this season.
The Buffs won 25-17, 25-21, 25-27, 25-19 to improve to 11-3 overall, 3-1 in the Pac-12. WSU is now 14-3, 1-3 in the Pac-12. This is the first time since 2006 that the Buffs have won three conference matches in a row.
“It was definitely a hard-fought match,” Simpson said. “They definitely put their hands on any hit that I had, but we had some good sets and were doing really well passing-wise. I thought it was a good match.”
Simpson hit .333 in the match with seven errors on 48 attacks. She also added seven digs and four blocks assists. Nikki Lindow had an error-free hitting night with 10 kills on 19 swings for a match-high .526 hitting percentage. At the net she led the Buffs with five block assists.
CU hit .278 in the win with 61 kills. Nicole Edelman had 45 assists and added six kills on 13 errorless attacks to hit .462. She also had a double-double with 10 digs. Alexis Austin and Kerra Schroeder each recorded seven kills for CU and Kelsey English tacked on another six in the victory. Cierra Simpson led CU in the back row with 14 of CU’s 49 digs.
Colorado out-blocked the Cougars 8.0-4.0. Besides blocks from Lindow and Taylor Simpson, English and Schroeder each put up three block assists and Austin added the final one for CU.
“I am very proud of them (the team),” coach Liz Kritza said. “We talked in the locker room before the match about this being more important than the match that we played on Friday. This is the follow-up match, and it’s the one that lets us show that it’s not just a team that can pull an upset and then dip down. It’s part of establishing our identity within this league and across the country nationally in volleyball.”
The Buffs held WSU to a .200 hitting efficiency with 54 kills and 26 errors on 140 attacks. The Cougars were led by Kyra Holt’s 19 kills and Jaicee Harris added 10 kills.
“It’s a victory and we took it,” Kritza said “It wasn’t pretty all the time. I can look at every single player on the roster, and they’re celebrating the fact that it was a victory, but they also know that there’s another side to this. We want continual improvement. We have to get back in the gym; we’re going back on the road for two weeks. We have four tough road matches, and the expectations are getting higher and higher within our group. That’s a very good thing. I always love that they know that I hate losing and love winning, but I want to put ourselves in a position to sustain these victories. This can be a really special season for us.”
The Buffs took a 13-7 lead in the first set before WSU called its first timeout. After the break, the Cougars got within two points (14-12) to force the Buffs to call a timeout of their own. The quick intermission worked well for CU as the team recorded an 8-3 run to go back up 22-15. From there the Buffs were able to finish the set with three of the next five points. Taylor Simpson had a hot hand in the frame, hitting .818 with nine kills and no errors on 11 swings. The Buffs hit .517 as a team with 17 kills and only two errors on 29 swings.
WSU led for the first part of the second set, taking an 11-6 lead. The Buffs started to put a stop to the Cougar’s attack and got back within a point at 13-12. CU continued its comeback and evened the score at 15-15. The Buffs went ahead of WSU with a 4-2 run (19-18) and from that point on the Buffs would never trail as they finished 25-21.
CU forced the Cougars to use a timeout after taking a 9-4 advantage to start the third set. Out of the break, WSU recorded a 5-3 run (12-9) and this time the Buffs decided to spend a timeout. CU retained the lead and went up 19-15, but the Cougars got back within a point at 21-20, so the Buffs used their final timeout of the set. The two teams would battle it out to the end and needed extra points, and in the end it was WSU with the 27-25 win.
The fourth set was a close fought one. The Buffs had a 14-10 lead before WSU took three straight points to get within a point at 14-13. After a quick CU timeout, the Buffs used a 6-3 run to take a 20-16 advantage. The Cougars tried to slow CU down with another timeout, but the Buffs were determined to finish the match and won the set 25-19.
The Buffs will head to northern California next week for a pair of matches. CU will face California on Wednesday, Oct. 9 at 8:30 p.m. MT. The Buffs will take on No. 7 Stanford on Saturday, Oct. 12 at 8 p.m. MT. Both matches will be televised regionally on the Pac-12 Network.
COLORADO BUFFALOES
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